More Than Half A Century Making A Mockery of Human Rights / Julio Cesar Galvaz #Cuba

Foto tomada de Internet
Photo taken from the Internet

By: Julio César Gálvez.

The current economic and social crisis spreads and worsens among the most vulnerable sectors of the population: children, elderly, disabled, women, ethnic minorities. It is not an isolated case. It is a well-structured plot over 50 years ago to control an entire country. The lack of ethical and moral values and rampant corruption of the ruling class is added to the above.

Despite the illusory reforms announced by President Raul Castro on assuming leadership of the nation, the reality is quite different.

Unemployment, cuts in public budgets, the inefficiency of the political, economic and productive system, and repeated promises for more than 50 years, have led to the impoverishment and marginalization of an entire people, accosted and frightened by the constant harassment and repression.

Although 64 years have passed since the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Cuban totalitarian regime attacks anyone who dissents from the official discourse, and even if the offense or insult is verbal, the State resorts to physical assault and even murder if necessary.

There were more than 440 political arrests during the month of November, which tripled what happened in 2010, is an example of increased repression unleashed by those who for over 50 years have held power in the island.

There is perennial harassment is against the Ladies in White, who were beaten on November 4th and 11th in the provinces of Holguin and Santiago de Cuba, for the crime of attending Mass and asking for freedom for the political prisoners who are still behind bars.

Calixto Ramón Martínez, an independent journalist, 42, who remains on hunger strike since 10 November in the Combinado del Este prison in Havana, is held in contempt for uncovering the existing uncontrolled cholera outbreak across the country; he is is one of those who daily risk their lives so that the reality of what is happening in Cuba will not be forgotten.

The writer Ángel Santiesteban, winner of the Casa de las Americas of 2009 for his novel, is sentenced to five years in prison on a false accusation – dismissed by the trial court – announced with sarcasm and irony in advance by political police officer who calls himself Camilo.

There are 21 members of the Cuban Patriotic Union currently imprisoned without charges or justification for peacefully demanding freedom and democracy. A quarter of all its members.

Antonio Rodiles, held for nine days; Angel Santiesteban, Angel Moya, Librado Linares and nine opponents beaten and detained, from November 7th to 9th; for inquiring about the arbitrary detention of a young couple, both independent lawyers.

Physical aggression against Guillermo Farinas, 2010 winner of the European Union’s Sakharov Prize, and even the threats to Elizardo Sanchez, president of the Cuban Commission for Human Rights, in mid-month, after leaving a meeting of opponents, something that didn’t happen two years ago.

There was the savage aggression against the young woman Berenice Hector Gonzalez, in the province of Cienfuegos, for defending the honor of the women of her family who are Ladies in White. The 15-year-old suffered countless stabs the face, neck, forearms, thighs and buttocks received, while her assailant, daughter of a colonel in the Ministry of the Interior of the province, is paraded through the streets of Perla del Sur without any problems, these were actions of gross violations of human rights.

The Cuban regime degrades itself before the fear of loss of power and control of the streets, but the increase in public and street protests, the denunciations of repression and abuses committed by the political police and paramilitary mobs, the call to reflection and alternatives used by dissidents to achieve the needed freedom and democracy, show that the Cuban people have said: Enough.

December 9 2012