Hundreds of Townspeople of Antilla Show Solidarity With Victimized Oppositionist And Demand Human Rights. “No more bloodshed”.
By Cuban Democratic Directorate

Antillas, Holguín, May 13, 2005. According to reports from various members of the human rights organization Oriental Democratic Alliance (APLO), yesterday hundreds of Antillans poured onto the streets in order to defend human rights activists. Said activists were found in a peaceful meeting in solidarity with Duilyan Ramiro Ballester in the town of Antillas, of the Province Holguín, and were attacked by members of  Castro’s State Security.

Duilyan Ramiro Ballestar initiated a protest campaign in his own home in the municipality of Antilla, due to the fact he was denied departure from the country. Several signs are displayed on the façade of his building with phrases such as; “Cuba is a prison for me” and “it is not force that will bring us rights but rights that will bring us force”. According to activist Juan Carlos Garcel of APLO, Duilyan Ramiro Ballestar has been in jail since yeserday in the municipality of Banes.

During the event, the activists Guillermo Llanas Ricardo y Roberto Pardilla were brutally beat by members of State Security. According to testimony from Guillermo: “we were showing support for our brother Duilyan and the police riddled us with blows and strikes of their police rod, they broke my head, and kicked Roberto Pardilla and myself as we lay on the floor. The town of Antilla poured our by the hundreds in protest to the abuse and they took us to the hospital.”

Dianis Merilla Aguilar who was detained confirmed what her husband Guillermo stated by saying: “ the situation escaped their hold as the town screamed: assassins, assassins.”  She also said that the majority of those present outnumbered those in favor of the Castro regime. She also mentioned that a boy no older than 16 years of age was detained for which no further information is known along with Junior López Santiesteban who was recording the event from a roof top, the authorites confiscated his camera .

According to the testimony of activist Eliécer Consuegra, in Antilla it is noted, that this event is being referred to as the “Pacific Maleconazo of 2005”. The great majority of participants which shouted in the faces of the members of the Security of State exclaimed: “Assassins, henchmen, you are violators of human rights. Respect human rights. WE WANT NO MORE BLOODSHED!”

Send by E-mail | Printable Version

About the author

Directorio Democrático Cubano
P.O. Box 110235
Hialeah, Florida 33011
Tel. 305-220-2713
info@directorio.org

In Memory of Mario Manuel de la Peña