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Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2001 02:29:18 -0400 (EDT)
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Subject: [CubaNews] NY Transfer's RHC News Update-27 Sept 2001
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 27 September 2001
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*41st ANNIVERSARY OF COMMITTEES FOR THE DEFENSE OF THE REVOLUTION
*GOVERNOR GENERAL OF JAMAICA WRAPS UP OFFICIAL VISIT
*MEXICAN POLITICAL LEADER ARRIVES IN HAVANA
*WORLD TOURISM DAY CELEBRATED IN CUBA
*COLOMBIA: COCA COLA FIRM CONTINUES REPRESSION, INTIMIDATION - UNION
*CINCINNATI: JUDGE ACQUITS COP WHO GUNNED DOWN UNARMED YOUTH
*ITALIAN PM BERLUSCONI'S RACIST STATEMENTS CAUSE INTERNATIONAL UPROAR
*COLOMBIAN RIGHT-WING PARAMILITARIES THREATEN RENEWED PEACE PROCESS
*WASHINGTON: FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT COMMENTS ON UNBALANCED PRESS RESTRICTIONS
*Viewpoint: THE FORGOTTEN REGION
.
*41st ANNIVERSARY OF COMMITTEES FOR THE DEFENSE OF THE REVOLUTION
Havana, September 27 (RHC)--Millions of Cubans across the island are
attending neighborhood block parties tonight -- waiting for 12
midnight to welcome in another anniversary of the Committees for the
Defense of the Revolution (CDR). Tomorrow, September 28th, marks the
41st anniversary of the creation of the neighborhood committees --
formed on September 28, 1960.
The announcement of vigilance committees came during a speech in
Havana 41 years ago by the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel
Castro. Having just returned from the United Nations, Fidel was
addressing a rally at the Plaza de la Revolucion when several bombs
exploded nearby. Reassuring the crowd that the young Revolution would
be defended, the Cuban leader said block committees would be formed
in every corner of the island.
The Committees for the Defense of the Revolution not only guard
against criminal activities -- similar to neighborhood watch
organizations -- but also organize clean-up campaigns, recycling
programs, blood donation drives and many other activities.
*GOVERNOR GENERAL OF JAMAICA WRAPS UP OFFICIAL VISIT
Havana, September 27 (RHC)--The Governor General of Jamaica, Sir
Howard Cooke, wrapped up his official four-day visit to Cuba on
Thursday. During his stay, the distinguished Jamaican visitor met
with Cuban President Fidel Castro and other top government leaders.
He also toured a number of social and economic places of interest,
including the International School of Sports and Physical Education.
On Wednesday, the governor general of Jamaica visited tourist
facilities at the beach resort of Varadero. Sir Howard Cooke met on
Thursday with members of the Jamaican community residing in Cuba.
Speaking with journalists in the Cuban capital, Sir Howard Cooke
praised Fidel Castro and other leaders of the Cuban government --
expressing his appreciation for Cuba's assistance to the Third World,
especially the underdeveloped nations of the African continent.
Political observers say that the official visit of the Jamaican
governor general greatly contributed to the ties of friendship
between the two island nations.
*MEXICAN POLITICAL LEADER ARRIVES IN HAVANA
Havana, September 27 (RHC)--The President of the Worker's Party of
Mexico, Alberto Anaya Gutierrez, arrived in the Cuban capital on
Wednesday to begin an official visit to the island. During his stay
in Cuba, the Mexican political leader plans to visit schools,
hospitals and agricultural areas.
On Thursday, the president of Mexico's Worker's Party met with Deputy
Foreign Minister Fernando Remirez de Estenoz. Over the next several
days, Anaya Gutierrez will also meet with Cuban Parliament President
Ricardo Alarc�n and other high-ranking government officials.
*WORLD TOURISM DAY CELEBRATED IN CUBA
Havana, September 27 (RHC)--Today, September 27, is World Tourism
Day. Marking the occasion, Cuba's Tourism Minister, Ibrahim Ferradaz,
told reporters in Havana that the number of visitors to the island
increased by nine percent over the first eight months of this year.
Ferradaz added that the Cuban tourist sector continues to achieve
efficiency and plans to open new tourist resorts next year.
He noted that tourism has played a dynamic role in the Cuban economy
over the past decade. It has generated a large number of new jobs in
a relatively short period of time and has contributed to the recovery
of other important economic sectors that were hard hit by the acute
crisis that faced the island over the past decade.
