>Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2000 02:51:32 -0500 >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Radio Havana Cuba-06 December 2000 > >Radio Havana Cuba-06 December 2000 > >Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > >Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 06 December 2000 > > . > >*A LOOK AT ONE YEAR OF THE BATTLE OF IDEAS > >*PANAMA REQUESTS INFORMATION ON LUIS POSADA CARRILES > >*CUBA AND BRAZIL SIGN BILATERAL AGREEMENTS > >*OPENING NIGHT OF 22nd HAVANA FILM FESTIVAL > >*CARDINAL BERNARD LAW CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE > >*ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS LINKED TO SOCIAL, ECONOMIC ISSUES > >*FRIENDSHIP INSTITUTE PRESIDENT MEETS WITH PEACE BOAT PASSENGERS > >*Viewpoint: POSADA CARRILES MUST BE EXTRADITED FACE CUBAN CHARGES > > . > >*A LOOK AT ONE YEAR OF THE BATTLE OF IDEAS > >Havana, December 6 (RHC)-- A roundtable discussion, broadcast live on Cuban >radio and television Tuesday evening, took a look at the past year of what >has become known as "the battle of ideas." On that date, one year ago, mass >rallies began in Havana for the return of Elian Gonzalez. > >Panelists reminded the radio and television audience that the six-year-old >boy was taken from the island by his mother, without his father's knowledge >or permission. Following his mother's tragic death at sea, Elian's father -- >Juan Miguel Gonzalez -- and the entire Cuban people began the battle to have >his son returned to Cuba. > >The first rallies to demand that young Elian be returned to his father began >on December 5, 1999 -- with a rally called by the Young Communist League, >the UJC. The protest rally was held in front of the U.S. Interests Section, >at the same location where a giant plaza was later built -- called the Jose >Marti Anti-Imperialist Tribunal. > >Participants in the roundtable discussion noted that the movement took on >strength as the days and months passed -- culminating in the eventual >release of Elian Gonzalez. It was pointed out that the process was an >educational one -- discrediting the right-wing forces in Miami and on >Capitol Hill that held the young boy captive against the will of the Cuban >people and international public opinion. > >Panelists agreed that this battle for the return of Elian turned into the >continuous struggle against the Cuban Adjustment Act -- U.S. legislation >that encourages illegal immigration by offering special treatment to Cuban >immigrants -- and other hostile actions by Washington against the Cuban >Revolution. The past year has also seen the development of educational >forums, including the roundtable discussions which are now aired Monday >through Friday on radio and television. > >Tuesday evening's special program to commemorate the first anniversary of >"the struggle of ideas" was broadcast live on Cuban radio and television, as >well as the international shortwave frequencies of Radio Havana Cuba. > > >*PANAMA REQUESTS INFORMATION ON LUIS POSADA CARRILES > >Panama City, December 6 (RHC)-- The government of Panama has requested that >the Venezuelan office of Interpol provide information on Luis Posada >Carriles, the international terrorist currently being held in the Central >American nation for plotting an attempt on the life of Cuban President Fidel >Castro. > >Posada Carriles was imprisoned by Caracas for his role in the bombing of a >Cuban airliner over Barbados in 1976. Seventy-three people were killed in >that sabotage bombing. Posada Carriles escaped from Venezuelan custody in >1985. > >Meanwhile, Panamanian students are demanding that their government apply the >full force of the law against Posada Carriles and his three accomplices who >were arrested with explosives and a detailed map of the University of >Panama, where Fidel Castro was to speak during his visit for the >Ibero-American Summit last month. > >Jorge Gonzalez, a leader of one of the largest student organizations on >campus, the BPU, said that his fellow students will show judicial >authorities that they have the full weight of the Panamanian people behind >them in seeking to apply justice against the terrorists. Gonzalez noted that >if the C-4 explosives had been detonated, hundreds would have killed -- >including officials from the University of Panama who were with the Cuban >leader the day he visited the campus and spoke with over 2000 students. > > >*CUBA AND BRAZIL SIGN BILATERAL AGREEMENTS > >Brasilia, December 6 (RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, on a >three-day official visit to Brazil, has signed important bilateral >agreements with his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Felipe Lampreia. According >to Prensa Latina News Agency, one agreement will allow for the production of >interferon -- used medicinally to stimulate the immune system -- using >advanced, Cuban technology. The interferon will be produced in Brazil with >the cooperation of the Osvaldo Cruz Foundation, one of the most prestigious >medical/scientific institutions in the Latin American country. > >The Cuban foreign minister met on Tuesday with Brazilian officials and >announced that another meeting between high-ranking officials of both >foreign ministries will take place in Havana next month. > >The visit of Felipe Perez Roque marks the first by a Cuban foreign minister >to Brazil since 1988. Analysts interpret the signing of important bilateral >accords to be a sign of excellent relations between Cuba and Brazil. > >Cuba's top diplomat will travel from Brazil to Honduras -- where he will >attend a ministerial meeting of the Association of Caribbean States, the >ACS. The