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Human rights activists pay tribute to the victims of the March 13th Tugboat Massacre
By Cuban Democratic Directorate

July 18, 2007. Activists gathered in several different provinces to commemorate the 13th anniversary of the “March 13th” Tugboat Massacre, which claimed the lives of 41 Cubans attempting to flee the island. Activists honored the victims’ memories through vigils, the casting of flowers into rivers and the ocean, prayer, and the singing of Cuba’s national anthem. The following is a chronology of various activities that were carried out.

 

In the malecón in Havana, human rights activists Manuel Pérez Soria, Ángel Enrique Fernández Rivero and José Alberto Viera Oviedo, dressed in black, cast an offering of flowers to sea, in remembrance of the victims of the “March 13th” Tugboat Massacre.  

Source: Manuel Pérez Soria, Pro Human Rights Party affiliated with the Andrei Sajarov Foundation

 

In Central Havana, Margarito Broche Espinosa, president of the Council of Human Rights “Rapporteurs” in Cuba, Roberto de Miranda Hernández, leader of the Independent Teacher’s School of Cuba, Lady in White Soledad Rivas Valdecia and Isabel Ramos, mother of former political prisoner Arturo Suárez Ramos, along with other political prisoners, gathered to carry out a vigil at the home of one of the activists, located at Calle Campanario No. 354, between San Rafael y San Miguel. During this activity, participants signed a book of condolences in memory of the victims of the March 13th Tugboat Massacre.

Source: Carlos Serpa Maceira, Sindical Press Agency

 

In Villa Clara, human rights activists gathered at the headquarters of the Martha Abreu Feminine Movement, at building 10 Apt. 5, community José Martí, in Santa Clara, in order to pay tribute to those fallen. The act began with the national anthem, the reading of all the names of the victims, and few minutes of silence. Ana Margarita Perdigón Brito prayed asking God for the eternal rest of those who died that day. There was also prayer for all political prisoners in Cuba. To conclude, the activists marched peacefully and placed flowers on the river while shouting: “Long live Human Rights”. To the vigil, members of the following groups joined: Alternative Option Independent Movement, Democracy Movement, November 30 Frank País Democratic Party, Civic Nationalist Movement of Cuba, “Plantados” until Freedom and Democracy in Cuba, “Maceístas” for Dignity, and the Pedro Luis Boitel Political Prisoners Movement.

Source: Idania Yanes Contreras, Martha Abreu Feminine Movement

 

Also in Villa Clara, a group of activists remembered the events of the March 13 Tugboat Massacre while marching through Street San Miguel until the Bélgico river, where they threw various dozens of laurels. The civic action began at 8:30 p.m. at the house of national coordinator for the Democracy Movement Pedro Yordis Tápanes García. The activists left the house under rain with flowers in their hands. Among those present, were members of the Democracy Movement, Martí Youth Coalition, Liberal Party of Cuba, and the “Maceístas”. Also, various independent journalists from the Cubanacán Press Agency assisted the event, among them their general director Guillermo Fariñas Hernández.

Source: Alaín Ramón Gómez Ramos, Cubanacán Press

 

At the early hours of the morning, more than 15 activists from Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, and Sancti Spíritus gathered at the home of Noelia Pedraza Jiménez, located at José Martí neighborhood in Santa Clara. There they remembered the victims the March 13 Tugboat Massacre, mentioning each of their names. The group headed toward a nearby river, and during this walk, various neighbors joined them. They observed a minute of silence in honor of those fallen and then placed flowers on the waters of the river while shouting “Down with Fidel!”.

Source: Idania Yanes Contreras, Martha Abreu Feminine Movement

 

In the city of Cabaiguán in Sancti Spíritus, a dozen activists celebrated a vigil at the home of Bárbara Viera Rodríguez, also the headquarters for the Peace, Democracy, and Freedom Rafters and Human Rights Association and the Liberal Party of Cuba, located at Jesús Menéndez No. 4, between Agramonte and Santa Lucía. The activity, which took place on July 12th, began at 8 a.m. Those present heard the national anthem and held one minute of silence in memory of the victims. After, the activists walked to the bridge where the citizens historically held funerals for the departed. From there, they placed flowers on the river.

Source: José Ramón Borges Serrano, human rights activist

 

At Ciego de Ávila, at the city of “January First”, members of the Human Rights Cuban Foundation paid homage to the victims of the March 13 Tugboat Massacre at the El Charcazo River at the “Batey Grúa Nueva”. The four members -Julio Columbié Batista, Alberto Frank Cojusta, Máximo Ortiz Joles y Wildem Ávila Columbié– observed one minute of silence and read Psalm 21. After, they placed flowers on the currents of the river.

Source: Idania Yanes Contreras, Martha Abreu Press Agency

 

In the city of Camagüey, 37 members of the Christian Democratic Party of Cuba held two activities at the place of the “tinajones” on July 12th to remember the victims of the March 13 Tugboat Massacre. They celebrated the vigil with lit candles at the home of Roberto Marrero Larosa, representative of the organization in that city. Those present heard the national anthem, observed one minute of silence and asked God for the eternal rest of the victims. Also, 18 members of the party gathered at the “Casino Campestre” Park in Camagüey to throw flowers on the river that flows through it to honor the victims.

Source: Marilyn Díaz Fernández, Sindical Press Agency, and member of the Pro Liberty Press Association

 

At Kilo 8 prison in the city of Camagüey, political prisoners Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta, Eduardo Gamboa Suárez, Lamberto Hernández Planas, Francisco Tundidor Valido, Nelson Vázquez Lima, Leoncio Rodríguez Ponce, Carlos Luis Díaz Fernández, and José Daniel Ferrer García, among other common prisoners held a fast for 12 hours to remember the 13th anniversary of the sinking of the March 13 tugboat.

Source: Ana Belkis Ferrer García, sister of political prisoner José Daniel Ferrer García

 

At Matanzas, 17 activists of the Pro Human Rights Party afiliated to the Andrei Sajarov Foundation gathered at the city of Colón to celebrate a vigil in memory of the victims of the March 13 Tugboat Massacre. The vigil took place at the home of Arnaldo Gutiérrez Lima, located at Street Pedro Betancourt No. 125, between Martí and Mario Muñoz. During the activity the activists sang the bayamo anthem and narrated the acts occured on that tragic day, July 13, 1994. All present mentioned the names of those fallen and read Biblical passages.

Source: Emilio Bringas Évora, Pro Human Rights Party afiliated to the Andrei Sajarov Foundation

 

In Matanzas, members of the Alternative Option Independent Movement celebrated a vigila t the headquarters of the  organization, located in Street Pedro Betancourt. The commemorative activity included singing the national anthem, one minute of silence, and reading biblical passages. A communal prayer was held and the activists spoke about the happenings of that day. Also, flowers were thrown into the river and streams of the provinces of Matanzas and Villa Clara. Also, various bracelets with the word “Change” were handed out and tens of documents of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Source: Emilio Bringas Évora, Pro Human Rights Party afiliated to the Andrei Sajarov Foundation; Juan Francisco Sigler Amaya, human rights activist.

 

 

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