[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 59 (Friday, April 11, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5317-S5318]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CUBA'S CRACKDOWN ON HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, it had been my intent earlier in the week to 
come and share with my colleagues some thoughts on the recent crackdown 
on human rights activists in Cuba. I was unable to do it, so before we 
adjourn for the Easter Passover recess, I want to take a few minutes to 
express my thoughts on the recent events in Cuba, and to express in the 
strongest terms possible my sense of outrage over what has happened.
  Cuban President Fidel Castro recently initiated severe and repressive 
measures in an attempt to silence prodemocracy activists on the island 
nation of Cuba. I rise to denounce in the strongest possible terms 
those actions. The arrests and show trials of these individuals are 
well beyond acceptable norms of governance today, and they call into 
question the very legitimacy of the Cuban state. It speaks volumes 
about that state's legitimacy when its citizens are denied an 
opportunity to dialog with the Government authorities about the future 
of their nation, its political institutions, and its practices.
  Over the last 40 years, there have been ebbs and flows with respect 
to the extent of political space granted to human rights activists and 
independent journalists by Cuban authorities. Last year, in the runup 
to the visit of former President Jimmy Carter to Havana, there was a 
perceptible loosening of restrictions on civil society activities. And 
the Cuban people exhibited a genuine interest in and motivation toward 
making the most of this newly found political space. When President 
Carter was in Havana, he was permitted to address the Cuban people, 
live and uncensored, on Cuban national television. At that time, he 
rightfully acknowledged the ongoing democratic grassroots activities on 
the island symbolized by the so-called Varela Project, headed by 
Oswaldo Paya. This important grassroots organization has already 
gathered more than 20,000 signatures on petitions in support of 
democratic reforms.
  Thanks to President Jimmy Carter, the activities of Mr. Paya are now 
known not only to the international community but to the Cuban people 
as well.
  Representatives of the Varela Project presented a petition with over 
11,000 signatures to the Cuban National Assembly, calling on the 
Assembly to act on some vital democratic issues, including free speech 
and free press, economic liberalization, and the release of political 
prisoners. While I understand that the National Assembly has responded 
to the Varela petitioners, it has done so in a narrowly, legalistic 
manner that misses the larger political issues that deserve serious 
consideration by Cuban authorities.
  It speaks volumes that thousands of ordinary Cubans have been willing 
to publicly petition their government seeking change. I for one had 
hoped that the Cuban people's expressed desire for democratic 
initiatives would prompt further liberalization of the Nation of Cuba. 
In fact, if the Castro government abided by its own constitution, this 
might very well be the case.
  Instead, over the past several weeks, my colleagues, my fellow 
Americans, and the global community have witnessed the Castro 
government's abrupt and repressive retaliation against Cuban grassroots 
democracy activists, independent journalists, economists, and other 
dissidents. On trumped up charges of allegedly ``working with a foreign 
power to undermine the government,'' the Castro government is 
attempting to undermine the will of its own people, in my view, and 
about 75 Cuban dissidents have now been arrested and convicted.
  Opposition political party leader Hector Palacios has already 
received 25 years in prison, and his wife, Gisela Delgado was also 
convicted. Civil rights advocate Oscar Elias Biscet is expected to be 
sentenced this week. Economist Martha Beatriz Roque, who has been 
consistently critical of President Castro's handling of the Cuban 
economy--and rightfully so, I might add--which happens to be in dire 
straits, received 20 years in prison for merely doing that. Three 
others met the same fate, including dissident independent journalist 
Raul Rivero, independent magazine editor Ricardo Gonzales, and 
economist Oscar

[[Page S5318]]

Espinosa Chepe. Indeed, up to this point, there have been 57 
convictions, with sentences ranging from 6 to 28 years.
  And, I must say that after examining these tragic cases, it comes as 
no surprise that although Mr. Paya has not yet been arrested, 42 of the 
74 people arrested in these crackdowns are participants in the Varela 
Project.
  Even more troubling is that these trials have been and are continuing 
to be conducted in a Havana courtroom closed to international diplomats 
and foreign journalists. I strongly believe that this atmosphere of 
authoritarianism is indicative not only of the lack of substantial 
evidence against these individuals, but these trials' lack of domestic 
and international legitimacy.
  For many years, I have strongly supported United States engagement of 
Cuba. I have worked to dismantle the myriad of restrictions on American 
interaction with that nation, including those on trade and travel. Once 
again, let me state for the record my belief that our 40-year long 
isolationist policy towards Cuba has played, unfortunately, a major 
role I believe in keeping the government of Fidel Castro in power. It 
has allowed the Castro regime to blame U.S. policies for the lack of 
food and medicine in Cuba and has created a siege mentality which has 
allowed repression to flourish under the guise of national sovereignty. 
For those reasons I continue to believe that U.S. policy needs to 
change to some degree.
  However, my support for United States engagement of Cuba should not 
be mistaken for support of the Castro Government or for the 
reprehensible tactics it resorts to in order to suppress popular 
dissent with its policies
  It is a curious thing, indeed, that prior to these recent actions by 
Cuban authorities, there was growing support in the Congress and in the 
Cuban American community in particular for more engagement with Cuba. 
It leads me to speculate whether President Castro's recent persecution 
of prodemocracy and human rights activists is not designed to chill 
efforts in the United States to engage more actively with the island.
  I call upon the Castro Government to take immediate steps for the 
release of its political prisoners, to stop the persecution of Cuban 
dissidents, and to show respect for and abide by the Cuban Constitution 
and the will of the Cuban people. Fidel Castro has always said that the 
Cuban Revolution liberated the Cuban people from tyranny and 
oppression. The events of the last few weeks would indicate just the 
opposite. Many of the actions that the Castro regime has taken in 
recent months, particularly against democratic activists and 
independent journalists make it crystal clear that tyranny is still the 
order of the day in Havana under Fidel Castro. It is time for Cuban 
authorities to drastically reverse course and allow the Cuban people to 
have a voice in their governance. Then and only then will the Cuban 
people be truly liberated from tyranny.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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