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Towards a dialogue without borders
By Christian Liberation Movement

A message to the United Nations

The Cuban State has supported with its vote United Nations Resolution A60-L48 for the creation of the United Nations Human Rights Council.  We ask ourselves, will this vote open some kind of expectation regarding a new and better phase in matters of Human Rights for Cuban society? The Cuban people have a right and need for a positive response to this question that will translate into both practice and law.

Considering:

a)  That in supporting this resolution the Cuban State is committing itself to defend, promote and protect all human rights, religious, civic, political, economic, social and cultural of all human beings, among them the Cuban people who should not remain excluded.


b)    That civic groups and non-violent Cuban activists are dedicated to the defense, protection and promotion of Human Rights and work in a transparent and non-violent manner for a dialogue between Cubans, a national reconciliation and to achieve the necessary changes towards democracy.


c)    That among our initiatives is included the Varela Project, an initiative based in the law supported by the Cuban Constitution and backed by thousands of citizens.   This project proposes changes within the law in order to guarantee respect for fundamental civil, political and economic rights which are for all Cubans.   We have also developed a National Dialogue for Cubans, who do not want and will not accept any foreign interventions, to design our own program for change.   Among other projects and activities of the Non-violent Cuban Democratic Movement are included independent journalism, small libraries, diverse civic associations, and human rights organizations.


d)    That for these initiatives, and for having the unmistakable task of defending and promoting human rights as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; for doing in Cuba what this recently created Human Rights Council is to do internationally, is the reason that the present non-violent Cuban political prisoners are unjustly condemned. The facts recognized, by which Cuban courts judged them, are neither more nor less than the exercise and promotion of human rights.  These facts do not have any relation with the supposed crimes by which they [the government] condemned them and that they never committed.  The previous statement can be confirmed just by reading the official documents from the trials.

 

e)  That freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, freedom to meet, freedom of the press, freedom to associate in political parties, freedom of labor unions, freedom of social organizations, economic freedom, freedom to travel, free and democratic elections and the free participation of citizens in the political, economic and cultural life are not attributes of any ideological model, but rights universally recognized for all human beings and therefore also for Cubans.  The Cuban people never chose, nor will ever choose, a system that denies these rights to them. 

 

f) That the limitations and suppressions of these rights by laws and practices of the Cuban state, limit the development of the country, are the cause of a permanent suffering for its citizens, provoking divisions and tensions that attempt against peace between Cubans, submerge in poverty the majority and impede the encounter and communication between Cubans that live within Cuba and those that live outside, the latter in fact are treated like exiles.  This denial of rights contrasts with a system of privileges for a minority that excludes Cubans in their own country.


g) That none of these violations can be justified with violations taking place in other countries, because in all cases the victims are human beings, whether they are Cuban or of any other country, to which nothing helps the justifications and confrontations between violators.

 
We Proclaim

1. That the announcement of the immediate release of non-violent Cuban political prisoners is an indispensable step that would give sense to the vote of the Cuban State and their aspiration to be a part of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations. But above all, it would be a step toward justice for the Cuban people.

2. Request the Cuban State to liberate unconditionally non-violent Cuban political prisoners and take the appropriate steps to guarantee the human rights of all its citizens, according to the passing of Resolution A60-L48 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this is an obligation of all members of the United Nations and its Human Rights Council. Not calling for the liberation of  non-violent Cuban political prisoners will be a scandalous denial of the contents of resolution A60-L48 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
3.  Every State that voted in favor of the above resolution as well as those who voted against it have a legal and moral obligation to divulge said resolution in their countries.  In Cuba, where all means of communication including radio, television, press and electronic mail are property of the State and maintained with public funds, it is the State's obligation to make public this resolution so that the Cuban people are not remain excluded from information in a matter of undeniable transcendence and importance for the life of the country.  In order for citizens to understand this resolution A60-L48, the State has to publish all the Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, approved 48 years ago and mostly unknown in Cuba. Cubans have the right to know their rights.

4. The Cuban State aspires to be a part of the Human Rights Council.  The Cuban people deserve to be there, but it will only be an authentic participation of the Cuban people if the government makes a commitment before the Cuban people and the World that it will:  abide by what is established in Resolution A60-L48; respect and promote in Cuba all the rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; liberate non-violent political prisoners; take steps so that the law and institutions guarantee respect for these rights; and open a dialogue on the promotion and observance of such rights.  These steps are vital necessity and are also a right of the Cuban people, whether or not the representation of the Cuban state is elected to be a part of this Human Rights Council or not.

5. It is time to begin a Dialogue Without Frontiers, dialogue between all peoples, states, cultures and within each people so that humanity may progress in respecting their rights. That Dialogue Without Frontiers is the one we are already promoting in Cuban Society.

Havana, April 19th, 2006

On behalf of the Christian Liberation Movement Coordinating Council

Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas  
Minervo Lázaro Chil Siret   
Ernesto Martín Fonseca

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