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Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2001 19:42:33 -0400 (EDT)
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Subject: [CubaNews] NY Transfer's RHC News Update-05 June 2001
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 05 June 2001
*GLOBALIZATION LEADS TO IDENTITY CRISIS - MENCHU
*UNIVERSITY FOR ALL OFFERS CUBAN HISTORY COURSE
*LATIN AMERICAN PARLIAMENT SUPPORTS REGIONAL INTEGRATION
*ENGLISH EDITION OF CARLOS FINLAY BIOGRAPHY PUBLISHED IN HAVANA
*FIRST PHASE OF PRISONER EXCHANGE IN COLOMBIA SUCCESSFUL
*NICARAGUAN PROTESTS CONTINUE OVER BUS FARE HIKES
*USA'S "DEMOCRATIC CHARTER" GETS COOL RECEPTION AT OAS MEETING
Viewpoint:
*ENVIRONMENTALISM IS KEY TO CUBA'S SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
*HELMS-BURTON'S "TITLE 3" A BONE OF CONTENTION BETWEEN US, EUROPE
.
*GLOBALIZATION LEADS TO IDENTITY CRISIS - MENDHU
Havana, June 5 (RHC)--The 1992 Nobel Peace laureate Rigoberta Menchu says
globalization runs contrary to the peoples' identity and diversity, while
it's generating a socio-economic crisis. Menchu arrived Monday in Cuba to
take part in the 2nd International Congress on Culture and Development.
Menchu also referred to Guatemala's human rights situation, which she said
has experienced an incalculable backward turn over the past few years,
particularly after the return to power of retired General Efrain Ramos Montt
as President of Congress and leader of the ruling Guatemalan Republican
Front. "There is a terrible crisis," said Rigoberta Menchu, denouncing the
kidnappings of some 50 entrepreneurs and small businesspeople this year.
Menchu said the international community maintains a special rapporteur on
the administration of justice in Guatemala, but neither his recommendations
nor those issued by the commission reviewing the human rights abuses of the
past, set up after the signing of the 1996 peace accord, have yet been
implemented.
The 2nd International Congress on Culture and Development is sponsored by
Cuba's Ministry of Culture, the Andris Bello Accords, the Latin American
Economic System, UNICEF and UNESCO.
The annual gathering, which resulted from an initiative of Cuban President
Fidel Castro, is being attended by more than 100 intellectuals, artists and
politicians whose discussions focus on culture as the basis for development.
Some participants include film-makers Jorge Sankinis of Bolivia, Sergiio
Cabrera of Colombia, Spanish Manuel Gutierrez and Brazilian Nelso Pereira.
The event, which will run until Friday, will include workshops and round
table discussions.
Also present will be Nordic Literature Prize winner Kjartan Flogstad; the
President of the Latino Movie Institute, Gillo Pontecorvo; Brazilian
politician Jose Ignacio Lula Da Silva and the Permanent Secretary of the
Latin American Economic System, Otto Boye.
*UNIVERSITY FOR ALL OFFERS CUBAN HISTORY COURSE
Havana, June 5 (RHC)--In Cuba's continuing effort to improve the education
of the population as a whole, its University for All programming on state
television will be expanded this week to include a history course. Cuban TV
already offers English and a geography courses which have become very
popular and are viewed by large numbers of Cubans, especially in the
countryside where the need is greatest.
The new course on the history of the island comprises 40 one-hour programs,
broadcast on Mondays and Thursdays at 7:00 a.m. with re-broadcasts in the
afternoon and late evening. A printed supplement that complements the class,
will be sold for a nominal charge of two Cuban pesos (10 US cents) at all
newsstands across the nation.
The University for All programming has been so successful that education
authorities are planning further classes in many other subjects.
*LATIN AMERICAN PARLIAMENT SUPPORTS REGIONAL INTEGRATION
Havana, June 5 (RHC)--Regional parliamentarians meeting this week in Havana
for the Latin American Parliament, or PARLATINO, have concluded that the
area's integration is an historical necessity.
Ricardo Alarcon, the president of the Cuban Parliament, opened the meeting
in which more than 12 countries from the region are represented. He was
joined in the inauguration by Argentinian Senator Daniel Baum, who is the
Secretary of PARLATINO.
