Taking it to the streets

While returning home from breakfast this morning, I drove by a small group of people demonstrating against passage of a property tax reform proposal on the Jan. 29 ballot here in Florida. I don't doubt their sincerity — their signs indicated that passage would be bad news for local public schools — but I don't think it would be awful to say that they were taking their right to protest, for granted. They're Americans, and that's what Americans do — we hit the streets to spread our message, and give little thought to the prospect that someone, especially the police, might try to stop us.

In Cuba, it is a much different story. Sometimes, the police will ignore you and/or let you go your own way, but more often, hitting the streets to protest and denounce the regime, is met with threats, harrasment and force.

So it is not an exaggeration to say that a couple of dozen dissidents put their lives on line Thursday when they marched through Havana, to commemorate the deaths a year ago of two former political prisoners, Miguel Valdés Tamayo and Mario Chanes de Armas. As they marched, many people came out of their homes to express their support, according to one report.

Cuban Democratic Directorate describes the scene:

The activists carried a banner with the phrase, "Libertad" and "eternal glory for Miguel Valdés Tamayo and Mario Chanes de Armas!" The activists shouted slogans — "Freedom!" "Long live human rights!" "Freedom for Cuba!" "Freedom for political prisoners of conscience!" — and sang the national hymn. The march ended with shouts of "Libertad, libertad, libertad, libertad!"

In another parts of Havana, according to the Directorio and Payo Libre, police moved to block related demonstrations.

Directorio reports that four dissidents, including former political prisoner Jorge Luis García Pérez “Antúnez,” were arrested as they tried to march and distribute copies of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They were taken to a police station and released, but not before being warned that they could end up in prison if they continued their political activities.

And at the Colón cemetery in Havana, five dissidents were detained to block them from participating in a memorial Mass for Valdés Tamayo. Fortunately, the Damas de Blanco were able to attend the Mass.

Cubans do not take their liberty for granted, because they have so little of it. They know it must be nurtured, by their boldness and their courage, even if it costs them personally, if it is to grow.

As long as there are those willing to put at risk what little freedom they enjoy to denounce the castro regime and demand freedom for all Cubans, the struggle toward an inevitable victory will continue.

Posted by Marc at January 12, 2008 11:39 AM

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.babalublog.com/cgi-bin/mt/hut.cgi/7051

Comments

Post a comment