Cuban Dissidents Seek Unity in Miami
Despite a diversity of criteria
By Daniel Garcia Marco
HAVANA TIMES (dpa) — Cuban dissidents on the island and exiles in Miami took a step today to seek unity despite their diverse criteria on how to “build democracy.”
“We are a plural, horizontal and diverse representation of the views from inside and outside Cuba,” said activist Manuel Cuesta Morua, who lives on the island and is visiting Miami. He said a Convention for Democracy in Cuba will take place in Miami on Wednesday, noting that dissident figures Berta Soler, Guillermo Fariñas, Yoani Sánchez, María Rosa Paya and Eliecer Avila, are among those expected to attend.
“We intend to send a clear message that Cubans inside and outside the island need to walk together to build democracy. Differences strengthen nations, not weaken them,” said Cuesta Morua, who called for “unity in diversity in shaping the discourse of the nation.”
Noone should be left out, he added, “we are talking about inclusion, not exclusion,” inviting all who want to join.
Eliezer Ávila noted that the experience of the exile community is useful for having created “a democratic Cuba on US soil, the starting point for a dynamic and prosperous Cuba.”
Little Havana will host the Convention, a discusson on the new scenario in Cuba and what Cubans can do to achieve a fully democratic country.
The rapprochement between the governments of Washington and Havana also surprised Cuban dissidents, who are divided over the new US position.
The US Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Roberta Jacobson, convened last week several dissidents to a “breakfast” during her visit to Havana.
Among those invited was Berta Soler, the leader of the Ladies in White, who refused to attend on the grounds that the US delegation did not take into account opponents of the thaw in US-Cuba relations.
Guillermo Fariñas, known for his hunger strikes and his European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, agrees with Soler. Today he was present by telephone at the press conference in Miami and criticized negotiations between Cuba and the United States for “ignoring the non-violent internal opposition”.
Jose Daniel Ferrer, also invited to be present tomorrow at the Convention in Miami, did meet with Jacobson. “Some believe it is a mistake, that they [the Obama administration] should not have taken these steps,” he said last week in Havana on the political rapprochement of Havana and Washington.
“Others of us believe that these are positive steps,” he added. “What seems to be missing is to sit down” to unify criteria, Ferrer said.
That is what could be achieved tomorrow in Miami, where there are dozens of varying organizations. All have a final goal, democratic change in Cuba, but separating them are the means to do so. There are even small groups that still support armed struggle against the Castro regime, and others, the majority, more likely to reach out.
“Our Ideologies should be left out of this game, the key is the nation”, said Cuesta Morua. He considered a good starting point four previously elaborated consensus points, asking the government of Raul Castro to release political prisoners, respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, recognize Cuban civil society within the island and in the diaspora, and hold free, democratic and competitive elections.
These items were approved by the majority of dissidents on December 22, five days after the announcement of the resumption of relations between Cuba and the United States.
“Without these conditions that we ask the US to require, we will not accept nor be part of this negotiation. We are not going to forget all those killed, shot and drowned in the sea,” said Fariñas today, clearly showing that the unity among the internal dissidents and exiles they hope will come out of tomorrow’s gathering will be a complex process.
“Within a few years, this day [January 28] will be remembered when Cuba manages to be free and democratic,” said activist Fernando Palacio about tomorrow’s convention.
“It’s time to show what many people have questioned over all these years of dictatorship: whether civil society in Cuba and Cubans who have had to go into exile have sufficient maturity, intelligence and a common agenda for freedom and democracy on the island. If they can be smart enough and flexible,” he added.
Like others have stated here, I don’t think that The Revolution has to worry about the dissidents uniting! As the refrain of an old revolutionary song says: “Assemble your faction for independent action!”
In his farewell address, George Washington warned us against the dangers of political faction (i.e. political parties). The Cuban Revolution took his advice to heart. Although it didn’t surpress all political parties, it did the next best thing, by allowing only one, the Communist Party. Like the Federalist Party before, it dealt with its opposition with something similar to the “Alien and Sedition Laws” of 1796! Can’t say that the results are any worse than our pathetic circus, where the pols. of both major parties line up to give blow jobs to the lobbyists of the major multi-national corporations. Like the Roman Republic during its murderous decline, “money talks, bullshit walks!” Since the people can’t hope to compete with the likes of the Koch Bros., the latter have the political arena pretty much to themselves.
On Friday January 16th, almost 300 activists, artists, journalists, academics and trade unionists representing diverse groups within the Cuban opposition presented a roadmap of proposals for what the civil society movement hopes to see beyond the reestablishment of US/Cuba diplomatic relations.
The principal objective of this initiative is to enable Cubans to be the lead players in the changes that lie ahead for Cuba, and to ensure that the new relationship with the US will bring real changes to benefit civil society on the Island.
http://translatingcuba.com/activists-present-proposals-for-the-next-phase-of-uscuba-relations-14ymedio/
Good luck with that, many in Cuba are lamenting the potential loss of US funding , interesting to see what will jeep their unity since they do not have a grassroots base in Cuba. Internal squabbles for money are dividing the movement.
Cuban opposition groups have long history of infighting and factionalism, going back to the early 20th century. If 56 years of one party rule has made any positive contribution, I pray it has been to unite the people against the idea of messianic dictators.
Excellent idea! There must be a combination of ideas from all sides to reach a small step towards any change necessary to improve life in Cuba. The shift is in place and the train is in motion.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Ture) disagreed on strategy as well on the eve of the Civil Rights Bill and other successes of the Civil Rights movement. In the end, history better remembers Dr. King because of his more conciliatory tone and chose to marginalize the contributions of Carmichael because of his confrontational stance. I suggest that the Cuban dissident community take note. History has an uncanny way of repeating itself.
Let’s hope and pray saner heads prevail and the many Cuban dissidents attending the meeting will avoid “the opportunity to miss an opportunity”. Now is the time for unity, not discord and infighting.