Umsebenzi Online, Volume 13, No. 54, 18 December 2014
In this Issue:
* The release of the Cuban Five and restoration of diplomatic relations
between Cuba and the United States: Statement by the South African Communist
Party
* Statement by the Cuban President of the Councils of State and
Ministers, Army General, Comrade Raúl Castro Ruz
* Statement by FOCUS-SA on the release of the Cuban Five
* The release of Cuban Five: Victory for the power of international
solidarity, by Comrade Hope Mankwana Papo
* The Significance of the freed Cuban Five, By Life Sihlangu, young South
African who studied in Cuba
Red Alert:
The release of the Cuban Five and restoration of diplomatic relations between
Cuba and the United States:
Statement by the South African Communist Party
The release of the Cuban Five
The South African Communist Party welcomes the release of the remaining three
of the Cuban Five who were unjustly incarcerated for 16 years in the United
States of America (U.S.) since 12 September 1998; Comrades Gerardo Hernández,
Ramón Labañino and Antonio Guerrero who were arrested together with Fernando
and René González. The Cuban Five were essentially arrested by the U.S. for
fighting against terrorism directed at the destabilisation of Cuba. The SACP
celebrates with the families, friends and comrades of these great heroes of the
Cuban revolution and people as a whole, and shares with all them the sheer joy
of their release from the jaws of imperialism in the U.S.
The release of the Cuban Five represents a symbolic victory over imperialism
which is in the state of multiple crises and is unable to rule in the old way.
This was admitted by the U.S. President Barack Obama in his statement on
Wednesday 17 December 2014 when he said the old way of doing things did not
work, and that the U.S. could not expect different results from doing one and
the same thing over and over again. He then called “…for a new approach to
advancing” the U.S’s “interests” and “values” in Cuba. This is the core of the
remaining problem; the government of one country, i.e. the U.S., is seeking to
extent its influence and jurisdiction, and impose its will over another, Cuba,
and in fact also over the rest of the world. The SACP condemns this in
strongest terms possible, and calls on all revolutionaries, progressives and
peace loving people across the world to intensify mobilisation and the struggle
against imperialism. The Cuban people and many in solidarity the world over
have shown the way!
As President Raul Castro Ruz said on Wednesday 17 December 2014 announcing the
release of the remaining Cuban Five and the restoration of diplomatic relations
with the U.S., the heroic people of Cuba have demonstrated against great
dangers, attacks, hardships and sacrifices that they are, and will remain, true
to the ideals of independence and social justice. The release of all the Cuban
Five followed years of consistent mobilisation in Cuba and across the world,
including in South Africa. As acknowledged by President Castro who thanked all
the people involved, this consistent mobilisation was carried out by
“committees, groups of solidarity, governments, parliaments, organisations,
institutions and personalities”. The SACP is proud to have been part of this
just movement!
The SACP further wishes to thank all South Africans who tirelessly took part in
this struggle through our own Party organisation and, but by no means
exclusively, the Friends of Cuba Society South Africa (FOCUS-SA). The SACP also
congratulates our government for active solidarity with the people of Cuba on
this and various fronts. Our government has been vocal in this struggle, and
has consistently voted at the United Nations for the lifting of the U.S’s
illegal economic embargo on Cuba.
Restoration of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the US
The SACP welcomes the restoration of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the
U.S. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed 53 years ago,
in January 1961, two years after the Cuban revolution dislodged in 1959 the
military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista that was backed by the U.S in Cuba.
The U.S further imposed an economic embargo on Cuba with the aim of collapsing
Cuban independence and revolution through a series of interacting imperialist
measures, this so-called “support for democracy”.
The SACP condemns right-wing groupings mainly in the U.S. but also elsewhere
who are campaigning against the normalisation of diplomatic relations between
Cuba and the U.S., and the lifting of the U.S’s economic embargo on Cuba. The
SACP reiterates its call on the US to lift its economic embargo on Cuba
unconditionally and completely with immediate effect! The “crime” that the
Cubans have committed is to assert their right to national self-determination
including policy sovereignty over the direction of their own society. The SACP
is deeply concerned that, in its statement, the U.S. administration has made no
shift whatsoever from policy to interfere in Cuban affairs or those of other
countries.
In essence the US government announced that it has adopted a new strategy to
achieve the old objectives of imperialist interference in Cuba. The
announcement essentially streamlines the pursuit of “regime change” based on
new tactics and funding methods. The SACP condemns this bad faith in strongest
terms possible, and calls on the U.S. government to stop meddling with the
right of the Cuban people to freely determine their own development policies –
in particular the path of socialism that they, on their own will, have chosen!
