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The Guardian - United Kingdom, Apr 19, 2003
As members of the democratic left, united by a commitment to human rights,
democratic government and social justice, we condemn the Cuban state's
repression of independent thinkers and writers, human rights activists and
democrats (Report, April 17). For "crimes" such as writing essays
critical of the government and meeting with delegations of foreign political
leaders, some 80 non-violent political dissidents have been arrested, summarily
tried in a closed court, without adequate notice or counsel, convicted, and
given cruel, harsh sentences of decades of imprisonment.
These are violations of the most elementary norms of due process of law,
reminiscent of Stalin's Moscow trials.
The democratic left worldwide has opposed the US embargo on Cuba as
counterproductive. The Cuban state's current repression of political dissidents
amounts to collaboration with the most reactionary elements of the US
administration in their efforts to maintain sanctions and to institute even more
punitive measures against Cuba.
The only conclusion that we can draw from this brute repression is that the
Cuban government does not trust its people to distinguish truth from falsehood,
fact from disinformation. A government of the left must have the support of the
people: it must guarantee human rights and champion the widest possible
democracy, including the right to dissent, as well as promote social justice. By
its actions, the Cuban state declares that it is not a government of the left,
despite its claims of social progress in education and health care.
Stanley Aronowitz
Michelle Fine
Todd Gitlin
Gary Kent
Mark
Seddon
and 118 others
New York | 