The Cuban official specifically referred to the increasing amount of
products manufactured on the island for the important industry. In
the 1990's, only 12 percent of those products were made for the
island's hotels and other tourist facilities, noting that 67 percent
of those items are now being made locally. Cuba's tourism minister
said that he was happy to see the participation of the light
industry, the food industry, agriculture, fishing and many other
Cuban economic sectors.
Tourism Minister Ibrahim Ferradaz reported that Cuba has more than
36,000 hotel rooms in different tourist resorts and hotels located
throughout the island. He noted that a record number of two million
tourists would visit the island by the end of this year. Visitors
come from all over the world, with European countries and Canada
leading the way.
Cuba's tourism minister said that the recent tragic events that took
place in the United States have caused some to postpone their travel
plans for now -- bringing about a decrease in the number of visitors
to many of our nations in the Caribbean or other parts of the world.
But, he emphasized, Cuba's tourism industry is confident of a bright
and promising future.
*COLOMBIA: COCA COLA FIRM CONTINUES REPRESSION, INTIMIDATION - UNION
Bogot�, September 27 (RHC)--Labor leaders in Colombia have called
on Washington and the Coca Cola firm to put a stop to the repression
of Colombian bottling factory workers. The National Food Industry
Workers Union charged that since 1994 eight of its members have been
assassinated by paramilitaries in the employ of Coca Cola, that no
one has been brought to justice and that the cases have been shrouded
in silence.
The labor union denounced the case last July in a US District Court
in Florida, with the support of the Washington-based non-governmental
organization International Labor Rights Fund. Since then, the US
embassy in Bogot� reportedly began an investigation, but the National
Food Industry Workers Union stated that the threats against its
members engaged in union organizing have continued.
International Labor Rights Fund member and attorney Terry
Collingsworth recently stated that there is no question that Coke
knew about and benefits from the systematic repression of trade union
rights at its bottling plants in Colombia. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit
are claiming US jurisdiction under the Alien Tort Claims Act, which
allows non-US citizens the right to file suit against Americans for
violations of international law. A federal court in Miami is expected
to rule on jurisdiction in the coming days or weeks.
*CINCINNATI: JUDGE ACQUITS COP WHO GUNNED DOWN UNARMED YOUTH
Cincinnati, September 27 (RHC)--A judge in the US city of
Cincinnati has absolved a police officer who earlier this year gunned
down an unarmed African-American youth. The shooting sparked an
uprising last April in the city's black community, which led to the
declaration of a state of emergency and curfew.
Officer Steven Roach, who killed 19 year old Timothy Thomas was only
charged with negligent homicide, which carries a maximum 9 month
prison sentence. Judge Ted Winkler, without convening a jury trial,
said Roach was justified because the victim did not stop or put his
hands up when ordered to do so.
Roach reportedly gave several different versions of the shooting,
which the district attorney's office called an obstruction of
justice. Cincinnati religious leader in the black community, Reverend
Damon Lynch, called the verdict "an atrocity," while at the same time
urging for calm and peace in the community.
Roach, nevertheless, could still face disciplinary action by the
police department, while the victim's family is considering filing a
civil rights lawsuit against the officer and city authorities.
Following announcement of the verdict police sent additional forces
into the streets fearing a violent reaction from Cincinnati's 332,000
black inhabitants - constituting 43 percent of the city's population.
In the past year or so, some 15 black youths in Cincinnati have been
shot to death by police, most of them unarmed.
*ITALIAN PM BERLUSCONI'S RACIST STATEMENTS CAUSE INTERNATIONAL UPROAR
Cairo, Brussels, September 27 (RHC) -- Racist statements pronounced
by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi have caused an
international uproar. Arab nations are calling for an official
apology from Berlusconi, who asserted that western civilization is
superior to Islam. Arab League secretary general, Egyptian Amro Musa,
expressed indignation following the Italian Prime Minister's
affirmation that the values of western civilization are superior to
the values of Islam.
Musa termed as mistaken affirmations concerning the superiority of
any culture over another. Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel,
whose country currently presides over the European Union, called
Berlusconi's statements inadmissible and unacceptable, expressing his
total condemnation.
The Italian Prime Minister's statements came during a joint press
conference in the Egyptian capital, El Cairo, together with Michel.
Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, termed as dangerous
Berlusconi's affirmation in the measure that it could lead to
sentiments of humiliation in the Arab world. The European Commission
said Berlusconi's words hardly constitute a message of tolerance.