Released by the SACP
Contact:
Alex Mashilo – Spokesperson
Mobile: 082 9200 308
Office: 011 339 3621/2
Twitter: @2SACP
Facebook Page: South African Communist Party
Website: <http://www.sacp.org.za> www.sacp.org.za
The release of the Cuban Five and restoration of diplomatic relations between
Cuba and the United States:
Statement by the Cuban President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Army
General, Comrade Raúl Castro Ruz
Fellow countrymen, Since my election as President of the State Council and
Council of Ministers I have reiterated in many occasions our willingness to
hold a respectful dialogue with the United States on the basis of sovereign
equality, in order to deal reciprocally with a wide variety of topics without
detriment to the national Independence and self-determination of our people.
Author: Granma | Gen. Raúl Castro Ruz | <mailto:[email protected]>
[email protected] | December 17, 2014 12:12:51
Fellow countrymen, Since my election as President of the State Council and
Council of Ministers I have reiterated in many occasions our willingness to
hold a respectful dialogue with the United States on the basis of sovereign
equality, in order to deal reciprocally with a wide variety of topics without
detriment to the national Independence and self-determination of our people.
This stance was conveyed to the US Government both publicly and privately by
Comrade Fidel on several occasions during our long standing struggle, stating
the willingness to discuss and solve our differences without renouncing any of
our principles.
The heroic Cuban people, in the wake of serious dangers, aggressions,
adversities and sacrifices has proven to be faithful and will continue to be
faithful to our ideals of independence and social justice. Strongly united
throughout these 56 years of Revolution, we have kept our unswerving loyalty to
those who died in defence of our principles since the beginning of our
independence wars in 1868.
Today, despite the difficulties, we have embarked on the task of updating our
economic model in order to build a prosperous and sustainable Socialism.
As a result of a dialogue at the highest level, which included a phone
conversation I had yesterday with President Obama, we have been able to make
headway in the solution of some topics of mutual interest for both nations.
As Fidel promised on June 2001, when he said: “They shall return!” Gerardo,
Ramon, and Antonio have arrived today to our homeland.
The enormous joy of their families and of all our people, who have relentlessly
fought for this goal, is shared by hundreds of solidarity committees and
groups, governments, parliaments, organizations, institutions, and
personalities, who for the last sixteen years have made tireless efforts
demanding their release.
We convey our deepest gratitude and commitment to all of them. President
Obama’s decision deserves the respect and acknowledgement of our people. I wish
to thank and acknowledge the support of the Vatican, most particularly the
support of Pope Francisco in the efforts for improving relations between Cuba
and the United States.
I also want to thank the Government of Canada for facilitating the high-level
dialogue between the two countries. In turn, we have decided to release and
send back to the United States a spy of Cuban origin who was working for that
nation. On the other hand, and for humanitarian reasons, today we have also
sent the American citizen Alan Gross back to his country. Unilaterally, as has
always been our practice, and in strict compliance with the provisions of our
legal system, the concerned prisoners have received legal benefits, including
the release of those persons that the Government of the United States had
conveyed their interest in.
We have also agreed to renew diplomatic relations. This in no way means that
the heart of the matter has been solved. The economic, commercial, and
financial blockade, which causes enormous human and economic damages to our
country, [and] must cease.
Though the blockade has been codified into law, the President of the United
States has the executive authority to modify its implementation. We propose to
the Government of the United States the adoption of mutual steps to improve the
bilateral atmosphere and advance towards normalization of relations between our
two countries, based on the principles of International Law and the United
Nations Charter.
Cuba reiterates its willingness to cooperate in multilateral bodies, such as
the United Nations. While acknowledging our profound differences, particularly
on issues related to national sovereignty, democracy, human rights and foreign
policy, I reaffirm our willingness to dialogue on all these issues. I call upon
the Government of the United States to remove the obstacles hindering or
restricting ties between peoples, families, and citizens of both countries,
particularly restrictions on travelling, direct post services, and
telecommunications.
The progress made in our exchanges proves that it is possible to find solutions
to many problems. As we have reiterated, we must learn the art of coexisting
with our differences in a civilized manner. We will continue talking about
these important issues at a later date.
Thank you.
