> WW News Service Digest #163 > > 1) Cuban President at UN Summit > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 2) Mumia Greets Cuban Delegation > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 3) Fidel Castro Visits NYC > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 4) Protesters, Cops Clash at "Economic Olympics" > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 5) Harlem Turns out for Cuban Leader > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 6) Spies, Lies and U.S. - China Relations > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 7) Selma Elects First Black Mayor > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Sept. 21, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >CUBAN PRESIDENT AT UN SUMMIT: "WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT >FOR MILLIONS OF CHIDLREN TO DIE" > >[Speech by President Fidel Castro Ruz, during Roundtable No. >2 of the Millennium Summit, on the role of the United >Nations in the 21st century, United Nations, New York, >September 7, 2000, Year of the 40th Anniversary of the >Decision of "Patria o Muerte." Official translation >provided by the Cuban Council of State.] > >I have meditated a great deal about the seriousness of this >subject and a series of data, but I think that this is a >subject that has been discussed for more than 40 years, and >actually we haven't progressed but rather gone backwards. > >Proof of what I say is that at the present time, in more >than 100 countries per capita income is lower than it was 15 >years ago. > >Everybody here has expounded the ideas they most wished to >transmit within the brevity of the time available, and I >would like to say that I am profoundly affected by issues >related to the disastrous state of health currently >affecting the world, particularly in the Third World >countries. I don't really like using a lot of figures, but I >am going to use some. > >Life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa barely reaches 48 >years. This is 30 years less than in the developed >countries. > >In terms of the maternal death rate, 99.5 percent of all >such deaths occur in the Third World. > >The risk of maternal death in Europe is one per 1,400 >births; in Africa it is one per 16. The general mortality >rate is similar. > >More than 11 million under-fives die every year in the Third >World as a result of preventable diseases in the >overwhelming majority of cases: more than 30,000 every day, >21 every minute. While we are talking here, 100 are dying. > >Two out of every five children in the Third World countries >suffer from retarded growth, and one out of every three is >underweight in relation to age. > >Two million female children are forced into prostitution. > >In the underdeveloped countries, approximately 250 million >children under the age of 15 are obliged to work in order to >survive. > >Many people have also talked here on the issue of AIDS. I >had the impression some months ago, at the meeting in >Durban, that the tragedy of AIDS in Africa had been >discovered by the West, and at that conference, as was >widely reported by the news agencies, there was talk of how >to reduce the cost of medical care for persons infected with >AIDS and keep them alive. We all know that the cost is >$10,000 USD per infected person. It was affirmed there by >representatives from the Western nations, European countries >in general, that cost-saving formulas had to be sought. > >Everyone knows that it costs close to $1,000 USD per person >with AIDS to produce those medicaments and, starting from a >perfect formula and a perfect cocktail, that amount could be >greatly reduced. But more than a few African representatives >expressed a hard reality: that even if they were donated the >medicaments, they lacked the infrastructure to distribute >and administer them. > >On the other hand, I have also heard representatives from >industrialized countries like France, Sweden, Germany and >others present here express their disposition to help these >Third World countries. > >This is a question of life or death. I was asking myself: >what could we do? I remind you that Cuba is a small country, >and poor. And something else: besieged and blockaded. But I >don't want to talk to you about that. Thanks to the >intensive educational programs that have been developed over >many years, Cuba now has a significant human capital, and >human capital is decisive; I would say that it is even more >important than financial capital. > >And our country has sufficient medical personnel to >cooperate--if the United Nations agrees--with the World >Health Organization and with the peoples of sub-Saharan >Africa, who are suffering from this destructive scourge to >the greatest degree, in order to organize the infrastructure >needed to administer those medications in Africa on an >emergency basis. I am not exaggerating. This could signify >1,000 doctors, 2,000 or 3,000 health workers, including >paramedics who would be needed to collectively undertake >that program. > >We don't have to wait for millions of children to die; a >good proportion of the 25 million persons infected could >survive, thus averting growing numbers of orphans, already >close to 12 million, a figure which, in another few years, >will increase to 40 million, a Dantean tragedy! > >No country, whatever its resources, can develop with 25-30 >percent of its population infected with AIDS and millions >and millions of orphans. In my view, this would really >signify the extermination of entire African nations, and >possibly a large part of the African continent. That is the >reality. > >For that reason, although I wasn't necessarily going to >speak, I arrived after the meeting opened because I was at >the plenary session and, listening to you, decided to >propose this plan; thus, concretely: Cuba offers the United >Nations, the World Health Organization and the African >countries the personnel necessary for developing not only >AIDS programs, but also other health care programs, and also >to give hands-on training there to technical and nursing >personnel. > >The first thing we do in the places we go to is to create a >medical school. Africa needs thousands of doctors in order >to provide one doctor per 5,000 inhabitants; our country has >one