regional meeting gets underway in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran >capital, on Thursday. > > >*OPENING NIGHT OF 22nd HAVANA FILM FESTIVAL > >Havana, December 6 (RHC)-- Much to the delight of the audience, Cuban >President Fidel Castro attended the opening night of the 22nd Film Festival >of New Latin American Cinema last night in Havana. > >The Argentine film "Nueces para el Amor," directed by Alberto Lecchi, >officially launched the Festival. Intimate, sad, persistent and romantic are >some of the words used to describe this film of a love story set against a >background of contemporary Argentine history. > >On the first day of the Festival, there were 78 films and documentaries on >offer at 24 different venues. This trend will be continued throughout the >days of the Festival, which runs through until December 15th. > >Today begins the showing of Independent North American Cinema, which has a >big following here. The Cubans are avid cinemagoers; many take their >vacations during the Film Festival to see as much as possible. > > >*CARDINAL BERNARD LAW CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE > >Havana, December 6 (RHC)-- Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston has condemned >Washington's economic blockade against Cuba. The Catholic Church official >spoke at the opening of the Eucharistic Congress in the Cuban capital. He >was leading a master conference on the Significance of Jesus in a New World. > >Representatives from the Catholic Church in Mexico, Panama, Chile, Spain and >the Dominican Republic are also participating in the Eucharistic Congress, >which will run through Thursday in parishes of Havana and will finish with a >procession in Old Havana. > > >*ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS LINKED TO SOCIAL, ECONOMIC ISSUES > >Havana, December 6 (RHC)-- The Director of the Regional Office for Latin >America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Environment Program in >Havana, Ricardo Sanchez, said that it's impossible to refer to the >environmental situation without taking into account the social and economic >aspects of each nation. > >The UN official said that the causes of environmental problems in the region >are associated with inefficient economic growth, production and consumption >patterns, the unsustainable use of natural resources and uncontrolled urban >growth. > >Sanchez Sosa pointed out that Latin America has over 224 million people >living in poverty, affirming that an economic growth superior to five >percent a year is necessary to alleviate this social problem. The UN >Environment Program believes that the transference of technologies, public >information and programs with the participation of its citizens is of great >importance for the advancement of the nations. > > >*FRIENDSHIP INSTITUTE PRESIDENT MEETS WITH PEACE BOAT PASSENGERS > >Havana, December 6 (RHC)-- The President of the Cuban Institute of >Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), Sergio Corrieri praised the solidarity >of the visitors that came to the island on board the Peace Boat. The boat >arrived earlier this week with 550 passengers, mainly Japanese young people >and friends from some 20 other nations. > >During a meeting with ICAP's president, the director of the Japanese Peace >Boat, Dairiri Nakajara, condemned Washington's genocidal blockade against >Cuba and reaffirmed that the Cuban and Japanese people will always be >united. > >During their two-day visit to Havana, Peace Boat passengers donated medicine >and school supplies and met with Cuban students. > >The Peace Boat will continue its journey to Peru as part of a 17-nation tour >aimed at broadening understanding among the people of the world. > > >Viewpoint: > >*POSADA CARRILES MUST BE EXTRADITED FACE CUBAN CHARGES > >The rumor has run its course that if extradited to Cuba, Luis Posada >Carriles and his fellow mercenaries would face the death penalty. > >In a speech delivered on the Day of Latin American Medicine on December 3rd, >Cuban President Fidel Castro guaranteed that none of them would be sentenced >to death and, if convicted by the island's courts, they would get the >maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. > >However, unscrupulous anti-Cuba forces are always inclined to judge other >people according to their own moral values. Some of them have even asserted >that the Cuban leader is maneuvering to have the group of terrorists sent to >Havana. > >There is no evidence or antecedent to show that Cuba has ever failed to keep >a promise or commitment -- not even during the most difficult times over the >last 40 years. The Cuban Revolution has always complied with agreements and >commitments made, even with its main rival: the U.S. government. > >The bilateral agreement on migration is a good example. Unlike the United >States, Cuba has never violated these accords. The same can be said about >the Cuban government's struggle against drug trafficking in the region and >its cooperation with U.S. authorities in these regards. Washington cannot >mention a single case of Cuba not complying with any bilateral agreement or >commitment. > >On this occasion, what Cuba and the international community demand is that >justice should be done, particularly with this group of assassins now under >arrest in Panama who have for so long been protected by the anti-Cuba Mafia >in Miami. They are the ones responsible for the 1976 terrorist attack >against a Cuban aircraft in Barbados, which took the lives of 73 innocent >people. > >(c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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