Posted on 04/19/2002 8:35:00 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
HAVANA - Cuba sent a chill across Latin America by characterizing regional neighbors as "Judases" for their plan to support an annual U.N. vote calling for Cuba to examine its human rights record.
A majority of Latin American nations have said they plan to join the vote expected Friday before the U.N. Human Relations Commission in Geneva, asking Cuba's communist government to grant its citizens individual liberties such as freedom of speech, the press, association, assembly.
The administration of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez is among few in the hemisphere expected to side with Cuba and vote against the measure. Cuba backed Chavez's return to power on Sunday after a two-day military coup.
"The government of the United States - using its preferred weapons of pressure and blackmail and with the humiliating servility of some governments in the region - seeks tomorrow in Geneva to execute a new maneuver against Cuba," the Communist Party daily Granma said Thursday.
The U.S. government was acting "through its Latin American Judases," Granma said in a brief article announcing an evening program examining Friday's expected vote.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry alleged in a statement read on the program that U.S. delegates to the commission had been calling African delegates into a local cafeteria "one by one," pressuring them to vote for the resolution and threatening to cut off financial aid to their countries if they don't.
It was too early to know if the 53-member commission would pass this year's more gently worded resolution, which gives a nod to Cuba's extensive social services and makes a veiled reference to difficulties caused by the U.S. trade embargo. But it seemed headed for a close vote.
The United Nations commission has voted to censure Cuba every year over the past decade except 1998. Last year the vote was a tight 22-20 in favor of condemning Cuba. Another 10 members abstained and Congo was absent.
Censure by the U.N. body brings no penalties but draws international attention to a country's rights record.
While Cuba sees the upcoming vote as betrayal, nations involved say this year's measure does not condemn Cuba outright, as in the past.
Mexico, the only Latin American country that refused to break diplomatic relations with Cuba after Castro's 1959 revolution, is joining this year's vote as "a positive declaration for human rights," President Vicente Fox said this week.
Fox said the decision was made also because the proposal condemns the U.S. trade embargo. Mexico has traditionally abstained on the vote.
Other hemispheric nations on the commission that say they will back the resolution are its sponsors Uruguay and Costa Rica, as well as Argentina, Canada, Chile, El Salvador Guatemala, and Peru. Brazil and Ecuador, also on the commission, abstained on last year's vote.
The European Union has said its members on the commission will also back the measure. Most of the African, Asian and Middle Eastern nations on the commission are expected to side with Cuba.
This year's proposal contains softer language than in the past. It recognizes Cuba's efforts to provide citizens with social services "despite an adverse international environment" - an apparent reference to the embargo. And it "invites the government of Cuba to make efforts to obtain similar advances in the area of human, civil and political rights."
The measure also asks Cuba to let a U.N. rights representative visit the island to help officials comply with the resolution - a suggestion Cuba has rejected.
Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque said last week that Cuba opposed the resolution as meddling in its internal affairs - even if it isn't an outright condemnation.
Castro's administration insists it respects human rights better than most countries by guaranteeing its people broad social services such as free health care and education.
International groups complain that Cuba does not guarantee civil rights such as free speech, press, assembly, association and movement, or political rights such as the ability to peacefully change the government.
Fidel let Arafat use the Cuban embassy in Beruit for his headquarters. He sent tanks to Syria. He trained PLO terrorists in Cuba. Castro pumps out tons of antisemitic material. My comment was only that no one calls him on it. Why?
You need a new hobby. Or a job that keeps you busy on things other than proving what a 5th column the Jews are.
Because we're a country of laws. We lock people up we don't shoot them or hack off their hands. Blacks? I guess they've committed crimes. And a lot of it is black on black crime. Maybe if it wasn't considered "white" to be educated, more employment opportunities would open up for them and tax payers wouldn't have to foot the bill to house so many inmates. I sure would like that. Any other questions?
I'm an equal opportunity kinda guy. Mentioned the NAACP and the CBC kiss Castro on the mouth . Should have throw in some Methodist groups as well. They get wobbly in the knees when they see Fidel . I'm not about to ignore Jewish support of Castro because some might be offended.
My hobby is tracking down those who now or have in the past defended, apologized for or supported genocide and crimes against humanity. The world has done a fine job rounding up Nazis. About time we went after the Morels, Dushanskis and others who have escaped justice.
Cuba´s human rights performance has been under scrutiny at the United Nations Human Rights Commission this week. Despite a resolution praising the communist-ruled country's advances in social rights, the concensus is that the overall human rights situation on the island has not improved. In fact, dissidents rule out any major reforms under Fidel Castro's regime. They believe life can only get better once he's gone.
"Don't expect any reforms as long as Fidel Castro is in power", grumbles Elizardo Sanchez of the commission for human rights and national reconciliation, a campaigner for the rights of political prisoners on the island. "President Castro and his supporters are the Taliban of the tropics", Mr Sanchez says. "They're fundamentalists, who obstruct a peaceful transition towards more democracy." Many Cubans wonder what will happen to Cuba after Mr Castro has gone and who will replace him. .....
It does work for a while, but after a few months of it... Those of us who gave you the benefit of the doubt, who actually defended you to others are the most offended once we get the full dose.
