June,
2001
Report of
violations of the ILO's International Labor Standars by the government
of Cuba (Cont.)
Chapter III
Hostility,
Repression & Detentions of Independent Labor Leaders & Workers for
Political Reasons
Fidel Castro responded
to comments made by Jean Chretien the Prime Minister of Canada (during
the III Summit of the Americas), on April 25th 2001 during Cuba's daily
"Round Table" TV talk show.
"In a socialist
country like Cuba where manual laborers and intellectuals are organized
in their respective unions and solidly united like the revolutionary
class which shares its power base with the rest of the people the
farmers, women, students, their neighbors and the general citizenry.
The article of the Convention (referred to by Prime Minister
Chretien) that mentions that each person has the right to create
unions, to affiliate themselves to those of their choosing and be
subject only to the rules of the organization concerned to promote
and protect its economic and social interests serves as an weapon and
pretext for imperialism, trying to divide and fragment the workers to
create false unions and to reduce the workers social and political
influence. In the United States and in many more countries of Europe
as well as other regions the strategy is to divide, debilitate and
corrupt the labor movement to the point of being totally helpless in
face of capital."
"In Cuba the
purpose would be fundamentally subversive and destabilizing. It would
undermine the political power base and usurp the extraordinary
influence of our workers, eroding the heroic resistance of the only
socialist State of the West confronting the homogenized superpower."
In the manual Defending
the Right of Free Trade Unions reference is made to the "Declaration
of Philadelphia, (adopted by the International Workers Conference in
1944 and incorporated into the ILO's constitution in1946), to the
connection between the fundamentals of human rights and free labor
union rights, proclaiming (in article 1b) that freedom of expression
and association are essential for a constant progress"
"as
those fundamental rights are inherent to human dignity." Adopting
a Resolution in 1970, the International Workers Conference solemnly
re-affirmed this position stating, "there are firmly established
and universally accepted principles which define the guaranteed basic
civil rights and which should constitute the ideal norm by which all
peoples and nations should adhere." ILO recognizes that those
right conferred to employees and employers are based on the mutual
respect to all civil liberties, in particular the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights and the International Pact of Civil and Political Liberties
and the concept of civil rights lacks all sense and purpose when there
are no civil liberties.
The prior examples
demonstrate two very different points of views on the same topic the Right
to Organization and the most fundamental Human Rights. Lamentably the
Cuban government considers the creation of independent and democratic
labor organizations (without the influence of the communist party and
the government) acts of terrorism and divisionary of the workers, which
does not coincide with the politics of the demagogic socialist state.
It is as a result
of events like these over the past two years that a study was conducted
by CONIC's Institute of Socio-labor Studies, which revealed the existence
of more than 200 cases of worker and unionist harassments which included
threats, stalking, reprimands and politically motivated layoffs throughout
the country. The following is a summary report of some of those cases
and does not include cases in which victims wished to remain anonymous
for fear of reprisals.
A)Abuses against
jailed independent unionist.
1)Georgis Pileta
Laurencio: On April 27th, 2001 he was severely beaten and placed into
a punishment cell for protesting the horrible conditions at the penal
institution. A member of CUTC (Cuban Unitary Workers Council) and is serving
an 8 years prison sentence for attempting to illegally leave the country.
2)Jorge Luis Larrazabal
Zulueta: According to sources from the "Pedro Luis Boitel"
political prisoners presidio Mr. Zulueta remains in a punishment cell
[with severe chest pains due to a coronary problem. There is an urgent
order for his immediate internment into a hospital, which the penal
authorities have chosen to ignore. Mr. Larrazabal is 36 years old, a
member of CONIC and Amnesty International has declared him a prisoner
of conscience.
3)Lazaro Garcia Farah:
34 years old he is imprisoned at "El Tipico" in Las Tunas
where is serving a 25, year, sentence for the "Baragua" case.
On April 12, 2001 Mr. Farah, was submitted to a barbarous physical
aggression by a State Security officer and prison guard, named Fermin
and by captain Osmel Moreno. Mr. Garcia Farah's few belongings were
forcefully removed from him. He was thrown to the floor, beaten and
thrown into a punishment cell. His visitation rights were also
indefinitely suspended. Lazaro Garcia Farah is an honorary member of
the Federacion Sindical de Plantasa Electricas, Gas, Agua y Anexos de
Cuba and of CONIC.