Statement by FOCUS-SA on the release of the Cuban Five
"A person arbitrarily and illegally deprived of their freedom is a person
subjected to kidnapping. In this case the kidnapper is the government of the
United States" - Ricardo Alarcon De Quesada, describing the case of the Cuban
Five
The Friends of Cuba Society - South Africa (FOCUS-SA) welcomes the release of
the remaining three Cuban Five patriots serving time in prisons scattered
across the United States (U.S.) – Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino and Antonio
Guerrero. The Cuban Five were jailed in the U.S., on spurious charges of
espionage, with immediate effect in a prisoner exchange which saw the release
of Allan Gross and others by Cuban authorities. This comes after behind the
scene diplomatic shuttling and involvement of leading personalities to
facilitate the dialogue between Cuban President Raul Castro Ruz and U.S.
President Barack Obama. For almost 16 years progressives across the world and
in our country have campaigned and mobilised for the unconditional and
immediate release of the Cuban Five and the last reminding three.
The restoring of full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba, which saw
the prisoner exchange and the release of the remaining three (3) Cubans from
U.S. jails, marks a turning point in U.S-Cuba relations. White House statement
read, “Today, the United States is taking historic steps to chart a new course
in our relations with Cuba and further engage and empower the Cuban people”.
Whereas, President Raul Castro said, "This does not mean that the main thing is
resolved. The economic, commercial and financial blockade caused enormous human
and economic damage to our country [and] must cease".
Furthermore, Cuba proposed “…to the Government of the United States [to] take
mutual steps to improve bilateral climate and move towards normalisation of
ties between our countries, based on the principles of international law and
the United Nations Charter." Thus, there are still outstanding obstacles to the
normalisation of relations between these two countries. The economic embargo is
part of this package for FOCUS-SA. Together with other progressives FOCUS-SA
will continue to mobilise and campaign against the embargo.
However, it is the case of the Cuban patriots and the remaining three who were
released as part of the deal that is key at the present moment. The U.S.
Administration always wanted to absolve and disentangle itself from this farce.
Various U.S. presidential races have over the years counted on the votes of
Florida and Miami in particular to make the difference and as such pandering to
the whims of the Miami Cuban-American constituency was always a key tactic.
Therefore, the release of the Cuban Five’s remaining three will have huge
implications for presidential candidates and the parties in future U.S.
elections. Obama will not be running for another term and can easily deal with
the backlash and wave it away.
The “crime” of the Cuban Five (original number of those arrested and tried
unjustly in the U.S.) was protecting their country and against terrorism.
Arrested in September 12 1998 and subjected to a trial, which U.S. civil rights
lawyer Leonard Weinglass, called a 'violation' from start to finish, the Cuban
Five were locked away for a total of three life sentences plus 68 years. There
are very few cases that are political by their nature. This was one. The U.S.
even rejected the findings of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary
Detention established by the Commission on Human Rights on the Cuban Five.
According to an article published by the Miami Herald on 20 July 2005, the
State Department said it would not accept a “ridiculous and perplexing
decision” made by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention which ruled that
that the detention of the Cuban Five convicted in Miami was arbitrary and in
violation of international law. President Obama had no other option than to
release the remaining three of the Cuban Five due a number of reasons not least
the U.S’s claim to fighting terrorism and diminishing international cloud.
The case of the Cuban Five is more easily understood if you think of the case
of Orlando Bosch, a member of that terrorist network (Cuban-American mafia in
Miami), who planted a bomb on a Cuban airline in 1976, which exploded in
mid-air, killing 73 people. Mr Bosch applied for residence in the U.S. After
that episode, and the Justice Department and the Immigration and Naturalization
Service deemed him an undesirable person, pointed to 30 years of terrorist
activity including the bombing, and asked that he be barred from entry in the
U.S. But Orlando Bosch had a friend in Florida - a young man who wanted to be
governor: his name was Jebb Bush.
The writing was always on the wall for President Obama, who is in his final
stages of his tenure as president of the U.S. This much was also clear when for
a couple of weeks in October-November this year, the New York Times took up the
cudgels on behalf of Wall Street and pushed vociferously for a policy rethink
on the part of President Obama and suggested he could (re)write history by
normalising the relations between the U.S. and Cuba in the post-Cold War era.
In a couple of group editorials, the New York Times urged the policy makers on
Capitol Hill to consider taking the initiative and lead a process of
normalisation of relations between Cuba and the U.S.
This against the backdrop of an international policy advance by Cuba, which in
the midst of the Ebola scourge sent a large contingent of medical professionals
to East African countries hard hit by the disease. Through this action Cuba won
over many sympathetic voices on its side. The U.S. was also humiliated together
with its ally Israel in the annual voting calling for the lifting of the
economic embargo against Cuba on the UN General Assembly. The New York Times
reportedly said “18 secret talks” hosted by Canada were held which led to
President Obama to meet with Cuban counterpart President Raul Castro.
