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By Shravanti Reddy, Digital
Freedom Network. (http://www.dfn.org/news/cuba/promote-udhr.htm)
(November 20, 2002) The launch of the Campaign to Promote the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in Cuba today will test the government's
tolerance of civil society and pro-democracy movements within the country.
A landmark document and the foundation for international human rights law,
the UDHR was adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948. It was the
first international document that outlined the rights and freedoms of
individuals in detail and recognized that these rights and freedoms belong to
all people.
Part of what is known as the International Bill of Human Rights, the UDHR is
"a common statement of mutual aspirations and a shared vision of a more
equitable and just world." Today, it remains a springboard for human rights
activism throughout the world.
In October, the Assembly to Promote Civil Society has called for dissidents
in Cuba to participate in a 21-day Campaign to Promote the UDHR from November 20
to December 10. The final day of the campaign marks the 54th Anniversary of the
UDHR and is also International Human Rights Day.
The Assembly is calling for a new regime that will respect human rights,
fundamental freedoms, and that will release all political prisoners.
Launched on November 1, 2001, the Assembly is a coalition of organizations
throughout the country that oppose the current Communist government under
President Fidel Castro and call for a new regime that will respect human rights,
fundamental freedoms, and that will release all political prisoners.
Comprised of 321 organizations, the Assembly includes human rights
organizations, labor and press unions, and independent libraries. It is open to
all organizations that share its views and is led by renowned economist, human
rights activist, and director of the Cuban Institute of Independent Economists
(CIIE), Marta Beatriz Roque.
According to the Assembly's Committee of Historic Recompilation, "the
central idea of the campaign is that we dissident brothers will not be limited
to a study of this fundamental document—but to the contrary—we will
try to incorporate this type of activity with the common citizens of our
society."
Cuba, as a member of the UN, is obligated to respect the UDHR which has been
incorporated into the United Nations Charter. However, the government has failed
to respect human rights and civil liberties within the country.
Campaign to Promote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Assembly is making attempts to avoid confrontation or harassment by the
government throughout the campaign. But they are also planning to push
boundaries.
In Cuba, meetings are not allowed unless they are organized or approved by
the government. The Assembly plans to work in small groups to educate people
about the rights enshrined in the UDHR by visiting people in their homes and
distributing copies. "We want them to understand that they are entitled to
these rights," stated Roque in an interview with the Digital Freedom
Network.
However, on the final day of the campaign, the Assembly has planned a
meeting in Havana that will compare the Cuban Constitutions of 1902, 1940, and
the current Constitution adopted in 1976. "While the first two support
human rights, the last one does not," explained Roque.
The Assembly is expecting a large crowd for this meeting, something the
government has not tolerated in the past.
In 1995, a meeting organized by the 130-organization strong coalition group
Concilio Cubano was disrupted by government harassment. In the two weeks leading
up to the meeting, almost 150 people were arrested.
However, Roque believes that things will be different this time. "It is
not the same," she explained. "Concilio did not have the level of
organization that the Assembly has."
The Assembly has been carefully working for over a year to build their
coalition. They collected information on activist organizations from all over
the country. They then worked with these organizations to garner public opinion
on what activities the Assembly should engage in, incorporated these into
organizational documents, and then invited organizations to join the Assembly.
"If the Cubans don't allow us to have this meeting, then they are
telling the world that [they do not support] the UDHR."
"We hope that we can do this because the Cuban government has signed
the UDHR," expressed Roque. "If they don't allow us to have this
meeting, then they are telling the world that they are not supporting human
rights and not supporting the UDHR."
Government reaction to the Assembly
While the Cuban government seems to have become more tolerant of opposition
groups, they have yet to make an official response concerning the activities of
the Assembly.
However, Roque believes that she has already been given an unofficial one.
"We have answers, negative answers," she said.
On behalf of the Assembly, Roque recently visited the western province of
Pinar del Rio in an attempt to provide medicines, radios and food to the victims
of two violent hurricanes. In September and October of this year, Hurricane
Isidore and Lili respectively left many in the province without food, shelter,
clothes, and other basic necessities.
However, Roque's trip was cut short when the state security police removed
her from the province, informing her that she was not allowed to return.
According to Roque they told her, "You cannot be here, you cannot give
people any help. You must return to Havana City and stay there. You can not
travel outside of Havana City."
Roque had already been banned from international travel. Although a
recipient of this year's prestigious Heinz R. Pagels Human Rights of Scientists
Award from the New York Academy of Science, Roque was unable to travel to New
York to accept the prize.
"I am in prison again, although I have not had a trial," she
proclaimed. "Havana City is my prison."
In 1997, Roque was arrested and sentenced to prison for three-and-a-half
years for co-authoring a document entitled the "The Fatherland Belongs to
Us All." She was released in 2000.
"This is the answer the government has given to the Assembly," she
concluded. "They do not want me to organize dissidents from all the
provinces within the country."
Opposing viewpoints
While the Cuban internal opposition movement is growing, an internal
ideological rift may weaken their efforts.
The differing opinions are exemplified by the positions of the Varela
Project that seeks change within the current constitutional context, while the
Assembly takes a more radical approach calling for nothing short of a new
constitution and a new regime within Cuba.
The Varela Project is a petition drive that attempts to change oppressive
laws by taking advantage of a constitutional clause allowing petitions signed by
at least 10,000 Cubans to be presented to the National Assembly for
consideration.
In May, the Varela Project organizers succeeded in obtaining more than
11,020 signatures. These were submitted to the Cuban Parliament asking for a
National Referendum.
The referendum would allow Cubans to vote if they are in favor of guarantees
for human rights such as freedom of speech.
Roque and many in the Assembly disagree with this tactic. "They want
the government to make changes and ask the population if they want freedom and
human rights," she stated. "I do not want to ask the population if
they want freedom. It is already their right to have freedom."
"The government has said that they will not make any changes,"
added Roque pointedly. "Fidel has said so in person that all necessary
changes have already been made." Shortly after the Varela Project submitted
its petition, the Parliament approved a Constitutional Amendment declaring that
Cuba's social, political and economic systems "irrevocable."
Most organizations within the Assembly believe that working within the
current constitutional context legitimizes it. Instead, they are rejecting the
current constitution as illegitimate because it only allows for the Communist
Party.
The majority of the members of the Assembly do not want to be part of the
Communist Party. "That is the reason why we are not supporting this
Constitution and a change with Fidel Castro in the government," clarified
Roque. "The change must come without Fidel in power."
Instead, the Assembly aims to bring democracy to the people, by teaching
them about it and the Campaign to Promote the UDHR is one way in which to inform
the public.
"We feel that we are in a social transition at this time,"
explained Roque. "If we push the society into a democracy then we will have
a political transition."
Necessary tools for Cuban civil society
In the coming year, Roque believes that the Assembly will be able to
strengthen their activities despite obstacles from the government.
"By the beginning of next year, we are hoping that the Assembly will be
able to get together," she speculated. "But we need to raise money to
bring people from the country to Havana and provide them with a place to stay."
She estimates that there will be more than 350 people will be in attendance.
"We also want the press there, especially the international press,"
added Roque. "In Cuba the media is only for the government. There is no way
to communicate with the population. It is mainly through the international press
and the Internet. We are using the Internet because the Internet means progress
and we need to communicate with the world." While the Assembly is in the
process of constructing their Web site, information on their activities can be
found on the CIEI Web site.
"We need the international press and the Internet to communicate with
the Cuban population," she said.
Sites related
Instituto Cubano de
Economistas Independientes | 
