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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| The Unstoppable Cuban Spring |
| 2006-07-02 |
| By Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas, Washington Post LRR In March 2003 dozens of leaders of Cuba's Varela Project and other human rights defenders were detained, subjected to summary trials, condemned to many years in prison, and confined in the most inhumane and cruel conditions. They were treated like -- and held in cells with -- dangerous common criminals. In this way the regime attempted to suppress the rebirth of the Cuban Spring initiated by thousands of Cubans who overcame a debilitating culture of fear by including their names, addresses and identification numbers in the text of the Varela Project, a document later presented to the National Assembly asking for a referendum on its human rights principles. Despite inhuman treatment and illegal detention, the regime could not stop the rebirth of the Cuban Spring: Many Cubans continue to support the Varela Project even amid repression that includes death threats and physical assault. . . . The writer is a leader of the human rights movement in Cuba. And therefore, by definition, a brave man. |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #1 Human Rights Watch: "Don't bother me son. We are butt busy ensuring no infidel hands touch korans". |
| Posted by: ed 2006-07-02 11:30 |