DATE=3/16/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42873
TITLE=CUBA DISSIDENTS / REACT
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=MIAMI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ON MONDAY, CUBA SENTENCED FOUR HIGH-PROFILE DISSIDENTS TO
JAIL TERMS RANGING FROM THREE AND A HALF TO FIVE YEARS. MUCH OF
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT AND, IN
SOME CASES, OUTRIGHT CONDEMNATION. MIAMI'S CUBAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITY CLOSELY FOLLOWED MONDAY'S COURT ACTIONS IN HAVANA. AS
V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN REPORTS, MOST CUBAN EXILES VIEW THE
DISSIDENTS' SENTENCING AS ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF THE REPRESSION THAT
THEY THEMSELVES FLED IN YEARS PAST.
TEXT: SIXTY-FOUR YEAR OLD CUBAN EXILE GUSTAVO PEREZ SITS IN A
COFFEE SHOP WITH HIS WIFE, GABRIELA. MR. PEREZ LEFT CUBA IN 1970
AND NOW OPERATES A SMALL BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI. HE SAYS ALL
CUBANS WHO HAVE THIRSTED FOR DEMOCRACY CAN SYMPATHIZE WITH THE
DISSIDENTS WHO WERE SENTENCED MONDAY.
// PEREZ ACT IN SPANISH - ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER TEXT
//
MR. PEREZ SAYS IT IS LAMENTABLE TO SEE THE JAILING OF PEOPLE WHO
SPEAK OUT FOR FREEDOM. HE SAYS CUBAN LEADER FIDEL CASTRO HAS
ALWAYS TRIED TO ELIMINATE HIS OPPONENTS AND HIS PERCEIVED ENEMIES
- INCLUDING MANY OF THOSE WHO HELPED BRING HIM TO POWER AND WHO
FELL OUT OF FAVOR AFTER CUBA'S (1959) REVOLUTION.
//OPT/// LIKE MANY CUBAN EXILES, MR. PEREZ IS BAFFLED BY THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S SENSE OF DISAPPOINTMENT REGARDING THE
CUBAN GOVERNMENT'S CRACKDOWN ON INTERNAL DISSENT. HE SAYS THE
WORLD SHOULD KNOW BY NOW THAT PRESIDENT CASTRO WILL NEVER ABANDON
HIS AUTHORITARIAN PRACTICES.
// PEREZ ACT IN SPANISH - ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER TEXT
//
MR. PEREZ SAYS THE OUTCOME OF THE DISSIDENTS' TRIAL SHOULD NOT
SURPRISE ANYONE. //END OPT//
MARIELA FERRETTI IS A SPOKESPERSON FOR MIAMI'S LARGEST CUBAN
EXILE GROUP, THE CUBAN-AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION. MS.
FERRETTI SAYS THE DISSIDENTS' SENTENCING SERVES AS DEFINITIVE
PROOF THAT THE MESSAGE OF OPENNESS AND TOLERANCE POPE JOHN PAUL
BROUGHT TO CUBA LAST YEAR HAS FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.
// FERRETTI ACT //
IT'S TIME, REALLY, FOR THE CIVILIZED WORLD TO LOOK UPON
THE CUBAN NATION, SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE, AND MAKE
A DECISION (ABOUT) WHAT SIDE THEY ARE GOING TO BE
STANDING ON - WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE SIDE OF
THE CUBAN PEOPLE WHO WANT AND DESERVE FREEDOM AND
DEMOCRACY, OR STANDING SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH A DICTATOR.
// END ACT //
THE DISSIDENTS SENTENCED MONDAY ANGERED CUBAN AUTHORITIES IN
1997, WHEN THEY PRINTED A DOCUMENT - TITLED 'THE MOTHERLAND
BELONGS TO ALL' - CRITICIZING ONE-PARTY RULE AND CALLING FOR
POLITICAL REFORM. THEY ALSO URGED FOREIGN COMPANIES NOT TO
INVEST IN CUBA. THEY WERE TRIED MARCH FIRST ON CHARGES OF
SEDITION. IN ANNOUNCING THE SENTENCES ON STATE-RUN MEDIA, THE
CUBAN GOVERNMENT SAID THE DEFENDANTS' CRIMES HAD BEEN IRREFUTABLY
PROVEN - AND ADDED THAT THE SENTENCES HANDED DOWN COULD HAVE BEEN
STIFFER.
THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT DESCRIBES THE DISSIDENTS AS 'SERVANTS' OF
THE UNITED STATES, WHO SEEK TO UNDERMINE THE COUNTRY -- AND
THEREFORE CANNOT BE CONSIDERED LEGITIMATE POLITICAL PRISONERS.
CUBA RECENTLY ENACTED LEGISLATION MANDATING LONG JAIL SENTENCES
FOR THOSE CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTING TO DESTABILIZE THE GOVERNMENT
OR COLLABORATING WITH CUBA'S ENEMIES ABROAD. IN DEFENDING THE
MEASURE, PRESIDENT CASTRO SAID CUBA MUST PROTECT ITSELF FROM
THOSE WHO WOULD JEOPARDIZE ITS INDEPENDENCE OR SEEK TO REVERSE
ITS COMMUNIST REVOLUTION.
IN MIAMI, CUBAN EXILES APPLAUD MONDAY'S DECISION BY CANADIAN
PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRETIEN TO REVIEW BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH
CUBA IN LIGHT OF THE CARIBBEAN NATION'S TREATMENT OF THE
DISSIDENTS. MOST CUBAN-AMERICANS HAVE LONG VIEWED ANY POLICY OF
ENGAGEMENT WITH HAVANA AS NAIVE - AND BELIEVE MONDAY'S SENTENCING
BOLSTERS THEIR CONTENTION. (SIGNED)
NEB/MCB/LTD/WFR
16-Mar-99 5:03 PM EST (2203 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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