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It's committed to creating a civil society
Editorial. Posted on Mon, Nov. 18, 2002 in
The Miami Herald.
With Fidel Castro facing possibly his worst economic crisis since the Soviet
implosion in 1991-1992, Cuba's peaceful, democratic dissidents are becoming
increasingly energized. These brave souls deserve the same international support
provided to Nelson Mandela in South Africa and to the Eastern European
dissidents under the Soviet yoke.
Castro recently closed down nearly half of the country's sugar plantations,
historically the main engine of the Cuban economy. Tourism, the country's other
economic lifeline, is down substantially. The country's centralized, state-owned
economy is in shambles. In response, the decrepit Cuban dictator is again
scrambling to survive.
This time though, Europe, Latin America and others who helped save the
communist regime during the past decade, with investment and tourism, are
pulling out of the island due to lack of payment and profit. With few options
available to him, Castro has been campaigning strongly to soften the U.S.
embargo, and even to gain American financing, as a desperate solution to his
self-created economic crisis.
Meanwhile Cuban dissidents continue their peaceful efforts to challenge the
regime and, for the first time, have organized island-wide, providing an
unprecedented, embryonic, grass-roots opposition to the regime. Two weeks ago,
more than 300 Cuban dissident groups formed an ''opposition parliament'' -- an
unheard-of development -- demonstrating that many Cubans see hope for change.
The ''Assembly to Promote Civil Society'' ties together 321 disparate
dissident groups representing independent labor and journalism unions,
human-rights groups and independent libraries. Its leader is human-rights
activist Marta Beatriz Roque, and it's committed to creating an independent
civil society that can provide a viable alternative to the Castro regime.
Meanwhile the supporters of the Varela Project continue to demand reforms to
the current system from within. Castro has responded with his typical
police-state harshness, imprisoning some, including dissident Oscar Elías
Biscet, for political offenses such as hanging a Cuban flag upside down.
Fortunately, this repression hasn't deterred the opposition.
Castro's other oft-used option to relieve political pressure -- creating a
refugee crisis in the Florida Straits -- now also seems much less likely,
especially with America engaged in a global war on terror. Barring U.S. trade
dollars and financing, the current crisis in Cuba can point only to increased
pressure for Castro to reform.
Now isn't the time for the United States to do business with the Cuban
regime -- other than the current cash-only sales of food and pharmaceuticals.
Rather, the international community should recognize and support the growing
democratic dissident/ opposition movement on the island.
Some international actors, including the European Union, have begun
long-overdue discussions about the need for democracy in Cuba. They should be
much more vocal and active. This could provide the best chance for a solution to
Cuba's 43-year nightmare.
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