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By Anita Snow. Associated Press. Posted on Tue, Oct. 29,
2002 in The
Miami Herald.
HAVANA - More than 300 Cuban dissident groups have formed a kind of
opposition parliament, creating a huge coalition of opponents of Fidel Castro's
government, leaders of the umbrella organization said Monday.
Lead organizer Marta Beatriz Roque said the Assembly to Promote Civil
Society pulls together 321 dissident organizations representing everything from
human-rights groups to independent libraries to labor and press unions operating
outside Cuba's communist system.
'DOING WHAT WE CAN'
The groups cannot now hold a large gathering, but ''we are doing what we can
to do so as soon as possible,'' Roque said. Such a gathering -- especially of
dissident groups -- is unheard of in Cuba, where large meetings must be
organized or approved by the government.
There was no immediate reaction from the government, whose responses
generally come in carefully studied written statements, often published in state
newspapers.
Authorities in Cuba generally view dissidents as "counterrevolutionaries.''
WIDE RANGE OF VIEWS
Roque told reporters the new opposition assembly represents a wide range of
political views and "is open to all those that want to participate.''
Among those who have not joined are lead organizers of the Varela Project,
which seeks a referendum asking voters whether they favor guarantees for rights
such as freedom of speech and private business ownership.
Roque is among those who do not support the Varela Project, saying it
doesn't go far enough.
GROUP IS 'INCLUSIVE'
But Varela Project organizers can join the assembly if they want, said René
Delgado, another assembly leader who also does not back the referendum campaign.
''It is inclusive, not exclusive,'' he said.
The refusal of dissidents -- including Roque, Delgado and Félix Bonne
-- to back the Varela Project has caused a major split in Cuba's opposition.
Those three were among four well-known opponents convicted of incitement to
sedition after a closed trial that sparked international protests.
Vladimiro Roca, the fourth member of the group, does back the Varela
Project.
He was released in May after serving the longest sentence of all -- five
years.
The rest served about two years each.
VARELA PROJECT
''There is another part [of the opposition] that says we do have to change
the constitution,'' Roque said, referring to Varela Project organizers'
insistence that they want to create new laws, not constitutional change.
"With this constitution we are not going to resolve anything.
''With Fidel Castro we are not going to resolve anything,'' Roque said.
Varela Project organizers submitted more than 11,020 signatures to Cuba's
parliament in May but have not received a response.
After the signatures were submitted, the parliament approved a
constitutional amendment declaring Cuba's social, political and economic systems
"irrevocable.'' | 