doctor per 168 inhabitants. We have experience in health >care; currently some 2,000 doctors are doing an excellent >job working abroad. This is what I wish to propose >concretely here, in a spirit of cooperation. And hopefully >the European countries, the industrialized countries >represented here, will take account of what I am proposing >and could make the effort to contribute to finding the >medicaments, to reducing their cost. > >What is taking place in the world is worse than warfare. In >Africa one million people die from malaria every year while >300-500 million are infected; moreover, two million people >die of AIDS, and for every two who die, four to five are >infected--we know there have not been sufficient advances as >yet for a vaccine and it's not known when that's going to >materialize--and three million die of tuberculosis. > >We are proposing, concretely, a program for Africa. I am not >exaggerating in the least and we are not seeking anything >for ourselves. Wherever our doctors go they do not talk >about religion, or politics, or philosophy; they have been >fulfilling missions for years and have earned the greatest >respect and acknowledgement from the local population. > >I leave this proposition in the hands of this United Nations >roundtable, and that's it. > >Thank you very much, >Mr. President. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 00:12:05 -0400 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >Content-transfer-encoding: Quoted-printable >Subject: [WW] Mumia Greets Cuban Delegation >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Sept. 21, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > > > >FROM DEATH ROW: MUMIA GREETS CUBAN DELEGATION > >ONA MOVE! > >On behalf of the committee to welcome the Cuban delegation >to the Millennium summit and their supporters in various >communities, we say, "Bienvenidos mis amigos de Cuba. >Bienvenidos." > >We welcome his Excellency el Presidente Fidel Castro, >members of the honored Cuban delegation, and the members of >the welcoming committee that organized this event and made >it possible. Bien venidos. We welcome you to the historic >Riverside Church of Harlem. > >This is an important moment of history. For as the late >revered Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Nothing can stop >an idea whose time has come." > >It is time for us all to recognize the futility of the >blockade that continues to stifle Cuban economic life. In a >time when the watchword on every major politician's lips is >"free trade," how can such a thing as the blockade, a naked >restraint of trade if ever there was one, be maintained? > >It is an anachronism, a rusty tool of the Cold War era, due >for storage in a dusty museum of another century. It should >be joined by the Cuban Adjustment Act, another Cold War >relic of another age, another time. If lawmakers were >honest, it would be called the Cuban Destruction Act, for it >lures poor and desperate people into the shark-infested, >treacherous water of the Florida Keys. > >Every empire in the world has acted like an economic magnet >for poor people on the periphery. But it is inhumane to set >up a system that treats their survival like a deadly >obstacle course. > >Like the blockade, the so-called Cuban Adjustment Act >punishes free trade and also forbids free travel by >Americans to that island just 90 miles offshore. It too is >an idea whose time has past. > >We gather today to join our voices to the swelling chorus of >millions calling for an end to the blockade, repeal of Helms- >Burton, an end to the travel ban. The recent American media >fever over Elian has provided an invaluable opening for >those like the late Philadelphia activist Bob Simpson who >wanted to bring some sanity to an American-born policy that >is muddled in madness. > >Take heart, for madness cannot last forever. even the most >raging fever will break. You are all the breath of fresh air >that is signaling the return of sanity to Cuban-U.S. >relations. So again, Bien-venidos, we welcome you. > >We also want to thank you for your continuing resistance to >the empire, for four decades of remaining true to the >revolution; for building a system where education is a >fundamental human right; for aiding in the long and arduous >fight to free South Africa from the obscenity called >apartheid; for providing a home for fugitives from the >prison house of nations, like Assata Shakur, like Mahanda, >like the late Dr. Huey P. Newton and briefly Eldridge >Cleaver. We thank you and we welcome you to Riverside. > >Ona Move! > >Viva Fidel! > >Viva la revoluc=EDon! > >Viva John Africa! > >>From death row, > >this is Mumia Abu-Jamal. > >September 6, 2000 > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 00:12:05 -0400 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Fidel Castro Visits NYC >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Sept. 21, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >FIDEL CASTRO VISITS NEW YORK CITY > >By Teresa Gutierrez >New York > >Fidel in New York City! > >Years from now all of us who had the tremendous good fortune >to hear Comandante Fidel Castro at Riverside Church on Sept. >8 during the week of the United Nations Millennium Summit >will remember the occasion as one of the biggest moments in >our lives. To be present at an event of such historic >proportions is a golden and rare opportunity, clearly one of >the most memorable occurrences in any revolutionary's life. > >But with this tremendous opportunity comes the challenge and >responsibility to do everything we can to once and for all >lift the U.S. blockade of Cuba. With it comes the challenge >to also do all that we can to advance the class struggle in >the United States overall. > >The wonderful opportunity to hear one of the greatest >revolutionaries of all time speak should inspire the >progressive and working-class movement in the United States >to build a revolutionary movement so broad and so successful >that it can lead the working class and the oppressed in this >country to take its rightful place in history. > >That would certainly be a great tribute to the teachings of >Fidel Castro. > >The president of Cuba has traveled to the United States only >five times since the triumph of the revolution 41 years ago: >In 1959, 1960, 1979, 1995 and this year. > >So the "Evening of Solidarity with the People of Cuba" on >Sept. 8 was an event that will be recorded in the chronicles >of revolutionary history. > >The New York Welcoming Committee for the Cuban Delegation to >the United Nations Millennium Summit organized the rally. >The Welcoming Committee is comprised of hundreds of Cuba >solidarity and grassroots organizations. > >This article will not attempt to report on the incredible >speech Comandante Fidel made at the event. Fidel's four-hour >presentation must first be issued from the Cuban government >so that the movement here and around the world can study >closely the official transcript. The speech will be printed >in Workers World newspaper as soon as it is issued. > >But for those who could not be at the event, let us take the >liberty to make a comment or two. > >First, how gracious and what a sign of a great leader Fidel >is that he opened his remarks by acknowledging all those who >could not make it into Riverside Church's main hall. Fidel >sent greetings immediately to the hundreds in the room >upstairs who could see and hear the program live on video >equipment set up for the event. He sent greetings to the >hundreds who were standing in line outside still waiting to >get in and to those that could hear him through the live >broadcast that had been set up for the rally in the streets. > >It sent an absolute thrill through the crowds outside the >main hall to get this recognition. > >What followed was a smooth and tireless talk for four hours >in a style that was warm and thoughtful but full of >revolutionary principles and fire. Fidel fleshed out in >detail some of the points he raised at the United Nations. > >And what a significant moment it was when Fidel spoke of >Cuba's contribution to save the life of political prisoner >Mumia Abu-Jamal. Fidel brought the house down right then and >there as thousands leaped to their feet to thunderously >applaud and chant Fidel's and Mumia's names. > >What a tremendous contribution Fidel made, not only to the >class struggle but also to the struggle against racism. It >was an incredible show of unity for the great leader from >revolutionary Cuba to stand with the struggle to save Mumia >and against racism right in the very heart of imperialism. > >That kind of boldness and principle is exactly what >socialist Cuba is all about. > >It is a monumental feat to bring Cuba's president to the >United States. Since the triumph of the revolution, the U.S. >government and its counter-revolutionary lackeys in Miami >have carried out countless attempts to assassinate this >beloved leader. > >So the President cannot just hop on a plane and come to the >United States without a great deal of precaution and >preparation. It is an enormous tribute to the masses and >leaders of Cuba that President Fidel was alive to celebrate >his 74th birthday this past August. Without the fierce >loyalty and steeled determination of the Cubans to protect >and defend their leader, the movement would not have had the >opportunity to hear his profound words. > >We salute the Cubans who allowed us the opportunity to sing >a belated but joyous "Happy Birthday" to Fidel. > >The Welcoming Committee for the Cuban Delegation must be >proud of the role it played to assure that the Riverside >Church meeting was successful. But the event did not proceed >without a hitch. The problem was the role of the U.S. >government. Through the hand of the Secret Service, the >government did its part--though with little success--to >undercut the event. > >Fire marshals, taking orders from the Secret Service, didn't >allow everyone at the event to take seats in the main hall >or the overflow room. People were made to stand in lines for >an unnecessarily long time in an attempt to put cold water >on the mood of the moment. > >The Secret Service even gave the church's crew technical >directions on whether or not the beautiful banner that had >been made for the event should be hung. > >But all these devious and petty interventions had little >effect. President Fidel Castro spoke to the revolutionary >movement and Cuba solidarity movement in the year 2000 to >tremendous accolades in the very city of finance capital. > >All those who left after 2 a.m. on September 9 walked away-- >some of us floated away--with a fervor to be just like the >Cubans: determined, united, socialist and steadfast against >imperialism. > >Long live the Cuban Revolution! >Long live President Fidel! > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 00:12:05 -0400 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Protesters, Cops Clash at "Economic Olympics" >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Sept. 21, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >PROTESTERS, COPS CLASH AT "ECONOMIC OLYMPICS" >Australian activists: End Global Exploitation and Inequality Now! > >By Gery Armsby > >Just days before the opening of the 2000 Summer Olympics in >Sydney, Australia, protesters faced brutal attacks by police >during mass demonstrations against the World Economic Forum >in the streets of Melbourne Sept. 11-13. > >The U.S.-dominated WEF is the same clique of bosses from the >world's largest transnational corporations that initiated >the World Trade Organization. A worldwide movement was >launched against the WTO in the streets of Seattle last >year. > >The WEF's Asia/Pacific Summit in Melbourne, held against a >backdrop of international Olympics hype, provided a ripe >opportunity for organizers to mount a militant and highly >visible anti-capitalist struggle. > >Early each morning of the three-day summit-dubbed 'Economic >Olympics' by the media- protest groups, Aboriginal people's >organizations, labor unions and many international activists >converged at the entrance of the Crown Towers Casino and >Hotel to blockade the bosses' meeting. > >Their battle cry was: "Shut down the WEF! End global >exploitation and inequality now!" > >Thousands of people successfully blocked access to the Crown >Towers at the summit's Sept. 11 opening session. At least >200 of the 850 delegates could not get in. > >Buses and cars carrying delegates were delayed. Some turned >back after long delays. > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
