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Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2001 02:55:35 -0400 (EDT)
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Subject: [CubaNews] RHC News Update-06 April 2001
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 06 April 2001
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*INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION DELEGATES PRAISE SPEECH BY FIDEL CASTRO
*CHARGES PENDING IN EL SALVADOR AGAINST TERRORIST LUIS POSADA CARRILES
*CENTRAL AMERICAN PARLIAMENT CONDEMNS WASHINGTON BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA
*PANAMANIAN SAYS CUBA HAS THE MORAL AUTHORITY TO CONDEM TERRORISM
*MYANMAR CONDEMNS U.S. MANUEVERS AGAINST CUBA IN GENEVA
*ARGENTINES MOUNT CUBA SOLIDARITY E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO THEIR GOVERNMENT
*IPU HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SUPPORTS A CUBAN TRIAL FOR POSADA CARRILES
*GREENPEACE ISSUES WARNING TO US FIRMS WHO OPPOSE GLOBAL WARMING PROTOCOL
*THIRD WORLD'S POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW, UN COMMISSION REPORTS
*PROBLEMS OF GUATEMALAN YOUTH ROOTED IN UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH
Viewpoint:
*CUBA URGES WORLD'S LAWMAKERS TO FIGHT AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
.
*INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION DELEGATES PRAISE SPEECH BY FIDEL CASTRO
Havana, April 6 (RHC)--Representatives from parliaments around the world
gathered in Havana for the 105th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference had
words of praise for Thursday evening's speech by Cuban President Fidel
Castro. A number of delegates spoke with reporters following the Cuban
leader's two-hour speech, characterizing his words as "brilliant."
Addressing more than 1400 delegates from 123 nations, Fidel Castro blasted
the current world economic and political order -- calling it more unjust
than ever and totally devoid of democracy.
The leader of the Cuban Revolution said that Cuba has become the first
country in Latin America and indeed the Third World to lower the infant
mortality rate to less than ten for every 1000 live births. And Fidel Castro
emphasized that Cuba has sent doctors and health specialists to other
countries around world, providing medical care free-of-charge.
During his speech to the 105th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference last
night, the Cuban president pointed to the island's commitment in Angola and
the hundreds of thousands of Cuban soldiers who fought against the racist
South African regime. He asked if this is why the United States wants to
destroy the Cuban Revolution -- because of its social achievements at home
and its example of international solidarity over the past 42 years.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, which opened on Sunday, wraps up
Friday evening here in the Cuban capital.
*CHARGES PENDING IN EL SALVADOR AGAINST TERRORIST LUIS POSADA CARRILES
San Salvador, April 6 (RHC)--Charges will soon be filed in El Salvador
against the notorious international terrorist Luis Posada Carriles.
According to the San Salvador daily "La Prensa Grafica," the Attorney
General's office will formally charge Posada Carriles with using a false
identity to obtain fake documents, thus breaking Salvadoran laws. Posada
Carriles, who had been residing in El Salvador and was traveling on a false
passport from that country, was arrested along with three other terrorists
in Panama last November. The four are being charged with planning the
assassination of Cuban President Fidel Castro, among other criminal
activities.
An investigative journalist with "La Prensa Grafica" revealed that Luis
Posada Carriles arrived in El Salvador in the early 1980's and served as an
advisor for then-President Napoleon Duarte. The article emphasized that
during the Duarte administration, tens of thousands of innocent civilians
were killed by the Salvadoran army and paramilitary death squads.
It was also pointed out that Posada Carriles ran guns for the Nicaraguan
contras, in an effort to destroy the Sandinista Revolution. He is also
accused of involvement in an arms deal through the offices of a San Salvador
automobile garage -- where he had planned to obtain guns and ammunition,
illegally sent to the garage from Spain.
Luis Posada Carriles is also wanted on charges of involvement in the
sabotage bombing of a Cuban airliner in October 1976 -- in which all 73
persons on board were killed.
*CENTRAL AMERICAN PARLIAMENT CONDEMNS WASHINGTON BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA
Havana, April 6 (RHC)--The Central American Parliament has condemned
Washington's blockade against Cuba.
Representatives from the Central American Parliament, who are in Havana
participating in the 105th Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
reiterated their group's position against the U.S.'s aggressive policy
toward Cuba and in favor of the Cuban people.
A member of the Salvadorian delegation thanked Cuba for its cooperation with
Central America, particularly in the field of health.
Costa Rican legislator Jose Meriño condemned the U.S. blockade, which has
cost the island over 70 billion dollars. Meriño also took the opportunity to
praise what he called "the excellent work" being carried out by Cuban health
professionals in Central America.
The Costa Rican lawmaker strongly criticized the exclusion of regional
legislators from current negotiations leading to the creation of the
U.S.-proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas.
*PANAMANIAN SAYS CUBA HAS THE MORAL AUTHORITY TO CONDEM TERRORISM
Havana, April 6 (RHC)--When a nation has been the victim of constant
terrorist attacks, as Cuba has, it has the moral authority to condemn such
violence in the strongest terms. The statement was made in Havana by
Panamanian legislator Hector Aleman.
