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College
Speaker Challenged on Cuba
The
Friends of Cuban Libraries,
September 25, 2003.
Judith Krug, a controversial spokesperson for
the Office of Intellectual Freedom of the American
Library Association (ALA), will be a guest speaker
at Idaho State University's Eli M. Oboler Library
on Sept. 30. The event is sponsored by the Friends
of Oboler Library. The theme of Judith Krug's
speech will be U.S. government infringements on
intellectual freedom and the privacy of library
records.
Judith Krug and the ALA's credentials as defenders
of intellectual freedom are being publicly questioned
by the Friends of Cuban Libraries, an independent,
non-partisan support group for volunteers in Cuba
who are opening a network of uncensored libraries
to challenge government control of information.
According to human rights organizations such as
Amnesty International, the Castro regime is persecuting
the island's independent librarians because of
their efforts to provide public access to uncensored
books.
"During Judith Krug's speech at the Oboler
Library," stated Radames Suarez of the Friends
of Cuban Libraries, "we hope the press and
the audience will ask her polite but persistent
questions. For example, why are Ms. Krug and other
ALA officials violating the ALA Code of Ethics
by refusing to defend Cuba's independent librarians
from persecution? And how can Judith Krug and
the ALA claim to be principled defenders of intellectual
freedom while ignoring the ALA's stated commitment
to oppose government censorship and repression
all over the world?"
ALA policy on Cuba is being questioned by critics
such as civil liberties author Nat Hentoff, who
has declared: "It would be astonishing -
and shameful - if the American Library Association
does not support - and gather support for - the
courageous independent librarians of Cuba, some
of whom have been imprisoned by Castro for very
long terms for advocating the very principles
of the freedom to read and think that the American
Library Association has so long fought for in
this country."
In March, human rights groups reported that 22
of Cuba's independent libraries were raided by
the police, and thousands of books and library
records were confiscated. After one day trials,
14 of the librarians were sentenced to prison
terms of up to 25 years. They have been declared
"prisoners of conscience" by Amnesty
International, which is demanding their release.
The American Library Association refuses to speak
out in defense of the imprisoned Cuban librarians,
and some ALA leaders deny the existence of censorship
or any other human rights violations in Cuba.
"We in the Friends of Cuban Libraries support
Judith Krug's right to speak on the subject of
intellectual freedom," stated Radames Suarez,
"but we are alarmed by the ALA's cruel and
hypocritical failure to defend Cuba's volunteer
librarians from persecution. The ALA's blind support
for the repressive Cuban government is a disgrace.
The ALA claims to defend intellectual freedom
as a universal human right, so how can Judith
Krug consider it a crime for people in Cuba, or
any other country, to oppose censorship and to
open a library?"
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: (www.friendsofcubanlibraries.org)
Contact: Robert Kent
Tel. 718-305-9201
Call between 6:30-11:00 PM Eastern Time
e-mail: rkent20551@cs.com
Website: (www.friendsofcubanlibraries.org)
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