This is a culmination of years of campaigning and petitioning of the U.S.
authorities demanding the release of the Cuban Five and the normalisation of
relations between the U.S. and Cuba. This gesture and sign of thawing of
relations between the U.S. and Cuban can also be traced to the symbolic
handshake which occurred last year during the memorial service for departed
President Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. The conservative
U.S. media had a field day chastising President Obama for his historic
handshake with Cuban President Raul Castro. In many ways, this could be
attributed to the reconciliation icon Nelson Mandela as both leaders came to
pass their last respects to him and shared a podium together, which given the
relations of the two states would be unheard off.
This also comes after intense and prolonged campaigning and mobilisation by
progressives across the world, and in particular in South Africa led by the
FOCUS-SA, and involved all of the progressive tripartite alliance components
led by the African National Congress (ANC), the South African Communist Party
(SACP) and Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) affiliated trade
unions. Since their unlawful arrest, trial and incarceration, the FOCUS-SA has
always believed that theirs was a foreign policy backlash devoid of any
legality but a foreign policy ping-pong. Regular pickets and marches to the
U.S. Embassy to demand the release of the Cuban Five became a permanent feature
of the internationalist work by various organisations such as FOCUS-SA, SACP,
National Democratic Lawyers (NADEL) and numerous COSATU affiliates and others.
This we believe also laid the basis for rejection of the then U.S. policy
towards Cuba, both across the world and in the U.S.
These latest actions suggest the U.S. is “prepared” to normalise relations and
will consider direct talks with Cuba against the wishes of the Cuban-American
mafia based in Miami, Florida. The risks in this instance include alienating
the support of these groups whose hard-nosed policy towards Cuba at the core
involves overthrowing the Cuban government. Ricardo Alarcon said on the Moment
Truth: “It has been said over and over again, for long time now. Firstly, they
did it themselves - Gerardo Hernández, Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero,
Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez - to the very court which, as part of the
macabre farce, sentenced them with perverse severity. The voices of solidarity
which, little by little we're beginning to speak out around the world,
denounced it time and again”. Through their arrest, trial and incarceration
'one of the most curious example of globalisation was the redefinition of which
issues constitute news and which don't. For example, the fact that the U.S. has
officially expressed its support of terrorism and has repeated this conviction
several times over the years, in writing and before a court of law, has never
made news'.
Released by FOCUS-SA, Chris “Che” Matlhako, General Secretary
Contact:
Clever Banganayi – FOCUS South Africa Spokesperson and Deputy General Secretary
Mobile: 072 142 6625
The release of Cuban Five:
Victory for the power of international solidarity
By Comrade Hope Mankwana Papo
The release of the remaining three of the Cuban five patriots on Wednesday 17
December 2014 by the United States of America (U.S.) should be welcomed by the
international solidarity movement which has been campaigning for it. This
follows 18 months of talks between Cuba and the U.S in Canada and the Vatican
(with the personal involvement of Pope Francis). More measures are planned to
start normalising relations between Cuba and the U.S.
The Cuban Five patriots are Gerardo Hernandez, Antonio Guerrero, Ramon
Labanino, Rene Gonzalez and Fernando Gonzalez. They were arrested by the FBI in
September 1998 and convicted in June 2001 after a lengthy trial for the
so-called “espionage”. Gerardo Hernandez was also found guilty of “conspiracy
to commit murder” for his alleged involvement in the incident in 1996 when Cuba
shot down two planes that were carrying U.S citizens working with an exile
group Brothers to the Rescue which was seen by the Cuban Government as part of
a violent anti-Cuban terrorist groups based in Miami. The Cuban Five received
sentences ranging from 15 years to life imprisonment.
After years of legal battles and international pressure, Rene Gonzalez was
released in 2011 and was required to serve the three probation years in the
U.S. This was overturned by a judge in 2013 who ruled that he could serve them
in Cuba where he had gone to attend his father’s funeral. Fernando Gonzalez was
released this year (2014) and deported to Cuba.
During their trial, the five argued that they never meant to harm the U.S. and
its citizens. Their mission was mainly to monitor groups of Cuban exiles such
as the “United States Southern Command”, “Alpha 66”, “F4 Commandos”, “Cuban
American National Foundation” and “Brothers to the Rescue” operating from
Miami. Some of these groups were violently opposed to the Cuban government.