Aleman is in Cuba as part of his country's delegation to the 105th
Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The event includes more
than 1400 delegates from 120 nations.
In an exclusive interview with Prensa Latina news agency, the Panamanian
lawmaker pointed to what he called "the strength of Cuba's political
integrity," which has never been damaged in the face of the numerous
terrorist actions carried out against the island.
Referring to international terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, jailed in Panama
for his part in connection with a plot to kill Cuban President Fidel Castro,
Hector Aleman, who is also First Secretary of Panama's Democratic Revolution
Party, expressed satisfaction that Panamanian authorities have thus far
adhered to Panamanian law in dealing with the case. He also said that it is
good that Cuba's denunciation was properly responded to by Panama.
Posada Carriles has been under arrest in a Panama since last November, when
Cuban President Fidel Castro revealed that there was a plot underway to kill
him in Panama City during the 10th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State
and Government.
*MYANMAR CONDEMNS U.S. MANUEVERS AGAINST CUBA IN GENEVA
Havana, April 6 (RHC)--The Deputy Foreign Minister of Myanmar, Ukin Maung
Win, has condemned Washington's maneuvers to push through a resolution of
condemnation against Cuba in the United Nations Human Rights Commission in
Geneva.
The Asian leader arrived in Havana on Thursday for an official visit, aimed
at strengthening bilateral relations with Cuba. While on the island, he will
meet with Cuban authorities to discuss issues of common interest.
In reference to an anti-Cuba resolution presented by Poland and the Czech
Republic in the human rights commission, the deputy foreign minister noted
that no country has the right to manipulate the Geneva commission to the
detriment of another member nation.
*ARGENTINES MOUNT CUBA SOLIDARITY E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO THEIR GOVERNMENT
Buenos Aires, April 6 (RHC)--Friends of Cuba in Argentina have launched a
campaign to prevent a vote against Cuba in the United Nations Human Rights
Commission in Geneva.
In a communiqué sent to the "friends of the world," organizers of the
campaign are seeking support for their demand that the Argentine government
refrain from voting in favor of an anti-Cuba resolution for presumed human
rights violations on the island.
The campaign consists of using electronic mail to send hundreds of messages
daily to Argentine President Fernando de la Rua, the country's Foreign
Ministry and national deputies, demanding that Argentina stand with Cuba in
the human rights commission. The aim, says the communiqué, is that when they
turn on their computers every day they read hundreds of messages that
reflect the opinion of the Argentine people on the issue.
The document, made public by friends of Cuba in Argentina, concludes by
saying that Cuba has always been in solidarity with Argentina, and it is now
time for Argentina to show its solidarity with the Caribbean island.
*IPU HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SUPPORTS A CUBAN TRIAL FOR POSADA CARRILES
Havana, April 6 (RHC)--Juan Pablo Letelier, President of the Human Rights
Commission in the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) reiterated his
organization's support of the Cuban request that international terrorist
Luis Posada Carriles face trial in Cuba.
Addressing the more than 1400 delegates from 120 nations who are
participating in the 105th IPU Conference in Havana, Letelier said that
Chile supported a Cuban initiative to include the issue of terrorism in the
agenda of the conference because Chile was also the victim of state
terrorism during Pinochet's dictatorship from 1973 to 1989.
The head of the Parliamentary human rights commission condemned the fact the
Pinochet dictatorship was not only involved in numerous crimes against
humanity, but also promoted international terrorism in countries like Italy,
Argentina and the United States. He added that the DINA, Pinochet's secret
police, made an alliance with terrorist groups in those countries to
assassinate political figures, including the murder of dissident Chilean
General Carlos Prat in Argentina and former Chilean Vice President Bernando
Leighton in Italy. He also added that in the United States, the DINA
Cuban-American terrorists cooperated to assassinate his father, former
Chilean Foreign Minister Orlando Letelier.
The IPU official recalled that some of those same anti-Cuba terrorists who
operated at that time are now under arrest in Panama for plotting an attempt
against the life of Cuban President Fidel Castro.
*GREENPEACE ISSUES WARNING TO US FIRMS WHO OPPOSE GLOBAL WARMING PROTOCOL
Brussels, April 6 (RHC)--Greenpeace has given major U.S. firms one week to
announce whether they support President George Bush's decision to withdraw
from the Kyoto Protocol on global warming. The international ecology
organization stated Thursday that the top 100 U.S. corporations in the oil
and coal industry on the latest Fortune 500 list, will have to suffer the
consequences if they don't express opposition to Washington's refusal to
reduce contaminating gas emissions.
At press conferences in Paris and Amsterdam, Greenpeace pointed out that the
American people can express their opinions at the ballot boxes, but the rest
of the world -- shocked over the refusal of the world's largest contaminator
to accept its responsibility to help preserve the global environment
-- can only express their opinion in the marketplace. The environmental
activists warned that the U.S. firms, with Exxon at the top of the list,
will have to face the risk of an adverse publicity campaign among their
consumers if they choose to support Washington's position on global warming.
