Deal with the Cuban family travel issue first, full travel will follow
Al’s
Loupe
Deal
with the Cuban family travel issue first, full travel will follow
By
Alvaro F. Fernandez Read Spanish Version
alfernandez@the-beach.net
Freedom
of movement is a universal right. Except in special cases, one should
have the freedom to travel wherever and whenever he or she desires
and is able to. This has not always been the case both in the United
States and in Cuba. I look forward to the day unfair limitations to
travel are removed on both sides. The time, I believe, is ripe for
it.
As
I write this, a discussion ensues in Washington, D.C. over the rights
of American citizens to travel to Cuba. The opinions are many. The
passion involved always amazes me — how this little island can alter
people’s blood pressure, even when many of those involved are not
even Cuban-born. And I state this with gratitude for those persons
because I know many who love the island and its people as much, or
more, as many Cubans themselves.
What
I am about to write will not endear me to friends and allies all over
the U.S, though. But it needs to be said. It’s the egg and chicken
debate. In the Cuba travel case, the question is: which goes first?
The answer, I am convinced, is simple. If you ask me to choose, I
will not hesitate in answering that Cuba family travel takes
precedent over anything being done on this issue in Washington. One
overriding reason is that it can be very simple: All you need is a
signature by President Obama. Also, it should not take much in
convincing him. Never once during the presidential campaign did he
waver on his promise of lifting all restrictions limiting
Cuban-Americans from visiting and helping family members on the
island.
I
can already hear many of you yelling at me, reminding me that I just
said that the right to travel belongs to everyone. Yes. And I never
said I was against lifting travel restrictions for all Americans. But
in this case, I am in favor of political expediency.
Let
me explain. And, by the way, there’s a little history here. I know
my assertion will bother some. But let me tell you the story. About
two or three years ago, members of the Cuban American Commission for
Family Rights, the organization I preside and whose sole purpose,
since 2004, has been to see the lifting of restrictions on travel and
remittances imposed on Cuban families by the U.S. government, were
visited by a small delegation from Washington regarding possible
legislation in Congress dealing with the travel issue. We debated the
merits of pushing for full travel (what our Washington friends
insisted on) or hoping to first win with the Cuban family issue —
basically, we argued, a human rights issue which is hard to ignore
even by members of congress.
I
think I should backtrack a bit. Before this visit, the Commission,
together with other organizations and a number of radio
personalities, held a month-long drive to collect signatures in favor
of a law which would be presented by Rep. William Delahunt. The law
dealt strictly with the Cuban family travel issue. We managed to
amass almost 15,000 signatures in favor of it. To this day, I believe
this successful action both impressed and worried some of our friends
in Washington. The Delahunt bill was never presented.
To
make this little story short, we agreed to disagree but were asked by
our Washington allies to hold off on the Cuban family portion (and
therefore the Delahunt bill) while they pushed for a vote in Congress
in favor of travel for all Americans. The compromise was to push for
full travel. If the plan did not gain traction by the beginning of
summer, we were told, they would then start to push for Cuban family
travel, hoping that
would lead to success which would then offer traction for full
travel. The reality is that summer came and went, then Labor Day
passed (in September) and we were still being asked to hold off…
that year came and went and nothing was ever done.
The
2009 scenario reminds me a bit of that experience. There are
differences, though. First, we have a president in the White House
willing to sign off on the Cuban family travel. He told us, numerous
times, in 2008. Secondly, we’re heading for a fifth year where
Cuban families are being divided by a cruel and horrible U.S. law.
We’re at a critical stage; this cannot wait any longer. Third, the
back and forth in Washington, among allies, continues. I can imagine
our enemies rubbing their hands together as we simply prolong the
pain — of many who are being affected in ways much deeper than being
insulted because their right to travel is being violated by the U.S.
government.
Here
are my recommendations. To our allies in Washington, join us in
pushing through, immediately, a signed decree by the president
allowing Cuban family travel to Cuba with no restrictions. This would
be fair and also help complete a deal made a few years ago by some in
Washington who asked us to wait based on Capitol Hill strategy. Once
this has been achieved, then let us join hands in assuring that
Congress takes up the issue of travel for all U.S. citizens — make
it a nationwide push to assure that a new, more encompassing Delahunt
bill is heard and passed. I cannot foresee the president vetoing such
a bill.
And
of course, once family travel has passed, be critical of the fact
that Cubans in the U.S. should NOT be the only class allowed to
travel to Cuba. But this immediate victory would make passage of full
travel easier, not harder.
The
fact is that in 2009, I am not willing to compromise on this matter.
As I mentioned earlier, we’re currently dealing with a human rights
issue. And the pain has lasted for almost five years now.
So,
let us remind the President of his promise: the lifting of ALL
restrictions limiting Cuban-Americans from visiting and helping
family members on the island. The sooner this is accomplished, the
sooner we can begin to work on lifting restrictions for all
Americans.