4)Jose Orlando Gonzalez
Bridon: Secretary General of the CTDC (Confederation of Democratic
Workers of Cuba) was arrested de December 15, 2000 accused of "Disseminating
false news" and "enemy propaganda" Mr. Gonzalez Bridon
is facing one or more years imprisonment as determined by the "Municipal
Tribunal the 10th of October". According to the Miami daily El
Nuevo Herald dated 5/1/01 a letter was sent by Reporters without
frontiers to the Cuban Minister of Justice Roberto Diaz Sotolongo
requesting "the immediate release and the
dropping of charges"
pending against Mr. Gonzalez Bridon. On August 5, 2000 Mr. Bridon had
an article published in a Miami Based Internet News Agency in which he
questioned the governments involvement in the death of the national
coordinator of the CTDC, Joanna Gonzalez Herrera. "This detainment
intends to increase the repression against members of the opposition
that disseminate their opinion via the internet." assured, the
secretary general of Reporters Without Frontiers, Robert Menard. On
April 12, 2001 in a communiqué de USTIC (Independent Free Trade
Union of Cuban Workers) urgently requested that international labor
organizations intercede "before the Cuban government on behalf of
the liberation of the Secretary General of the Confederation of
Democratic Workers of Cuba, Jose Orlando Britton, who is suffering from
ill health with a high blood pressure condition that results in excessive
nose bleeds"
B)Beatings,
threats, detentions and employment denial of independent unionist
1)Pedro Pablo Alvarez
Ramos: On April 13, 2000, Mr. Alvarez Ramos the Secretary General of the
CUTC was detained and imprisoned without charges for three months as a
result of holding a public a press conference where member of the CUTC
announced the dates of their first Congress, to be held later that same
month. This announcement unleashed a wave of repression, which was
reflected on the detentions of CUTC directors Carmelo Augustin Diaz,
Gladys Linares Blanco and Humberto Mones Lafita. During the arrests the
political police forces confiscated $5,040 dollars donated to the CUTC
by labor unions from Holland to help in covering the costs of the
national event, this money has never been returned. Thanks to
international solidarity Mr. Alvarez Ramos was freed without charges.
2)Aleida Godinez
Soler: Activist and opposition leader, has been warned on multiple occasions
that as a result of continuing her labors she could found guilty of "enemy
propaganda". On May 25th and 27th Ms. Godinez Soler was in the
Province of Ciego de Avila initiating a provincial delegation and
giving a seminar on "Free Trade Unions and the Fundamental
Conventions of ILO. " As she telephonically testified, she was
stalked and threatened by two State Security agents, who told her she
could not come to that territory to organize counterrevolutionary
institutions, if she continued she would be jailed. A
reporter/photographer for LUX magazine her camera was confiscated by
officers of the Protection and Vigilence Service Dept.
3)Carmelo Diaz
Fernandez: Director of APSIC (Independent Labor Press Agency of Cuba)
and executive of the CUTC (Unitary Cuban Workers Council) was
threatened by State Security officers at his home on July 7, 2000. One
of the officers named Ulises demanded the dissident stop sending
information to Radio Marti and DESAFIO (Venezuelan/Cuban solidarity
magazine). The other official who did not identify himself profanely
offended Mr. Diaz Fernandez and told him " We'll jail you just
like we've done with others just like you."
4)Sixto Rolando Calero:
Delegate of the CUTC, (Unitary Cuban Workers Council), in the Camaguey
province, and his wife were detained by State Security on October 4,
2000 while in route from Esmeralda to the City of Havana. The district
attorney Odis Vargas was present in the police operative, which was
directed by Lazaro Chavez the head of State Security for the
municipality of Esmeralda. Mr. Rolando Calero and his wife were
detained for over eight hours documents they were carrying were
confiscated and not returned. CubaNet (internet news agency) reports
the repressive acts against members of the CUTC increase since
announcing the celebration of its first congress.
5)Osvaldo Castillo
Alvarez: Delegate of the CUTC, (Unitary Cuban Workers Council), in the
Matanzas province, solicited employment on October 11, 2000 at the
agricultural warehousing establishment located in the municipality of
Perico. The solicitude was denied as the independent unionist "did
not coincide with the politics of the island." The establishment's
administrator Lazaro Fundora told Mr. Castillo Alvarez that an
investigation had been conducted into his person which gave evidence
the he "was disaffected of the revolutionary process." Mr.
Alvarez Castillo was aspiring to a position in the Economic Dept. of
that entity but was further informed by the administrator that "the
sums that were managed there were for the exclusive knowledge of
revolutionaries."