Meanwhile, European Union Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom, who
formed part of an EU delegation that traveled to Washington this week to
discuss the global warming issue, stated Thursday in Brussels that the U.S.
government is surprised and on the defensive. Wallstrom said that in her
discussions with U.S. officials such as Environmental Protection Agency
director Christie Todd-Whitman, she sensed that Washington did not expect
that its decision to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol would be so widely
condemned or create headline news for the past three weeks.
And the condemnations continue, with the European Parliament Thursday
adopting a resolution terming Washington's decision demented and a
provocation, and saying that this opinion is shared by numerous governments
and non-governmental organizations.
*THIRD WORLD'S POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW, UN COMMISSION REPORTS
New York, April 6 (RHC)--While more developed industrialized countries have
achieved lower birth rates and, in some cases, nearly zero population
growth, the number of inhabitants in underdeveloped nations continues on the
rise.
With a study of current demographic tendencies, the annual meeting of the
United Nations Commission on Development and Population is underway at UN
headquarters in New York.
Statistics show that the contrasts between countries in the North and those
in the South are more pronounced than ever. Nations in the so-called First
World -- notably Russia, Italy, Germany and Japan -- have registered a zero
population growth or less.
On the other hand, Third World countries account for most of the earth's
population -- with a total of four billion, 900 million people. The United
Nations reveals that the world's inhabitants -- currently standing at six
billion, 100 million -- is growing at the rate of 1.2 percent annually. This
translates into a yearly increase of 77 million people. More than half of
this number is divided among only six countries: India, China, Pakistan,
Nigeria, Bangladesh and Indonesia.
The United Nations Commission on Development and Population predicts that
the world's population will be more than eight billion, 200 million by the
year 2050, if current trends continue unchanged.
*PROBLEMS OF GUATEMALAN YOUTH ROOTED IN UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH
Guatemala City, April 6 (RHC)--The serious problems of youth in Guatemala
have their roots in the unequal distribution of wealth.
According to Guatemalan human rights attorney Marco Antonio Aguilar, one of
the major obstacles to social and economic justice in that Central American
country is the government's unwillingness or inability to comply with the
1996 Peace Accords. Aquilar told reporters in Guatemala City that as a
result, the vast majority of Guatemalans are socially and economically
abandoned. And the human rights activist pointed out that social and
economic inequalities fall most heavily on children and adolescents.
Short of changing the basic economic structure of Guatemalan society -- not
likely to take place in the next few months or years -- Marco Antonio
Aquilar suggested the immediate establishment of municipal councils, with
the aim of reducing the violation of children's rights.
The human rights attorney stated that he would continue monitoring the
situation and encouraging the administration of President Alfonso Portillo
to comply with the government/rebel peace accords, signed in December 1996.
*Viewpoint: CUBA URGES WORLD'S LAWMAKERS TO FIGHT AGAINST INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM
Cuban parliamentarian Reverend Raul Suarez will present a resolution to the
105th Inter-Parliamentary Conference which prohibits and condemns the
practice of terrorism and the preparation of terrorist actions in any
country against any government leaders or officials.
Suarez's petition was stimulated by a plot against the life of Cuban
President Fidel Castro that was uncovered recently in Panama for which
international terrorist Luis Posada Carriles and his accomplices were
arrested. The four notorious terrorists had entered Panama with falsified
passports intending to set off an explosive device in the University of
Panama where the Cuban president was to address hundreds of students,
officials and guests.
Luis Posada Carriles and his thugs were arrested by Panamanian authorities
after Fidel Castro himself revealed the plot on his life. They will be tried
for having violated Panamanian laws and the president of Panama has already
said that she will not allow the men to be extradited to Cuba because the
island maintains the practice of capital punishment. Cuba had already
officially announced that in this case it would not apply the death penalty.
It is well known that the United States wants Posada Carriles and his gang
to be freed, and U.S. officials are exerting all types of pressures on
Panama to achieve that end.
Cuba, on the other hand, has great interest in punishing these professional
terrorists who have caused so many deaths, like the 73 people who died in
l976 when a well-placed bomb blew a Cubana Airlines flight out of the sky
after it took off from Barbados. Among the dead were Cuba's junior fencing
team. That horrific action was just one of many committed by these
international killers, all well known to Panamanian officials,
It is time that authorities from different nations take a role in these
matters and resolve the question. Though this type of crime appears in the
debates of numerous national parliaments, in reality justice is applied only
in exceptional cases when the governments themselves want to save face or
placate an ally.
In 42 years of Revolution in Cuba, no one has ever been able to accuse the
island of such activities, since it has never had any place in Cuban foreign
policy or philosophy. Rule of law has always been a non-negotiable principle
of the Revolution. That is why the Cuban government and the people want
criminals such as Luis Posada Carriles and others who have committed heinous
crimes against the island to be tried in Cuban courts. That is a basic
principal of international law which should be respected by all nations.
(c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved.
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