Time to update policy on Cuba, dissidents say
By Albor Ruiz
From the New York Daily News
No more excuses.
After 74 of Cuba‘s best-known dissidents told Congress they support scrapping travel and export restrictions to their country, there are no more excuses left for keeping our obsolete Cuba policy intact.
“We share the opinion that the isolation of the people of Cuba benefits the most inflexible interests of its government, while any opening serves to inform and empower the Cuban people and helps to further strengthen our civil society,” the dissidents wrote last week.
“We value the experience of all the Western countries, including the United States, who favored opening and trade with all the countries of the former Eastern Europe,” the letter added.
“We are sure that isolation does not foster relationships of respect and support for people and groups around the world who are in favor of democratic changes in Cuba.”
The list of signers is a veritable who’s who of Cuban opposition figures. It includes award-winning blogger Yoani Sánchez, hunger striker Guillermo Fariñas and Elizardo Sánchez, head of Cuba’s most prominent human rights group.
The letter was released by the Washington-based Cuba Study Group, which states on its Web site that its mission is “to facilitate a peaceful reunification of the Cuban nation leading to a free and open society with respect for human rights, the rule of law and a market-based economy.”
The dissidents specifically endorsed the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act that would lift constraints on Cuba.
“In making this appeal to Congress, the dissidents demolish every remaining justification on human rights grounds for keeping U.S. policy in place and they thin the ranks of supporters of the status quo,” said Sarah Stephens, of the Center for Democracy in the Americas, a Washington-based group advocating freer travel and trade with Cuba.
If the bill – introduced in February by Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Rep. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) — is passed, the President would no longer be allowed to prohibit travel to Cuba or to block transactions required to make such trips.
Despite the fact that it is outlawed and travelers have to go through third countries such as Canada, Mexico or the Dominican Republic, more than 52,000 American tourists visited Cuba last year — a 24% increase over 2008 — according to the Cuban government. This figure does not include Cuban-Americans.
In addition, if the bill is approved, the White House would not have the power to stop direct transfers between U.S. and Cuban banks, making it easier for Cuba to pay for U.S. exports.
The dissidents said they “strongly believe that the problems of Cuba and its path to freedom and democracy are a responsibility and a labor that belongs to all Cubans, those of us who live on the island as well as those who suffer in exile in the diaspora, who also love this nation we all share.”
Food for thought for President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton, hard-line Cuban-American politicians and recalcitrant South Florida groups intent on keeping our cruel Cuba policy despite its 50 years of failure.
“Now that the dissidents have spoken, is there anyone left who thinks the policy of barring Americans from traveling to Cuba to punish Cuba’s government is a good idea?” Stephens asked. “If Cuba’s best-known bloggers, dissidents, hunger strikers, and other activists for human rights want this legislation enacted, what else needs to be said?”
What else, indeed?
Albor Ruiz is a columnist for the New York Daily News.