Been here just over a month I see and you know my posting "trends."
Been lurking for 4 years have you? Why didn't you join in when I and others were going after Chen Kai Kit, Ng Lap Seng, Riady, Schwartz, the Lums, the PLA, the PRC, Ang-Du International, Gazprom,Jesse Jackson Itera, the 1998,1999,2000 & 2001 NEA conventions,Clinton, Hubbell, Sockowitz, Gore, Hillary, Carville, Bob Chase, Al Sharpton, Sandra Feldman, Paula Kanchanalak, Mark Middleton and so on and so on.
You know nothing of my posting history. Israel is in the news right now. So Jews are mentioned. And when they are lefties, that gets mentioned too. Big deal. Before google cut back their cache, around 14,000 of my posts were archived there. I doubt 2% of them had to do with Jews and they were all Clinton associates. I was not interested in the mideast at all. Only when the news shifted to there and the Israel seminar posters descended upon this forum like a plague of locust and started calling me and others Nazis and antisemites did I get interested and begin to fight back. People defend the ADL, Rahm Emmanuel, the ACLU, PFAW and the crimes of communists and they should expect to get flack.
Because he doesn't would seem the most obvious answer.
"Fidel also supports Yassar Arafat."
Good for him. So do I.
"Castro sent hundreds of tanks and thousands of troops to help Syria in the Yom Kippur war."
He did!? That's a new one on me. I would be interested in more info on this. Any links?
"Yet the ADL never mentions Fidel's antisemtism. Neither does the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Any idea why?"
I think you may be confusing anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. Quite different issues. Zionism is as racist as you can get. Any civilised person would reject it.
***The Boons of Communism Although the exile community in Miami includes rightwing hardliners who'll vehemently oppose any form of Socialism. These groups will never negotiate with Castro. But there are also more moderate elements within the younger generation who seek a dialogue with dissidents on the island. These contacts are essential to attempts to reform Cuban society, emphasises Raul Rivero. Like many other Cubans, he also has relatives who live in the US, "They have a right to return, Cuba is their country, too," says Mr Rivero. All Cubans agree on one thing; there must be no repetition of what happened in the former Soviet Union, where communism was replaced by crime and corruption and a wide gap between the rich and the poor. Cubans would hate to lose the positive achievements of the revolution - social justice, free health care and free education - achievements that Che Guevarra fought for.***
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Freedom isn't free. Either they're free or they remain slaves, begging for crumbs.
You forgot to mention electrocutions, gassings and lethal injections. The US is one of the few countries that still executes criminals. There isn't, therefore, much room for manouvre when it comes to criticising others
"Blacks? I guess they've committed crimes. And a lot of it is black on black crime."
Yes, but why? Do you think black people are born 'bad', or are there other factors involved perhaps?
"Maybe if it wasn't considered "white" to be educated, more employment opportunities would open up for them and tax payers wouldn't have to foot the bill to house so many inmates. I sure would like that."
Not quite sure how to answer this. Are you saying that black people aren't interested in education?
"Any other questions?"
Nope. Thanks for taking the time to answer. Hope you can get back to me on the above.
A good deterrent. You don't see mass genocide do you?
Yes, but why? Do you think black people are born 'bad', or are there other factors involved perhaps?
No! You haven't been following my posts, it would seem. Most of the problem is poverty-pimping politicians and church leaders. They like their positions of authority and need dumb, depressed, dependant democrats to have at their beck and call come election time.
Not quite sure how to answer this. Are you saying that black people aren't interested in education?
A lot of them aren't. I'll chalk this one up to a cycle of dependency. You tend to imitate your elders. If you see your parent waiting for a check in the mailbox instead of having it come home in daddy's pocket, you might begin to think the government is your provider. That hardly fosters an atmosphere of excellence. The cycle often continues (in white families too) where you hate the handout that keeps you in poverty and happily buy the spin that it's the rich that keep you there or that the rich want you poor, when in truth, the failure is theirs for not encouraging their children to break out of the trap by studying and earning more than a check from the government. Opportunity awaits but you have work for it.
I know all black people aren't criminals, on the dole or scornful of education. Your initial post to me was a unprovoked shot and therefore was treated as offensive.
"Your initial post to me was a unprovoked shot and therefore was treated as offensive."
No, I haven't. My initial post was my first on Free Republic and certainly was not intended to be offensive. Most people hold some contradictory opinions (including me) and this interests me, especially when they are obviously emotionally charged. Nothing more complicated than that.
Many thanks for your responses.
Good for him. So do I.
You won't be here...FR--for long!
You're a person of few words, I see, f.Christian. I have no idea what 'the dnc underground' is, but I can't imagine you were trying to flatter me.
How about stringing a few thoughts together, if you feel so inclined, and answering my previous post re Cuban tanks and troops in Syria. I look forward to your extensive and detailed reply.
Leftists--liberals ideologues are welcome to participate and they have tried to present their views unsuccessfully.
Are you here to learn---discuss politics or preach liberalism?
I spend most of my time reading, f.Christian. Not being a US citizen, I'm interested in what makes the country tick and this forum is one of my stopoff points. I decided to register so I could ask specific questions; I have no interest in 'preaching' to anyone.
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