DATE=2/5/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245165
TITLE=U-S / CUBA BROADCASTING (L ONLY)
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=MIAMI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT BROADCAST RADIO AND
TELEVISION PROGRAMS TO CUBA HAVE OFFICIALLY OPENED A NEW STUDIO
COMPLEX IN MIAMI. SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT WAS ONE
OF MANY DIGNITARIES AT FRIDAY'S INAUGURAL CEREMONY FOR THE
FACILITY, [THE OFFICE OF CUBA BROADCASTING,] WHICH HOUSES RADIO
AND T-V MARTI. V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN REPORTS, THE REBIRTH OF
THE MARTI ORGANIZATIONS COMES AMID PERSISTENT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF U-S - BASED BROADCASTING TO CUBA.
TEXT: SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT SAYS RADIO AND T-V MARTI
CONTINUE TO FULFIL AN IMPORTANT MISSION: PROVIDING THE CUBAN
PEOPLE WITH UNBIASED, ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR COUNTRY
AND THE WORLD. FLANKED BY THE OVERSEERS OF U-S INTERNATIONAL
BROADCASTING -- INCLUDING V-O-A DIRECTOR EVELYN LIEBERMAN -- MS.
ALBRIGHT SAID DICTATORS SUCH AS CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SEEK
TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF INFORMATION IN ORDER TO STAY IN POWER.
/// FIRST ALBRIGHT ACT ///
THEY WANT TO KEEP A STRANGLE HOLD ON THE FLOW OF
INFORMATION SO THAT THEIR MYTHS ARE BELIEVED, THEIR
BLUNDERS CONCEALED AND THEIR PEOPLE KEPT IN DARKNESS.
RADIO AND T-V MARTI EXIST TO GIVE THE PEOPLE OF CUBA
WHAT THEY HAVE ALWAYS DESERVED BUT LONG BEEN DENIED:
BROADCASTING THAT IS FAIR AND INDEPENDENT, BROADCASTING
THAT CONVEYS NOT LIES, BUT FACTS.
/// END ACT ///
RADIO MARTI WAS BORN DURING FORMER PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN'S
ADMINISTRATION, IN THE 1980'S. T-V MARTI WAS ADDED YEARS LATER,
WHEN FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH WAS IN OFFICE. BOTH HAD BEEN
HEADQUARTERED IN WASHINGTON, BUT RELOCATED TO MIAMI TO BE CLOSER
TO THEIR TARGET AUDIENCE.
FROM THE BEGINNING, THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT HAS STRONGLY OBJECTED TO
BOTH RADIO AND T-V MARTI, ARGUING THE BROADCASTS ARE AN INVASION
OF NATIONAL AIRWAVES AND A VIOLATION OF CUBAN SOVEREIGNTY. SINCE
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF T-V MARTI, CUBA HAS STEPPED UP ITS JAMMING
OF ALL PROGRAMS ORIGINATING FROM THE OFFICE OF CUBA BROADCASTING.
INTERNATIONAL REPORTERS VISITING CUBA -- AS WELL AS "RAFTERS" WHO
HAVE FLED THE ISLAND -- SAY IT IS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO SEE OR
HEAR MARTI PROGRAMS IN MANY PARTS OF CUBA.
DESPITE THE JAMMING, CONGRESSWOMAN ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN [PRON:
ROSS-'LEH-TIH-NEN], A CUBAN-AMERICAN WHOSE DISTRICT ENCOMPASSES
PART OF MIAMI, SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT FOR RADIO AND T-V MARTI TO
CONTINUE BROADCASTING TO CUBA.
/// ROS-LEHTINEN ACT ///
IT'S PRECISELY BECAUSE THERE IS JAMMING THAT MAKES IT
ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE BROADCASTING TO
CUBA, BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE LEVEL OF RESISTANCE THE
DICTATOR [CASTRO] HAS TO FREE THOUGHT, TO EXPRESSIONS OF
LIBERTY AND DEMOCRACY.
/// END ACT ///
LAST YEAR, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION APPROVED DIRECT,
HUMANITARIAN-AID FLIGHTS TO CUBA FROM THE UNITED STATES, AS WELL
AS MEASURES TO ALLOW CUBAN-AMERICANS TO SEND MONEY TO THEIR
RELATIVES STILL LIVING ON THE ISLAND. CURRENTLY, THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION IS CONSIDERING INCREASED CULTURAL EXCHANGES WITH
CUBA, INCLUDING A POSSIBLE TRIP BY A U-S MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
TEAM TO PLAY IN HAVANA.
SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT SAYS THE GOAL IS TO HELP THE CUBAN
PEOPLE, NOT THE GOVERNMENT OF FIDEL CASTRO.
/// REST OPT ///
/// SECOND ALBRIGHT ACT ///
WE HAVE TAKEN MEASURES DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF
THE CUBAN PEOPLE WITHOUT STRENGTHENING THE REPRESSIVE
AND BACKWARD-LOOKING REGIME IN HAVANA. WE HAVE SOUGHT
TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR CUBANS TO BE IN TOUCH WITH FAMILY
AND FRIENDS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND EASIER FOR
THE CUBAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO HELP THOSE WHO STAYED
BEHIND.
// END ACT //
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S ATTEMPT TO PROMOTE PEOPLE-TO- PEOPLE
CONTACT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CUBA HAS DRAWN OBJECTIONS
FROM SOME ELEMENTS OF MIAMI'S CUBAN EXILE COMMUNITY. MIGUEL
SAAVEDRA [PRON: SAH-'VAY-DRAH], LEADER OF AN EXILE GROUP CALLED
"VIGILIA MAMBISA" [PRON: VEE-'JEE-LEE-AH MAHM-'BEE-SAH] LED A
PROTEST FRIDAY OUTSIDE THE GATES OF THE NEW RADIO AND T-V MARTI
STUDIOS.
/// SAAVEDRA ACT IN SPANISH - ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER TEXT ///
MR. SAAVEDRA SAYS HE CAME TO TELL SECRETARY ALBRIGHT, AS WELL AS
THE DIRECTORS OF RADIO MARTI AND T-V MARTI, THAT HE REJECTS THEM.
HE SAYS THE UNITED STATES IS ATTEMPTING TO INITIATE A DIALOGUE
WITH FIDEL CASTRO, A MAN HE DESCRIBES AS AN ENEMY OF THE UNITED
STATES AND THE CUBAN PEOPLE.
THE DIRECTOR OF RADIO AND T-V MARTI, HERMINIO SAN ROMAN, SAYS
PROTESTS DO NOT BOTHER HIM.
/// SAN ROMAN ACT ///
THIS IS AMERICA. AND THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US
AND A REPRESSIVE SYSTEM LIKE THAT OF FIDEL CASTRO. I'LL
BE THE FIRST ONE TO DEFEND THE RIGHT TO PROTEST.
/// END ACT ///
MR. SAN ROMAN SAYS, REGARDLESS OF HOW U-S POLICY TOWARD CUBA
EVOLVES IN THE FUTURE, RADIO AND T-V MARTI WILL CONTINUE BEAMING
NEWS AND INFORMATION TO THE ISLAND. HE SAYS HE HOPES NEW RELAY
STATIONS WILL BE SET UP IN LOCATIONS AROUND THE CARIBBEAN, TO
BOOST SIGNALS AND COUNTERACT THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT'S ATTEMPTS AT
JAMMING. (SIGNED)
NEB/MCB/WTW
05-Feb-99 4:24 PM EST (2124 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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