6)Gustavo Colas
Castillo: Secretary General of the USTAI (Independently Syndicated
Sugar Workers Union) made public on April 18, 2000 threats to his
person made by Joaquin San an executive of the "Amancio Rodriguez"
sugar mill in the province of Las Tunas. Due to the inefficiency, which
reigned at the mill Mr. Colas Castillo along with a group of colleagues
decided to create an independent union, which would remain autonomous,
responding only to workers and which would be affiliated to the
Federacion Sindical de Plantas Electricas, Gas, Agua y Anexos de Cuba.
During a general assembly of the mill's workers Mr San informed the
workers about the creation of an independent labor union. A move, which
he qualified as "a confabulation of the enemies of the Revolution
attempting to crush the unity of the workers" and further informed
they, will be "adopting all measures necessary to annihilate them."
7)Omar Garcia Quesada:
Executive member USTAI (Independently Syndicated Sugar Workers Union)
was beaten on April 7, 2000 by Pedro Perez Sosa a government sanctioned
unionist from the "Amancio Rodriguez" sugar mill in Las Tunas.
Mr. Garcia Quesada had been conversing with various colleagues
defending his right of free expression. Perez Sosa told him "we're
going to give you a beating, your ideas are counterrevolutionaries."
In the ensuing discussion Mr. Garcia Quesada defended all Cuban workers
rights to freely organize and associate.
8)Angel Moya: Condemned
to 1 year, imprisonment and 10 years of exile in his native province of
Matanzas. Mr. Moya was sentenced on December 12, 2000 by the Popular
Tribunal of the Arroyo Naranjo Municipaltiy in the "La Plama"
district of Havana City for the crime of "desacato". Mr.
Moya's wife and children reside in Havana, notwithstanding Mr. Moya's
release within the year he will have to remain in Matanzas for another
10. Mr. Moya is an honorary member of CONIC
9)Lazaro Estanislaos
Ramos: CONIC delegate from the Pinar del Rio province was threatened at
his home on January 26th, 2001 by captain Rene Godoy (an officer with
an ample history of repression). The officer assured the delegate that
his Confederation had no future in Pinar del Rio, since they as State
Security would impede it at all cost not accepting that he and his
collaborators have any influence on the workers in those sectors vital
to the economy. The officer further added that the situation in the
country had changed and that the treatment and sanctions against the
opposition were going to grow worse culminating if necessary with the
disappearance of those who opposed them.
10) Sergio Gonzalez
Suarez Inclan: Secretary General of CONIC in the province of Matanzas
was expulsed from his position as an electrician at the Empresa de
Perforacion y Extraccion de Petroleo upon being declared as "not
politically confiable." On November 20th, 2000 he was publicly,
assaulted, by a retired Revolutionary Armed Forces officer and a
current militant of the Cuban Communist Party. The dissident was caught
by surprise when he was hit in the face, with a walking cane by Omar
Jerez. Mr. Gonzalez had been working recruiting affiliates and was
expressing his support of the Salvadoran President Francisco Flores
comments during the prior IberoAmerican Summit. The retired officer
Omar Jerez resides on Varona 117 Street, in the municipality of Colon
in the province of Matanzas.
11) Jorge Dante Abad:
On April 20th 2000 the CONIC delegate from the Guantanamo province
publicly denounced the violation of his rights as a citizen. The ballot
he received for voting had a note on the back that read "Does Not
Vote". Mr. Dante Abad noted that he didn't plan on voting any way,
although it was painful to know that his rights as contemplated in the
constitution were denied without explanation. Mr. Dante Abad, stated
that as a sovereign citizen he chooses not to vote in a farce of an
election where the pre-designated members of the Communist Party will
be elected, although as a Cuban citizen he is entitled by law to
participate in the elections. The denial of voting rights was also
extended to Mr. Dante Abad's mother and sister and to his colleague the
independent unionist and opposition member Mr. Rafael Fonseca Ochoa.
12) Manuel Lantigua
Dominguez: 41 years old, and a member of the CUTC in the Guantanamo
province was signaled out and harassed for his political beliefs by the
local police. On August 8, 2000 Lantigua was called to appear before
the chief of police Lieutenant Iiranelio Munoz, of the Guantanamo
Station. Mr. Lantigua Dominguez's fingerprints and photo were taken and
registered in a newly initiated file labeled "social danger".
"Social Danger" is a label applied to all persons who are
dissidents of Fidel Castro's political leadership. To be imprisoned as
a "Social Danger" one has merely t be accused by the sector's
police chief who has to provide proof of three warnings of the accused.