Other than the debate on integration, the PARLATINO members discussed
health, women's issues and worker's concerns. In the health arena, Cuban
deputy Diana Martinez Piti stated that equal access to drug therapy for
HIV/AIDS sufferers should be available for all. The island suffers from a
United States imposed economic blockade that has meant that such medicines
are not readily available in Cuba.
In the field of women's rights, PARLATINO's Women's Commission chaired by
Panamanian legislator Olgalina de Quijada, analyzed strategies in which to
ratify a protocol eliminating all forms of gender discrimination. And the
Labor Commission under Chilean deputy Marina Prochelle, continued with the
development of a Social Contract for Basic Workers Rights to be implemented
by the Parliament.
The meeting of the Latin American Parliament here in Havana will last two
days.
*ENGLISH EDITION OF CARLOS FINLAY BIOGRAPHY PUBLISHED IN HAVANA
Havana, June 5 (RHC)--An English edition of the book "Finlay, the Man and
the Scientific Truth," originally published in Spanish in 1985, was launched
on Monday at Havana's Capitol building, site of the Cuban Academy of
Sciences.
The publication of this biography of Cuban doctor and researcher Carlos J.
Finlay, who identified the mosquito that causes yellow fever, coincided with
the 90th birthday of its author, Dr. Jose Lopez Sanchez.
During the ceremony, Dr. Lopez Sanchez received a diploma signed by the
Cuban Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment, Dr. Rosa Elena
Simeon, in recognition of his work in the field of scientific research.
Addressing the participants, Dr. Ismael Clark, president of the Cuban
Academy of Sciences, highlighted moments of the author's life, and said that
the book helps readers discover the man behind his work and the ethics of
his scientific research, thanks to which hundreds of thousands of lives have
been saved.
*FIRST PHASE OF PRISONER EXCHANGE IN COLOMBIA SUCCESSFUL
Bogot�, June 5 (RHC)--Reports from Bogot� confirm that the first phase of a
prisoner exchange between the government and rebel forces was carried out
successfully on Tuesday in a mountainous region in southwestern Colombia.
The Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces freed a total of four prisoners in
the first release -- an army colonel, a captain, a lieutenant and a soldier.
They were the crew members of a helicopter shot down by the guerrilla forces
more than a year ago.
The agreement to exchange 42 army prisoners held by the rebels for 15
captured guerrilla fighters was signed over the weekend -- but no one is
saying exactly when all the exchange will be made, due to security concerns.
The Red Cross received the released Colombian army prisoners on Tuesday, and
also plans to receive the guerrillas freed by the government. The first
release by the guerrilla forces was delayed to to problems in transporting
the army colonel, who is in delicate health. The prisoners had been held in
a remote area since the time of their capture.
According to the Revolutionary Armed Forces, following the initial exchange
and after a period of two weeks, the guerrilla forces will unilaterally
released another 100 soldiers and police as a goodwill gesture.
Over the weekend, Colombian President Andres Pastrana said that the
agreement was the first step toward humanizing the 40-year conflict and the
first accord to take into consideration international humanitarian law and
human rights. The Colombian president expressed his optimism, saying that
the agreement paves the way for future accords with the rebels.
*NICARAGUAN PROTESTS CONTINUE OVER BUS FARE HIKES
Managua, June 5 (RHC)--Protests in Nicaragua continue against an increase in
student transportation fares. Late Monday night, students confronted
anti-riot police in Managua. At least three demonstrators were injured and
more than 20 arrested.
Last week, the student fare was unilterally hiked by bus drivers, from from
two cordobas (15 cents) to three (23 cents). Protests broke out not only in
Managua, but in other cities around the country. Students blocked roads in
Leon, Esteli and Matagalpa.
Siding with the student protesters, the mayor of Managua and a member of the
Sandinista National Liberation Front, Herty Lewites, ordered that the
drivers not raise the fare, -- threatening to fine anyone who charges more
than the prices set before last week.
In response, the drivers went out on strike during the early morning hours
of Tuesday. Speaking with reporters in Managua, representatives of the
drivers said they would call a general work stoppage if they were not
allowed to raise their fares.
*USA'S "DEMOCRATIC CHARTER" GETS COOL RECEPTION AT OAS MEETING
San Jose, June 5 (RHC)--At the 31st General Assembly of the Organization of
American States, which took place Monday and Tuesday in San Jose, Costa
Rica, participants found serious problems with a "Democratic Charter"
heavily promoted by Washington.
