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Mother of murdered prisoner of conscience calls for “Zapata Lives” marches across Cuba
By Cuban Democratic Directorate

 

Banes, Holguin. Directorio Democrático Cubano. 30 de marzo de 2010. Reyna Luisa Tamayo Danger, a member of Cuba's Ladies in White and the mother of murdered cuban prisoner of conscience Orlando Zapata Tamayo, today called for peaceful marches across all Cuba to keep alive the cause for which her son died.


I call on the internal opposition movement in Cuba to organize a peaceful march every Sunday. Here in Banes, we march to the cemetery where we then pray and shout 'Zapata Lives!'” stated Tamayo Danger by telephone to Radio Republica.


The “Zapata Lives” marches are being called for by the Rosa Parks Feminist Movement for Civil Rights, and will take place at different locations in Cuba, in addition to the main march in Banes. Tamayo Danger was recently elected president of the Orlando Zapata Tamayo Civil Resistance and Civil Disobedience National Front, which was founded by leading opposition activists in the island.


Scarcely a month after Orlando Zapata Tamayo's death while in the custody of the Castro regime, the “Zapata Lives” marches have already been targeted for repression.


I have suffered intense repression at the hands of State Security. They say marches cannot be allowed. But with the deep pain I carry of my son being ripped away from me, my little piece of my heart, we are not afraid of them. Therefore, the marches to the cemetery will continue,” stated Tamayo Danger.


In spite of this pressure, activists from eastern Cuba have already successfully carried out two marches to Zapata's tomb in Banes.


Human rights activists Jorge Luis García Pérez, usually known as “Antúnez,” Yris Tamara Pérez Aguilera, and Idania Yánez Contreras have endured brutal attacks in recent days due to their participation in Zapata Lives marches.


During a violent raid conducted by Cuban political police early Sunday morning, March 28, Antúnez and his wife Yris were removed from the home of activist Martha Díaz Rondón. They were handcuffed driven back to their home province, and upon arrival, brutally beaten. While attacking Antúnez and Yris, the officers shouted racist insults at them.


On Monday morning, March 29, Antúnez and Yris again were arrested violently in Santa Clara. Political police officers and Chief of Confrontation Héctor de la Fe Freire went so far as to strike a five month old child, said opposition activist Idania Yánez Contreras.

 

"They beat me while my hands were cuffed behind my back. They were military personnel. Antúnez, who had already been arrested and was inside a patrol car, broke loose from the guards to shout out and defend me. My five month old son was in the arms of Yris Pérez Aguilera, and the pushed her so my baby was struck on the head,” stated Yánez Contreras from Santa Clara.

 

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Directorio Democrático Cubano Cuban Democratic Directorate

 

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