According to Mr. Lantigua, police officer Captain Jorge told him "we
will imprison you for four years". This independent unionist not
under the protection of the government sanctioned CTC was stoned and beaten
at the entrance of his home on July 9th, 2001 by paramilitary members
of the "Fast Response Brigades". On August 14th, 2001 the CUTC made
a call to the international community through CubaNet to watch over
situation with Mr. Lantigua Dominguez as the integrity of his health
and welfare were threatened.
13) Luis Sergio Unes
Rodriguez, a delegate of the Confederacion Obrera Nacional Independiente
de Cuba (CONIC) in Bayamo, in the province of Granma, was notified on
April 30, 2001, that he was prohibited to leave his home during the May
1st celebrations. If he did, he would be detained at the police station
on 4 Street and Francisco Vincent Aguilea Avenue. The order was imparted
by a State Security official, who would only identify himself, as a member
of a local organization meant to oversee counterrevolutionary
activities in that region.
The denouncement
formulated by Damaris Santant Aguilera, wife of the aforementioned unionist,
was also detained in her residence on 26 Street, in the Camilo Cienfuegos
neighborhood of Bayamo, informed of the presence of a State Security
agent disguised as a civilian, watching from the corner of her house.
This is considered as an act, which impedes her freedom of movement.
Once the May 1st celebrations were over, the undercover agent left, but
not without first informing her that her activities against the unity
of the Cuban laborers would bring about an indictment for crimes of
association and the diffusion of false news under the current penal
code of the communist government.
Santana Aguilera
who along with her husband has been threatened on numerous occasions declared
in an interview that, "We will never give up our fight for May 1st
celebration were the posters and petitions formulated by laborers are a
true reflection of their wishes and desires and not about their fear
and apparent submission to a central union which only employs them as
cheap labor, and who demeans and despises them by denying them access
to all universally recognized labor rights.
14) On December 17,
2000, Cecilia Chavez and Jordanis Rivas were threatened with imprisonment
if they continued their pro-labor activities and their independent
reporting, which according to the government is classified as nothing
more than, false reporting. Chavez and Rivas have carried out a serious
effort in defense of the independent labor movement in the province of
Villa Clara. They have gathered an impressive group of workers that
have seen themselves, obligated to return their work permits due to the
constant and arbitrary inspections to which they are subjected. Chaves
and Rivas, have been detained by, State Security forces, on various
occasions. On December 14, 2001 their home was subject to a search and
seizure operation where labor publications where confiscated.
15) Caridad Diaz
Beltran was employed as Nurse Supervisor at the pediatric policlinic "Jovellanos"
in Matanzas. She was discharged of her services after being drastically
limited in her daily administrative duties. She is currently an
independent reporter for the Lux Info-Press Agency and an executive
board member of CONIC.
16) Orlando Lopez
of Morro Highway #156 between 9th & 11th, is a veteran labor leader of
the "Federacion Sindical" in the province of Santiago Cuba. He
was interrogated March 25, 2001 by State Security forces in reference
to his relationship with Calixto Campos Corona, director LUX magazine
and vice president of the "Federacion Sindical in Exile".
Orlando responded, "a brotherhood fomented by 40 years of sharing
similar political and social concerns for the island unite us
"
C)Workers from
the Educational Sector.
On March 27th, 2001
CubaNet reporter Moraima Pires of the Decorum Group published data
revealing the expulsion of at least 83 professor and student activists
from the College of Independent Teachers of Cuba and its affiliates.
The president of the institution Roberto de Miranda affirmed, that "In
all of the cases the dissidents were discharged from their respective
employment or centers of study," They were:
28 Pinar del
Rio
21 Havana
City
12 Villa
Clara
7 Matanzas
6 Camaguey
1 Santiago
Of the total 10 were
teachers or professors, 10 executives, 8 mid-level management, 20 blue
collar laborers or farmers, 2 students and the remaining 33 were from
other occupational categories. As per Miranda this is only a partial
list as smaller provincial delegates had not yet completed their
reports. CONIC's Institute for Socio-Labor Studies compiled the names
and case studies of at least another 20 workers from this sector who
have been expulsed form their occupations due to their independent
labor activities.
These persons were
fired for not being "politically confiable" Ana Margarita Canton a
professor at the Superior Teachers Institute, of Pinar del Rio.
