Despite a flurry of repressive actions by the Cuban government in recent months, it appears likely that the fiftieth independent library will soon open its doors in the island nation. Since the first independent library was established in 1998 - dedicated to the goal of offering access to
uncensored books - the government has tried to suppress the expanding library movement though a campaign of threats, harassment, evictions, arrests, confiscations and at least one act of violence. This campaign has been the subject of protests by Amnesty International, the International Federation
of Library Associations (IFLA), the International P.E.N. association of writers, Index on Censorship and a growing number of library organizations and human rights activists.
In recent developments, the Havana coordinator of the independent library movement, Ruben Camalleri, was arrested on February 13 by the State Security police. Before being released from custody, Mr. Camalleri was warned that the establishment of any new libraries was forbidden. In defiance of
this ban, Ruben Camalleri has continued to organize new library openings and was briefly arrested again on May 15. These events were reported in the February 14 and May 16 issues of the CubaNet database (www.cubanet.org). The May 18 issue of "Carta de Cuba" magazine reports that the
State Security police raided the inaugural ceremony of the
independent Aurora Library, located in Havana, in early April. The director of the Aurora Library, Jorge Santacana, was arrested and detained overnight. During this raid a number of books, a printer and a computer were also seized. Access to personal computers, the Internet and e-mail is
illegal in Cuba, with the exception of government agencies and a limited number of individuals considered trustworthy by the government.
Despite ongoing arrests and other acts of intimidation, however, the fact that all of the libraries have not been shut down may be a sign of the Cuban government's reluctance to offend the growing number of people around the world who have expressed support for the independent libraries and
intellectual freedom in Cuba. An example of this trend can be seen in recent comments by Ariel Dorfman, the renowned Chilean writer and human rights activist. In a recent essay on Elian Gonzalez and the U.S. trade embargo [about which the Friends of Cuban Libraries take no position], Ariel Dorfman
asked: "If the Cuban government were to allow every and any book to circulate freely in the country and, moreover, to stop harassing and intimidating the independent librarians who have been working against censorship, wouldn't this be a wonderful gift to Elian and the other future citizens of
Cuba?"
BACKGROUND: The Friends of Cuban Libraries, founded in June, 1999, is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit support group for the independent librarians of Cuba. We oppose censorship and all other violations of intellectual freedom, as defined by the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, regardless of whatever administration may be in office in Cuba. We are funded entirely by our members and do not seek or accept contributions from other sources. For more information, contact Robert Kent at rkent20551@cs.com. Telephone: (USA) 718-340-8494. Mailing address: 474 48th
Avenue, Apt. 3-C, Long Island City, NY 11109 USA.
Comments on the situation of the independent librarians may be sent to: President Fidel Castro, Consejos de Ministros y de Estado, Havana, Cuba. |