[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 124 (Thursday, September 29, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1991]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               REMARKS IN SUPPORT OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 388

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 29, 2005

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the House of 
Representatives considered House Resolution 388, a resolution 
condemning the gross human rights violations committed by the Cuban 
regime, and expressing the support of this House for the right of the 
Cuban people to exercise their fundamental political and civil 
liberties. Unfortunately due to scheduled Committee hearings I was 
unable to be on the floor during debate on this extremely important 
resolution. As chairman of the International Relations Committee 
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere--and a long-standing critic of 
the Castro regime--and co-sponsor of the resolution, I want to take 
this opportunity to express my strong support for H. Res. 388. I would 
also like to thank my colleague from Florida, Congressman Lincoln Diaz-
Balart--a true champion for the Cuban people--for introducing this 
resolution and once again highlighting the atrocious human rights 
violations the Cuban people continue to suffer at the hands of Castro's 
oppressive regime.
  Since Castro assumed control of Cuba on January 1, 1959, fundamental 
human rights and basic living conditions have deteriorated 
tremendously. Most Cuban people live every day in fear of their 
government, thousands of whom risk their lives every year to flee the 
communist regime by any means necessary--even attempting to brave the 
hazardous 90-mile crossing between the United States and Cuba on 
makeshift rafts.
  For a time, they tried to pretend that Mr. Castro had changed his 
ways, but events in Cuba over the past two years have reopened the eyes 
of the world community to the true evil nature of the Castro Regime. 
For example, Castro created a constitutional amendment permanently 
making socialism the official form of state government, and positioning 
himself to remain in power until he is either forcibly removed or 
deceased. In addition to these totalitarian mandates, he has staged the 
most sweeping crackdown on peaceful advocates of change in the history 
of Cuba.
  On March 18, 2003, Fidel Castro ordered the arrest of many writers, 
poets, librarians, and pro-democracy activists in a large-scale 
operation to stifle any movement against his regime. Subsequently, some 
of the targeted individuals were released, but 75 remained in jail to 
be tried for their ``crimes'' against the country, citing Article 91 of 
Cuba's Penal Code that states, ``(anyone) who in the interest of a 
foreign state, commits an act with the objective of damaging the 
independence or territorial integrity of the state of Cuba.'' The Cuban 
government accused the dissidents of engaging in activities that could 
be perceived as damaging to Cuba's internal order, and/or perceived as 
encouraging to United States embargoes against the country.
  The list of Cuban detainees published by Amnesty International in 
their ``Essential Measures'' brief of 2003 reveals some striking 
information. Among the detained are 23 people over the age of 50, as 
well as 5 others who are more than 60 years of age. I wonder what 
dissenting activities they were engaging in that would earn them a 
collective 1,242 years in prison. These peaceful pro-democracy 
advocates, whom Mr. Castro likes to call dissidents or ``enemies of the 
revolution,'' were convicted for activities such as: attending an 
assembly to promote civil society, possessing membership in the 
Committee on Cuban Human Rights, or publishing documents to be 
disseminated abroad that represent a clear means of implementing the 
measures established in Article IV of LIBERTAD, also known as the 
Helms-Burton Act, which would increase the United States sanctions and 
blockades against Cuba.
  Three of the 75 activists rounded up during the regime's Spring 2003 
crackdown on dissent are currently engaging in a hunger strike to 
protest the deplorable conditions of their confinement; contaminated 
food and water, excessive heat, filthy conditions and medical 
mistreatment.
  Christian Liberation Movement member Jose Daniel Ferrer, who has not 
eaten for more than 22 days. He is serving a 25-year sentence for 
promoting the Varela Project, a constitutional petition calling for 
free elections, civil liberties and freedom for political prisoners. He 
recently was placed in a prison unit with dangerous common criminals, a 
tactic that Cuban authorities often use to harass and injure political 
prisoners.
  Victor Rolando Arroyo, an independent journalist and librarian, has 
been on a hunger strike for more than 16 days. In 2000 he spent 6 
months in jail for giving out toys to children on Three Kings Day. Now 
he is serving a 26-year sentence. His wife says that he has been 
hospitalized. He has refused forced feeding and is severely dehydrated.
  Felix Navarro, a democracy advocate and Varela Project activist, has 
shared the hunger strike in solidarity with Mr. Arroyo, who is in the 
same prison. Mr. Navarro is serving a 25-year term.
  Just this past July, the Castro regime renewed its efforts to stamp 
out the pro-democracy movement.
  On July 13, 2005, the Cuban Government detained 24 human rights 
activists who were participating in a solemn event in remembrance of 
the victims of the tugboat massacre of innocent civilians by the Cuban 
government on July 13, 1994. Human rights activists Rene Montes de Oca, 
Emilio Leiva Perez, Camilo Cairo Falcon, Manuel Perez Soira, Roberto 
Guerra Perez, and Lazaro Alonso Roman remain incarcerated from the July 
13, 2005, event and face trumped up charges of ``disorderly conduct.''
  On July 22, 2005, Members of the pro-democracy opposition in Cuba 
sought to demonstrate in a peaceful and orderly manner in front of the 
French Embassy in Havana, on behalf of the liberation of all Cuban 
political prisoners, and to protest the current policy of the European 
Union toward the Cuban Government. The Cuban regime mobilized its 
repressive state security apparatus to intimidate and harass, and 
eventually arrest and detain many of those who were planning on 
attending the peaceful protest. These leaders in the struggle for 
freedom in Cuba continue to be detained without cause.
  The Cuban regime has also arrested more than 400 young Cubans, from 
late 2004 through June of 2005, as a ``measure of pre-delinquent 
security.''
  The facts are undeniable; the Castro regime is just as committed 
today to repressing attempts by the Cuban people to bring democratic 
change to the island and denying the Cuban people their universally 
recognized liberties, including freedom of speech, association, 
movement, and the press as it was in 1959. That is why H.R. 388 is so 
important; because it sends a strong message to the Castro regime that 
this House will not forget--and it will not let the world community 
forget--those people who are suffering and dying in Cuban prisons for 
the so-called crime of speaking out against the injustices perpetrated 
by Castro and his henchmen.
  Mr. Speaker--although I am very concerned about the state of 
democracy throughout the Western Hemisphere--as it stands today, Cuba 
is the only nation in the hemisphere that is a complete dictatorship. 
As U.S. service men and women put their lives on the line to bring 
freedom and democracy to people around the world who have long suffered 
under the hand of tyranny, we only need to look at Cuba to see what can 
happen when any Nation shuns democracy and subjugates itself to the 
whims of dictatorship.
  I believe that because of the ills inflicted upon Cuba by the Castro 
regime, the transition from economic stagnation and political 
oppression to a democratic society built around the principles of 
respect for the rule of law and basic human rights--with a free 
economy--will be a challenging process, but it is an attainable 
endeavor. I have hope that there will be a day when the light of 
democracy shines in Havana. Until that day, I say to Mr. Castro--we 
will never forget.

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