Marcelino Carvajal Pena a professor at the School of Sports Initiation
of Las Tunasas well as Giraldo Leon Corvea and Jorge Luis Blanco Rivera
both professors at Superior Teachers Institute, of Pinar del Rio. Nilda
Malera Pedraza an administrator Superior Teachers Institute, of the
Guantanamo province. After an illegal departure from the island, Leonel
Rodriguez Marquez a physical education teacher in San Cristobal High
School of Pinar del Rio was fired for not being politically confiable,
as was Mateo Romeu Ramos and Juan Roberto de Miranda Hernandez the
president of the Colegio de Pedagogos de Cuba.
Felix Navarro Rodriguez
a member of the Pedro Luis Boitel Movement for Democracy was discharged
as principal of the Perico High School for a supposed act of "enemy
propaganda". Rigoberto Diaz Cutino of Holguin an assistant
professor, was expulsed after publicly expressing pro-democracy ideals.
Rene Onate Sixto was fired under article #34 for not "demonstrating
a cohesion to the communist government of the island". Belkis
Castillo Ramirez was discharged from the infants circle "Suenos de
Marti" in Palmarito "for manifesting a political ideology
different than the one imposed by the Cuban government. Sergio Lazaro
Cabarobi Fernandez Fontecha a professor at the Technical Sciences Faculty
University in Pinar del Rio was let go after "realizing public
pronouncements against the governments ideology." and Sara Suarez
Soa "did not gather all the political ideals required to work in
the educational sector." Pedro Emilio Pecheco Perez a
gastroenthamologist, was denied his position as professor at the
Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Santiago de Cuba due to "his
political ideas."
At times professionals
need only to try and leave the country to be fired. Such was the case
of three professors at the INDER in San Cristobal, in the Pinar del Rio
province. Leonel Rodriguez Martinez, Tomas Gonzalez Azcuy and Carlos
Enrique Montero Vilabur were all laid-off for "attempting to
illegally leave the country."
In many cases the
Ministry of Education's Article #34 was the legal basis utilized for
expulsing workers. The complaints and sanctions placed as a result of
political problems are considered un-appeallable. Professors have been
fired for refusing to teach Debate and Reflection as well as Ethics for
considering them to be too politicized not agreeing with the Cuban
government's interpretation of Jose Marti's work in the State
sanctioned text called "Catedras Martianas."
D) Workers from
varying sectors of the economy laid-off due to race & political
ideology.
Jose Mendez Cabezas
(46), Juan Fallat Astorga (58) and Jose Perez Perez (55) are bus drivers
all employed for thirty years or more, became unemployed as a result of
refusing to do "Voluntary Work" On January 21, 2001 CubaNet's
Luis Vino Zimmerman reported the three men had been unemployed for over
3 months as the vehicles assigned to them by their employment firm were
in need of repair and there were no replacement parts. None of the men
had been paid during this time, as the urban omnibus company does not
guarantee the salary of drivers who's vehicles aren't functioning.
"There are
omnibuses to transport people to the "Open Tribunals" or to
the "Marches of the Combative Public" (public acts of the
Communist Party). "Reserve" replacement parts for buses
appear for these events but must be returned after the activity has
concluded." a worker revealed.
The three,
aforementioned drivers, were called by their supervisor, and the
secretary of the Communist Party, to work on a voluntary shift. After
having spent three months without work, compensation or a means to
resolve their dilemma the three refused to work that event without pay.
The administration sanctioned the men with a "definitive
separation from the place of employment." Mendez, Fallat and Perez
appealed the sanction which were once again ratified as they "Denied
service to the government and the Party."
Professionals from
all sectors of society, are subject to dismissal as a result, of personal
and social affiliations. At least two Master Bakers Lester Gonzalez Penton
and Victor E. Pena Garcia were harassed and ultimately discharged by
superiors for not following orders to cease and desist all
communications with "those counterrevolutionary groups" like
the ProHuman Rights Party affiliated to the Zajarov Foundation.
Geologists Fernando Mexidor Vazquez and Judelmis Almansa were subject
to a special order of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, which "denies
one the right to associate with persons who oppose the reigning
government" was used to expel them on August 8, 2000 from their positions.
A carpenter Eduardo Sayago Herrera was let go for the same reason.
Unemployment is just
one of the sanctions used to punish those trying to emigrate from Cuba.
Technicians, doctors, administrators and blue-collar laborers have all
been discharged from their positions for attempting to leave the country.
Such was the case for Gaston Osle Dottes, Freddy Caballero Cardosa and
Walter Estrada Leguren.
