22 June 2015 ANC in Parliament Ready to Welcome the Cuban 5 The African National Congress in Parliament is ready to give the Cuban 5 a hero's welcome when they visit Parliament during their historic visit to South Africa following their release from years of unjust imprisonment in the United State of America. The Cuban Five were charged by the United States government of committing espionage and conspiracy against the US and were imprisoned since 1998; despite the fact that their actions were not directed at US government, and that they did not engage in any conspiracy against the government, but instead infiltrated terrorist organisations in Miami who were planning terrorist attacks on Cuba. Last year, in a historic and ground breaking move by the South African parliament, the National Assembly unanimously resolved to call for the release of the Cuban Five and the lifting of the economic blockade of Cuba by the US. Parliament's resolution elevated the issue of the Cuban five to a national issue, joining many progressive countries who have resolved to challenge this injustice against the state of Cuba. The release of all Cuban 5 heroes is a victory of this noble campaign led by the progressive forces in South Africa and across the world. That the Cuban 5 saw it fitting to honour South Africans with this visit following their release, is a testament to the role the progressive alliance has played to advance the campaign and the strong historic revolutionary ties between the ANC and Cuba. The visit is reminiscent of the 1991 visit to Cuba by Nelson Mandela to thank President Fidel Castro and the Cuban people for supporting the fight against apartheid and colonialism in southern Africa. The Cuban 5 will be in Parliament on Tuesday, and will be received by parliament's presiding officers before meeting with the multiparty parliamentary committee on international relations. On Wednesday, at 13h00 in the Old Assembly Chamber, they will receive a hero's welcome at the meeting of the parliamentary caucus of the ANC - which will be attended by all Ministers, Deputy Ministers and MPs from the National Assembly and the NCOP. The Cuban 5 will also attend a sitting of the National Assembly that afternoon. The media is encouraged to cover all these events. Issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo, 082 370 6930 -- -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "YCLSA Discussion Forum" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
