Cayo Canas Island

La Habana, 8 de marzo de 2010.

GOBIERNO DE CUBA PREPARA EL TERRENO PARA TRATAR DE JUSTIFICAR LA EVENTUAL MUERTE DE GUILLERMO FARIÑAS.

1.- El portavoz del gobierno de Cuba necesitó más de 800 palabras tratando de descalificar la conducta valiente, cívica y generosa del Lic. GUILLERMO FARIÑAS, quien está realizando un acto de supremo sacrificio al renunciar a comer y tomar agua reclamando la excarcelación de 26 prisioneros de conciencia seriamente enfermos.

2.- El gobierno de Cuba está actuando, en cuanto a Fariñas, con la misma lógica inhumana que aplicó en el caso reciente de ORLANDO ZAPATA, a quien ingresaron en una sala de cuidados intensivos del Hospital Ameijeiras unas horas antes de su fallecimiento, cuando ya estaba moribundo, luego de 81 días en huelga de hambre.

3.- La CCDHRN se opone, de manera enérgica y pública, a las huelgas de hambre y especialmente bajo un gobierno como el de Cuba que se caracteriza por la manera implacable y brutal con la que suele tratar a quienes disienten abiertamente de sus prácticas abusivas.

4.- La malévola y criminal fórmula aplicada en este caso por las autoridades, que consiste en permitir que Fariñas llegue hasta el borde de la muerte para luego reanimarle, puede dar lugar a su fallecimiento en cuestión de semanas.

5.- El gobierno de Cuba está en la obligación de facilitar atención médica permanente al Lic. GUILLERMO FARIÑAS, quien lleva 13 días en huelga de hambre y sin tomar agua, permitiendo su ingreso en una sala de cuidados intensivos de un hospital con los recursos apropiados.

6.- La premeditación es una de las componentes jurídicas del asesinato. Si las autoridades de Cuba no actúan con la responsabilidad y la COMPASIÓN que esta obligado a mostrar todo gobierno civilizado, estarían corriendo el riesgo de cometer, por omisión, otro grave crimen contra la persona humana.







Elizardo Sánchez Santa Cruz
Portavoz y Ex-Prisionero de Conciencia

NOTA DEL SITIO:

El periódico canadiense The Globe and Mail, continúa dando cobertura a la crítica situación que hay en Cuba, con las huelgas de hambre de los dididentes políticos, llamando a la liberación de los prisioneors políticos presos, por el sólo delito de alcanzar las libertades y derechos humanos, que la Monarquía Policiaco-Militar ha barrido de la escena política de nuestro país. Tanto este periódico como el National Post, son de los pocos en Canadá, que cubren las noticias sobre Cuba y emite sus propias opiniones, a través de Editoriales. Al menos se rompe el silencio complice y oportunista de este país, así como la postura de bajo perfil, del gobierno canadiense, con la dictadura más vieja del mundo. Some day the truths on Cuba will come and the canadians will turn pale of shame in front of the atrosity and horrendous crimes of Fidel Castro.

Asdrúbal Caner Camejo

No end to repression

From Monday's Globe and Mail Published on Monday, Mar. 08, 2010 12:00AM EST Last updated on Monday, Mar. 08, 2010 3:31AM EST

Images of another emaciated and frail Cuban dissident-turned-hunger-striker are a potent reminder of the frustration and powerlessness felt by political opponents on this Caribbean island.

Guillermo Farinas, a 48-year-old psychologist and freelance writer, stopped eating Feb. 24, the day after Orlando Zapata Tamayo died from an 85-day hunger strike, becoming a martyr for Cuba's opposition. Four more dissidents who are in jail have also launched hunger strikes.

These dramatic gestures of protest are unlikely to force the hand of the Cuban government, but they have certainly shamed it.

The incident has quashed hopes - at least in the short term - for the improvement of Cuba's relations with the U.S. or Europe. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Mr. Zapata was imprisoned for speaking his mind. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Spain's Prime Minister, called on Cuba to free all its political prisoners, estimated to number 200.

Cuban officials know this issue resonates abroad, which explains their predictable response at the United Nations. Cuba's foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla accused the U.S. of stepping up subversion against the nation, called its long economic blockade "genocide" and complained that global capitalism has brought about the death of millions in poor countries.

It is impossible to know whether ordinary Cubans actually believe that all political opponents are U.S. mercenaries, and that another country is responsible for what happens inside Cuban prisons.

It is clear, though, that President Raul Castro is no political reformer. Many thought he would loosen his brother Fidel's repressive grip when he took power in 2006. But Mr. Castro allowed 75 dissidents imprisoned in 2003 to languish and locked up scores more on the grounds of "dangerousness" to the state (including writing articles critical of the government). Cuba is the only country left in the Americas which outlaws all forms of political dissent; it even forbids the International Red Cross from visiting prisoners. Mr. Farinas, the only hunger striker not behind bars, wants the release of 26 political prisoners said to be in poor health. Starving himself is the only way he can be heard.

And yet it is difficult for the opposition message to gain momentum inside the country, as Cubans are restricted from using the Internet, and only have access to government-controlled media.

"This is an incredibly effective, repressive state machine. People are justifiably afraid because they know the consequences of crossing the line," says Nik Steinberg, a researcher with Human Rights Watch who visited Cuba recently, despite being denied official permission to enter.

Don't expect change any time soon in Cuba - except a further loss of its credibility on the world stage, and more familiar rhetoric about the U.S. being the source of all evil.