Race has also become
a big issue in Cuba. Those persons of color are not considered employable
in the tourist sector of society. Esperanza Alemeira Cordero lost her
job in October of 1997 for "being black" she has not been able
to find employment since. Esperanza provided the names and addresses of
at least three other women in her neighborhood of Arroyo Naranjo whom
have all been victims of the same arbitrary prejudice of race.
The official excuse
used most often by the Cuban government for getting rid of employees is
the term "not politically confiable." This is vague term used to
denote all those person whom may have expressed dissent or concerns,
which could be interpreted as contrary to the interest of the Cuban
Communist Party. During the short period of this study at least
twenty-nine cases were documented. Persons from all walks of life have
had their official work files tagged as "not confiable"
making them unemployable.
E) Government
Activities Against Self-Employed Workers
Dr. Carlos Lage,
the Executive Secretary of the Consejo de Ministros [Ministry Counselors],
during a meeting of the Presidentes Provinciales del Poder Popular
[Provincial Presidents of the Majority Rule] stated, "that in the
next year a series of payments to the private sectors for services
rendered to governmental institutions will be prohibited."
According to the
available information as listed by the "ONAT" (Oficina Nacional de
Administracion Tributaria), there are approximately 119,502
self-employed workers from the 215,000 identified in 1995. This
reduction in the number of self-employed entrepreneurs is due to the
regulations imposed by the government. This servers as an example of
the current trends of in the work force as a result of these new rules.
CONIC's Institute for Socio-Labor Studies, estimated that for each
licensed self-employed worker that there could actually be five people
working in a clandestine manner using one license, which would increase
these numbers to approximately 600,000 self-employed workers.
In September of 2000,
a Gubernatorial meeting was held in Havana to analyze the progress of
self-employed workers. During this meeting, the Minister of Employment
& Social Security indicated that they had performed more than 300,000
inspections in the whole country and detected 32,000 violations for which
13,000 citations had been imposed with a value of $11,482,000 pesos.
The following
are examples of regulations the Government imposes on self-employed workers:
On November 13th,
2000, the local authorities in the city of San Cristobal prohibited street
vendors from selling any goods in front of the Commandante Pinares
Hospital. Requiring hospital visitors and employees to purchase food
products from the hospital cafeteria only offering no other
alternative. They also prohibited street vendors who sell food items
from distributing plates or utensils for the use of their customers.
Another regulation states that private sector workers cannot hire or
utilize any intermediate workers to lend their services or to
commercialize their products and it also illegal to privately hire
employees.
The government states
that there are 28 regulations that must be adhered to, but there is a
disclaimer that states, "these are not all the regulations, but the
fundamentals ones." This leaves way to the arbitrary addition of
regulations without prior nILOce to the public or during an unwarranted
arrest. Violations of any of the published or arbitrary regulations
results in the revocation of licenses indefinitely.
F) Telephone Call
Interception and Mail Tampering Violations and Confiscations.
The Telephone Company
of Cuba S.A [ETECSA], a Cuban company with investments from Italian
capitalist, intercepts calls to and from the United States and
domestically.
In discussing this
issue with independent labor leaders within Cuba, they've expressed concerns
that every time they are having a conversation with foreigners or with
Cuban resident abroad, their telephone conversations are interrupted.
The ETECS shuts off the telephone service for hours at a time every time
a human rights discussion is overheard.
Pablo Pacheco Avila,
from the Cooperativa de Periodistas Independientes de Cuba [Independent
Journalist Cooperative of Cuba], published an article that stated that
the ETECSA obstructs calls to specific telephone numbers in the US. The
operator's actions can be perceived as discriminatory in nature. Radio
Marti that has published telephone numbers for listeners to call-in and
makes comments or to discuss the topic at hand. Callers from the cities
of Camaguey and Ciego de Avila are not able to call the U.S. directly.
These callers must use operator assistance or call from other cities.
When these radio listeners try to call in to Radio Marti, the operators
simply advise the caller that those numbers are restricted.
On one occasion,
Mr. Avila insisted that the numbers as listed for Radio Marti were not
restricted, the operator responded, "calls to this radio station are
prohibited." When Mr. Avila asked the operator who had imposed
these restrictions, the operator did not respond to his questions and
did not provide any additional information.
There are also several
cases where police reports have been filed that state the their
correspondence has been tampered with by Customs Agents in Cuba. Also,
the State Security Police confiscated several packages that were headed
to independent libraries, some of these packages have been syndications
that were being sent via DHL and could be tracked. Another example of
tampering was from January 2001 to April 2001 where Customs Agents also
confiscated the LUX labor magazine.
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