This followed several terror attacks such as the shooting down of a Cuban
airliner carrying their Olympic team in 1976 and bomb attacks at several Cuban
hotels in 1997. Through their reports to the Cuban government, the five managed
to prevent several terror attacks including a plan to explode bombs at the
famous Havana Tropicana night club in 1994. It was also argued that having
their trial in Miami was not fair and safe as they were faced with a hostile
environment, this including the very groups they were monitoring.
The release of the Cuban Five patriots demonstrates the power of consistent
international solidarity work which the South African progressive movement has
been part of through the Friends of Cuba Society (FOCUS) and formations of the
African National Congress-headed Alliance, the SA Communist Party, Congress of
SA Trade Unions and the SA National Civic Organisation. The campaign to free
the five was always understood within the bigger context of an ongoing
international campaign for the lifting of the economic embargo by the USA
against Cuba which followed the defeat of the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship in
1959. The blockade has been condemned by majority of the member states of the
United Nations (UN) and many international organisations as illegal, unjust and
aimed at harming the people of Cuba. The five are very popular in Cuba and are
seen by the majority of its citizens as heroes who went out of their way to
protect their country from terrorism which was planned and carried out from
Miami in the U.S.
Cuban people have always questioned why Cuban-Americans and CIA agents such as
Luis Posada Carriles and Orlando Bosch, who are known for their involvement in
various international terrorist activities against Cuba and other Latin
American countries are not arrested and charged. They have instead been and
are still being protected by the U.S. government.
By being part of the campaign to free the Cuban five and the end to the
economic blockade, as South Africans we were asserting the right of Cuban
people (and other people around the world) to determine the type and form of
political, social, economic and cultural system they want for their country
without any interference by any country.
As a tribute to the Cuban five, the entire ANC-headed Alliance and mass
sectoral organisations should individually and collectively strengthen FOCUS,
intensify the campaign for the lifting of the economic blockade against Cuba
and strengthen people to people relations with the Cubans. These are captured
in the National Conference or Congress resolutions of our Alliance formations.
Venceremos!!!!
Hope Mankwana Papo is ANC Gauteng Provincial Secretary, SACP Gauteng PEC member
and FOCUS-SA Gauteng Chapter Chairperson, and writes in personal capacity
The Significance of the freed Cuban Five
By Life Sihlangu, young South African who studied in Cuba
December to Christians around the world is time to celebrate the birth of Jesus
Christ, but for South Africans we were also walking and remembering the father
of the nation President Nelson Mandela. For the Cubans this month will mark the
beginning of an end towards one of the longest standing trade embargo, not
forgetting the released world’s famous Cuban Five. However for the Americans
this will be a moment they bowed down to the sounds of capitalism. For 20 and
5 years respectively one un-named American spy and the later Mr Alan Gross, a
65-year-old American “sub-contractor” (possibly engaged in other undisclosed
activities) had been arrested Havana. The two were also released in exchange of
the remaining Cuban Five.
These developments will enable Cuba to continue assisting developing and
developed countries with Education, Medicine and other scientific
breakthroughs. During the intensified trade embargo, students like me benefited
from good Cuban foreign policies, we can imagine how many now will benefit when
the embargo is uplifted? Surely, the world is going to be a better place. Cuba
will have a lot of catching to do as far as technological developments are
concerned and the world will have to race fast to learn about social service to
the people from Cuba.
The release of the Cuban Five is not only a victory to the Cubans but even
those nations that continued to risk their economies and safety by supporting
and voting for an end to the embargo at the United Nations General Assembly.
This solidarity must be observed, as the developing countries were never afraid
to stand up against goliath. This will surely allow Mandela to rest in peace,
as we know that last year Cuban President Raul Castro and U.S. President Barack
Obama were seen shacking hands during Tata’s Memorial Service. Many did not
know that negotiations were going on for the release of the Cuban Five and an
end to the more than 50 years of injustice imposed on the Cuban people by the
U.S.
How will the Cubans and the world be affected by this? Families with relatives
in Cuba — who have been able to travel to the nation since Obama eased the ban
in 2009 — can now also send more money to their loved ones, as much as $8,000
a year, up from the current limit of $2,000. Moreover, Americans in Cuba will
be able to use their own credit or debit cards and bring home up to $400 in
goods — including up to $100 worth of Cuban cigars and booze. The United
States’s punitive approach has been overwhelmingly counter-productive.
Life Sihlangu is a South African student who studied for six years in Cuba and
is now working in Johannesburg, South Africa; he writes in personal capacity
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