*COLOMBIAN RIGHT-WING PARAMILITARIES THREATEN RENEWED PEACE PROCESS
Bogot�, September 27 (RHC)--Right-wing paramilitaries in Colombia
have asserted that they will continue their death squad campaigns
even if there is a truce and cease-fire agreement between the
government and leftist rebels. The statement came just 24 hours after
the Committee of Personalities - designated by the government to
accompany the peace process with the Colombian Revolutionary Armed
Forces - came up with several proposals that many observers say could
reactivate peace talks.
The committee proposed a bilateral truce with international
supervision that can be extended or annulled every 6 months. The
committee also proposed an end to the recruitment of minors in the
civil war, an end to attacks against towns and the country's
electricity and oil sectors, an end to the use of non-conventional
weapons and government financing of the guerrillas as long as the
truce lasts.
Observers and diplomats are terming as particularly significant the
proposal to include in the peace process the National Liberation
Army, Colombia's second largest insurgency. The Colombian
personalities - Communist leader Carlos Lozano, academic Alberto
Pinzon, and former Constitutional Court president Vladimiro Naranjo -
stated that the truce would give the government an opportunity to
engage in a sustained offensive against right wing paramilitaries -
who say the committee is comprised of guerrilla sympathizers.
Pastrana's cabinet, his High Commissioner for Peace Camilo Gomez, the
United Nations' special representative in Colombia Jan Egeland and
rebel leaders have called the proposal "very positive."
*WASHINGTON: FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT COMMENTS ON UNBALANCED PRESS RESTRICTIONS
Washington, September 27 (RHC)--Washington Deutsch Press
correspondent Maria Isabel Rivero complains that recent restrictions
on the freedom of speech and press are not balanced. In a news cable
entitled "Freedom of Press and Expression in Times of War," datelined
Washington, September 27, Rivero notes that conservative Bill Maher's
satirical program "Politically Incorrect" lost its two main sponsors,
Sears and FedEx, after Maher said that firing a cruise missile from a
distance of 2,000 miles was cowardice, while remaining in an airplane
about to crash is not.
White House spokesman Ari Fleishcer called Maher's statement terrible
and unfortunate. The Deutsch Press correspondent also recalled that
the State Department attempted to prohibit an interview with the
leader of Afghanistan's Taliban regime carried out by the US
government's Voice of America, though anti-immigrant and anti-Arab
statements by some commentators have not been criticized.
Rivero noted that radio commentator Michael Savage received no slap
on the wrist when he came out in favor of deporting all immigrants
and Arabs in the United States, claiming that this "human scum," in
his words, didn't deserve to benefit from human rights or civil
liberties. Savage called the notion of tolerance "stupidity."
*Viewpoint: THE FORGOTTEN REGION
Central America is now considered the area with the lowest standard
of living on the continent. According to official statistics, 80% of
the region's inhabitants live in poverty, cut off from the most basic
opportunities.
The truth is that this miserable existence claims as many victims as
Central America's wars have over the past three decades; conflicts
that left hundreds of thousands dead and more than a million
displaced.
In l998 Hurricane Mitch, called the worst natural disaster in 200
years, slammed into the region devastating Honduras and Nicaragua.
On top of all this, Central America has mortgaged its present and
future with a soaring foreign debt making effectively blocking every
attempt at development. According to the Economic Commission for
Latin America and the Caribbean, known as CEPAL, Central America's
combined debt has spiralled to more than 18.5 billion dollars and the
interest necessary to service those loans represents some 55% of the
region's entire Gross Domestic Product.
The nations hardest hit by debt are Nicaragua, which owes more than
six billion dollars and Honduras, with a 3.5 billion dollar debt. The
governments of Managua and Tegucigalpa have been calling
unsuccessfully for a their debtors to partially or completely forgive
their debts.
So it should come as no surprise that the Central American region is
considered to be highly dangerous; a place where crime has spun out
of control. For example, El Salvador now boasts the highest homicide
rate in Latin America, with more than 90 for every 100,000 people.
Also registering an extremely high rate of killings are Honduras,
Guatemala and Nicaragua. The sharp rise in violence over the past ten
years is considered to be the result in large part, of the
proliferation of drug trafficking and all the social problems that go
along with it.
The most dramatic fact however, is that in the absence of radical
change, there is no hope for a brighter future, just more uncertainly
as a result of the official insistence on stumbling down the same
disastrous path of neoliberal policies and the spectre of an
international economic collapse looming ever closer on the horizon.
(c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved.
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