U.S. Cuba Policy: Aid Needed, But Sanctions Must Remain

By MAURICIO CLAVER-CARONE

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
September 28, 2008

Hurricane Michelle in 2001 was the most devastating natural disaster to hit Cuba in 50 years. A year before the disaster, the Clinton administration had signed into law a provision by Midwest farm interests easing the trade embargo to allow the sale of U.S. agricultural products. Fidel Castro refused to buy anything because the law also denied Cuba trade financing and credits. Castro would have to pay cash.

Since Michelle devastated the island's food supply, Castro changed his mind and pursued a "one-time cash purchase" of foodstuffs. The Bush administration then authorized this legal purchase as a "good-will" humanitarian gesture.

Over the next five years, however, that "good will" gesture became the Castro regime's platform for a full-scale lobbying assault on trade sanctions. Farm bureaus and agri-business giants joined the Castro government in pressuring Congress to unilaterally lift remaining trade sanctions on Cuba. Thus far, successful bipartisan efforts have managed to stave off policy changes.

Everyone learned a lesson — or did we?

This year, Hurricane Gustav impacted the western provinces of Cuba and has now been followed by Hurricane Ike. The devastation is severe, the suffering of the Cuban people tragic.

U.S. policy allows and encourages humanitarian aid to be delivered to the Cuban people and despite the numerous impediments by Cuban authorities; the United States remains the world's largest provider of humanitarian aid to the people of Cuba. U.S.-based nongovernment organizations are licensed by the Treasury Department to travel, transport and provide unlimited amounts of humanitarian aid to the Cuban people. Unfortunately, the Cuban government has chosen to deny U.S.-based NGOs — and most recently European Union NGOs — entry to distribute any direct-to-people aid.

Similar to pressure applied to the Burmese junta after the cyclone that ravaged that country earlier this year, it is imperative for all Americans to join together and call on Cuban authorities to accept NGO and allow them direct access to the Cuban people.

Equally important, Americans of all political persuasions should be careful not to confuse or distract from these humanitarian aid efforts with calls for suspensions of current U.S. policy toward Cuba. Previous experience has proven that changing U.S. law to unilaterally lift sanctions is fraught with repercussions.

It would simply provide Cuban authorities with a vetting mechanism for those traveling to the island, thus facilitating their ability to condition and siphon funds from the United States, as they have done in the past; while requiring no concessions from Cuba — no entry for NGOs, no access for disaster relief specialists, and no distribution of humanitarian aid. Not to mention, no release of political prisoners, no legalization of independent journalists, labor unions or opposition groups, and no effort to establish a rule of law.

In the same breath as it rejected humanitarian aid, Cuban authorities quickly joined the chorus of those seeking the unconditional lifting of sanctions, and renewed its all-too-familiar call for unrelated trade financing and credits. Obviously, the Havana regime has not changed or lost its focus on distractions, repression and control. In view of this, U.S. policy must not lose or change its immediate focus, humanitarian aid for the Cuban people, and ongoing focus, democratic reform.

Mauricio Claver-Carone is a director of the U.S.-Cuba Democracy PAC (www.uscubapac.com) in Washington, D.C.

Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Posted by Henry Louis Gomez at September 29, 2008 10:12 AM

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Posted by: Melquiades Hof at September 29, 2008 02:21 PM

Posted by: Henry Louis Gomez at September 29, 2008 02:31 PM

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