CSC AGM - TUC says Support the Miami Five!
Campaign News | Tuesday, 8 June 2010
At a packed Hamilton House in London Brendan Barber said the TUC is committed to working for a change in UK, EU and USA policy on Cuba. We want a policy which respects Cuba’s right to self determination and not acquiescence to the failed policy of the USA he said. Talking about his honour to be at May Day in Cuba he praised Cuba’s achievements at home but also internationally. Their internationalism “is not just a slogan but a living breathing reality” and he praised the medical support Cuba offers around the world.
The AGM received the Annual Report and accounts and agreed a work programme for next year. The priority will inevitably be to defend Cuba’s right to its own sovereignty and self determination. As Keith Sonnet Chair of the Campaign said “We must do everything we can to influence our government on this issue as the threats and attacks on Cuba have not gone away under Obama, in fact are getting worse”. As Rob Miller Director of the Campaign said “Now the United States is increasing its militarisation of Latin America and at the same time promoting an international anti-Cuban campaign”. Re-affirming to do everything it can to change the hypocritical and unjust anti Cuban ‘European Common Position’, the meeting unanimously backed an emergency motion from the Executive.
Other areas raised were continued CSC support for Latin America 2010 and its work with other latin america solidarity campaigms, the importance of CSC local groups, and the need to promote Cuba’s outstanding environmental protection policies, sustainability and organic agriculture.
The meeting closed with Adriana Perez and Olga Salanueva, two of the wives of the Miami Five, who gave emotional and moving speeches about the realities of an inhumane and unjust system that not only imprisons their husbands but denies them even visitation rights. The legal route is now over as the Supreme Court refused to hear the case of the Five, although it was revealed this week in the US that secret payments of hundreds of thousands of dollars were made to journalists covering the case of the Five to write negative stories and this may give rise to some form of legal challenge. However the real hope is for all of us to raise their case wherever we can, break the media silence and campaign harder politically to overcome this gross injustice and terrible abuse of human rights.
