How the NED spent $2.4million in Cuba Funds
News from Cuba | Tuesday, 12 June 2012
from Along the Malecon blog
The National Endowment for Democracy was an initiative of Ronald Regan set up in 1983 to "support democratic institutions" through non governmental organisations. However, the vast majority of its funding comes from the US government via USAID.
Since the 1980's it has funded organisations which supported the coups in Haiti and Venezuela, and campaigned against the democratically elected governments of Nicaragua and El Salvador.
Allen Weinstein, one of the founders of the National Endowment for Democracy, said in 1991, "A lot of what we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA".
Nowhere more so is this apparent than in Cuba, where the NED is one of many organisations which receive US government money to fund and promote internal dissent in an attempt to bring down the Cuban government and undermine the Cuban people's attempt to build a socialist society.
A recent report from the blog Along the Malecon gives a detailed break down of how NED funding was spent in 2010. The $2.4 million, detailed in the blog below, is just a fraction of the millions spent every year by the US government in an attempt to promote regime change in Cuba...
How the NED spent $2.4million in Cuba Funds
Kudos to the National Endowment for Democracy for publishing names of the recipients of its Cuba grants. This isn't news. The list was included in the NED's 2010 Annual Report, which was published in August 2011. But I just found out about it and wanted to pass it along.
Afro-Cuban Alliance, Inc.
$110,000
To continue the publication of the journal “Islas,” which seeks to inform Cubans of African descent on the island and in exile about civil rights, the hidden history of racial discrimination in Cuba, the experience of civil rights movements, and tools to organize and bring about change. ACA will continue providing humanitarian assistance to a committee of individuals in Cuba that work to promote greater public discussion about the racial issues on the island.
Asociación Encuentro de la Cultura Cubana
$91,000
To promote a culture of democracy and uncensored dialogue among different actors in Cuba and in the Diaspora on culture, history, art, national reconciliation; encourage their participation in online discussions; and to diminish the isolation of independent Cuban activists. Encuentro will publish its journal and strengthen the virtual Cuban community.
Center for a Free Cuba
$55,000
To provide humanitarian assistance to political prisoners, their families, human rights activists, youth activists, lawyers, teachers, artists and victims of repression in Cuba. In addition to humanitarian assistance, the Center will provide independent, democratic activists with important material support that will permit them to carry out their work in a more effective manner.
Centro para la Apertura y el Desarrollo de América Latina
$60,000
To engage civil society leaders, governments, and public officials in Latin America to support pro-democracy activists in Cuba; and to promote and consolidate a network of civil society organizations in Latin America that supports Cuba’s pro-democracy movement. Through publications, public forums, and advocacy initiatives, the Network will work to engage Latin American civil society and public officials about the need to support and raise awareness of pro-democracy initiatives for Cuba.
Clovek V Tisni, o.p.s. (People in Need) (PIN)
$103,875
To increase the free flow of information in Cuba and about Cuba; to improve the capacity of independent Cuban journalists to interact with average Cubans; and to contribute to the establishment of independent civil society and media in Cuba. PIN will help independent journalists develop a stronger relationship with their communities to promote the free flow of information in Cuba. PIN will also train independent journalists on new techniques and the use of technologies.
Committee for Free Trade Unionism (CFTU)
$90,000
To promote inter-regional cooperation among labor unions in Latin America, Europe and the U.S. CFTU will continue to develop an international campaign to build support for independent unionists in Cuba. It will continue maintaining its website and producing a quarterly newsletter aimed at raising interest in labor and worker’s rights issues in Cuba. Lastly, the Committee will contribute to efforts to forge a unified labor coalition between existing independent unions in Cuba.
Cuban Democratic Directorate (Directorio)
$175,000
To provide training to Cuba’s emerging pro-democracy youth movement. Directorio will help youth activists develop tools to more effectively communicate between themselves and the international community, and will help to facilitate links between the youth movement and traditional pro-democracy activists. Directorio will continue to produce radio programming aimed at breaking the information blockade faced by the citizens of Cuba.
CubaNet News Inc.
$239,434
To provide information, coaching, and technical and humanitarian assistance to independent journalists in Cuba. To strengthen independent news and reporting about the situation in Cuba for both Cuban and international audiences. CubaNet will generate independent media content about the situation in Cuba and will conduct an international solidarity campaign to raise support for and awareness about the situation facing independent journalists in Cuba.
Disidente Universal de Puerto Rico
$50,000
To provide a source of independent information to Cuba. Disidente will publish its monthly news digest, Disidente Universal, containing articles and editorials from activists in Cuba, exiled dissidents and international news organizations. Disidente will send copies of its publication to Cuba and other relevant policy and research centers throughout Latin America, the United States and Europe.
Evangelical Christian Humanitarian Outreach for Cuba (ECHOcuba)
$60,064
To strengthen women community leaders in four provinces in central and eastern Cuba. ECHOcuba will provide a select group of women leaders with training to coordinate a national network committed to democratic reform and development in their communities. At the end of the program, ECHOcuba will help network leaders organize a meeting between all project participants.
Grupo Internacional para la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa en Cuba (GIRSCC)
$200,000
To promote labor rights and defend Cuba’s independent labor movement. GIRSCC will provide independent labor activists in Cuba with technical and financial assistance in an effort to forge a more coordinated labor movement on the island. GIRSCC will also draw on its international board of directors to conduct a worldwide information dissemination campaign on the situation regarding labor rights in Cuba.
Instituto Político para la Libertad Perú (IPL)
$49,967
To provide youth in Cuba with training on use of the internet and social networking media. IPL will travel to Cuba to interact with youth contacts and provide them with training on democratic rights, access to information tools and international standards of freedom of expression.
International Republican Institute (IRI)
$800,000
To support Cuban civic participation by expanding opportunities for individuals to organize and rally support for important local issues and strengthening civil society capacity to respond to the top priorities of concern to Cuban citizens.
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI)
$325,000
To increase the capacity of Cuban independent civil society organizations through skills-building and train-the-trainer workshops and knowledge sharing trips to the island. NDI will also raise awareness about and support for Cuban democratic activists and political prisoners using new technologies, and provide organizational development assistance to a Europe-based nongovernmental organization to increase its capacity to implement projects in support of Cuban civil society.
People in Peril Association CVO (PIPA)
$40,000
To encourage critical thinking and the free exchange of ideas between youth in Cuba; to enhance knowledge on the functioning of open and democratic societies and free markets; and to strengthen the teaching skills of independent Cuban educators. PIPA will hold training workshops for independent educators, help establish youth debate clubs, and organize a presentation on democratic transitions in Central and Eastern Europe.
Total: $2,449,340