On Monday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Luis Alfonso Davila expressed his
country's concerns with the content of the Charter, which he said has
legislative and constitutional implications for Latin American countries.
Davila said he was particularly concerned with the possibility that this new
"Democratic Charter" would violate the spirit and principles of the OAS
Charter. And he warned other foreign ministers at the OAS meeting that they
should be sure that whatever they agree upon is not in contradiction with
their own countries' legislation.
The Venezuelan foreign minister called on all Latin American governments and
member countries of the OAS not to lose sight of the inalienable right of
self-determination, which is a fundamental principle of real democracy.
Throughout the two-day meeting in Costa Rica, the U.S. representative argued
that the so-called Democratic Charter was a mandate from the Third Summit of
the Americas, held recently in Quebec, Canada. Washington's representative
to the OAS, Luis Laureido, insisted that the proposal was not the creation
of the United States -- noting that other countries had officially presented
the Charter. But, observers noted that the text of the document appeared to
be written in the US.
The document attempts to define a concept of "democracy" and threatens to
impose sanctions on countries that do not measure up to its standards.
According to reports from San Jose, as many as 16 countries expressed their
reservations about approving the Charter, in what political observers
described as a slap in the face of Washington.
Viewpoint:
*ENVIRONMENTALISM IS KEY TO CUBA'S SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The environment in Cuba suffered great abuse under the corrupt regime that
governed the nation during its 60 years as a neo-colony of the United
States. The main problem was that private businesses were concerned only
with profits and for years they were given carte blanche to destroy Cuban
forests, rivers, lakes and the other natural beauties that had made the
island a veritable jewel.
Political and economic confrontation with the United States has been the
most serious problem faced by the Cuban Revolution over the past four
decades. But the critical shortages and difficulties created by Washington's
hostile policy toward Cuba have not changed the island's determination to
care for the environment.
Torrential, tropical rains and searing droughts have traditionally wreaked
havoc in Cuba. After the devastating Hurricane Flora slammed into the island
in l963, the government implemented a water policy that created a network of
dams throughout the country to guarantee water for critical crops and to
avoid catastrophic flooding.
Another important step taken by the new Cuban government early on was
massive reforestation efforts, to regain badly needed protection from the
merciless tropical sun, to restore the country's natural beauty and to begin
a sustainable and profitable industry in the cultivation of precious woods.
Since 1492 when Christopher Columbus first landed in Cuba until the
Revolutionary government took over in l959, foreign and domestic
entrepreneurs had been ruthlessly decimating the island's lush forests.
Cuba's internationally renowned beaches have also been re-conditioned and
rescued from erosion, as in Varadero where the spectaclar beach was receding
a full three feet each year, damaging the eco-system. Authorities brought in
sand, prohibited building on dunes and demolished buildings close to the
water. The result is that now Varadero Beach boasts an average width of
nearly 70 feet of fine, white sand.
This is the kind of work that is being undertaken island-wide to protect and
maintain a healthy and beautiful environment to be economically, socially
and culturally enjoyed.
*HELMS-BURTON'S "TITLE 3" A BONE OF CONTENTION BETWEEN US, EUROPE
Right-wing extremist Senator Jesse Helms, is destined to leave behind a
legacy of US foreign policy blunders. This week Helms will be forced to step
down as head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as a consequence of
James Jeffords' decision to declare himself an Independent.
With control of this key Senate committee out of Republican hands, some
positive adjustments may be made in US foreign policy, which has been riding
rough shod over international relations.
Among the most notorious achievments of the ultra right-wing legislator is
the internationally rejected Helms-Burton Law against Cuba. The law,
uniformly denounced as "interventionist" and "extraterritorial," seeks to
internationalize Washington's more than four decade blockade against the
island, by forcing other nations to refrain from trading with Cuba. Because
of its illegality under US and international law, the leglislation has never
been completely implemented.
President Bill Clinton, who signed Helms-Burton into law, was forced to
suspend its offensive Title Three for more than eight semesters. That
section, which establishes sanctions against people and countries that
maintain commerical relations with Cuba, is soon coming up again for
dispostion by President Bush. It is expected that Bush will be obliged to
maintain the suspension if he wishes to avoid aggravating differences with
Europe.
Cuba currently has commerical relations with 160 countries and diplomatic
relations with 170. If the application of Title Three of the Helms-Burton
law is implemented, sparks are sure fly between Washington and its European
trading partners which have important interests in Cuba.
(c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved.
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