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| Sunday, 3 April 2005 |
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The Cuban Question by Rossana Favero-Karunaratna The visit of Ms. Condolezza Rice, US Secretary of State, specifically to certain countries in Asia, raises speculation about the agenda of the visit, that goes beyond North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Of course, a necessary topic was the issue of Human Rights.
When Cuba was re-elected to the U.N. Human Rights Commission in 2003, the US Government reacted in a very harsh manner. "This is a setback for the cause of human rights. Cuba does not deserve a seat on the Human Rights Commission. Cuba deserves to be investigated by the Human Rights Commission," said White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. However, despite their comments, Cuba is still a member of the Human Rights commission. What about the accusing country which has been at the centre of a controversy? The human rights violation committed in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay are some of the examples that put the accuser party on a hot boiling pot. Furthermore, the US position and its style of adopting decisions are eroding the very essence of the UN as an independent body . The formation of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) came as a response to this kind of situation and the need to formulate a common position for our countries. NAM was based in five principles: - In the struggle between the East and the West, NAM members are neutral - In the struggle between the North and the South members are not neutral, we are aligned - NAM members are not allowed to participate in any collective military alliance; - NAM members are not allowed to participate in any bilateral military alliances. - NAM members are not allowed to permit foreign military bases in their territory. The Government of the United States is promoting the adoption of a resolution against Cuba. In the present context, it is important to remember the commitment assumed by the NAM members and consider the situation of the people of Cuba, a country that although being a victim of embargos and blockades has given an example of development and assistance to other countries. Sri Lanka has had a long-standing relation with Cuba and is also a member of NAM. Sri Lanka is expected to keep NAM principles alive now. developing countries must unite forces in order to achieve a decent standard of life to their population. One of the points of the agenda of Ms. Condolezza Rice must have been trying to discuss the support for this resolution as the majority of Asian countries have usually given full support to Cuba with the exception of Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka which abstained last year. What is the definition of human rights at this point? Where is natural justice? To which extent are we going to continue delaying the discussion of these issues which are at the very core of the need to reform the UN? Asian counterparts that are members of the HRC of the UN are: Bhutan, India, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Nepal, Pakistan, China and Sri Lanka. On the UN crisis, Boutros-Boutros Ghali, former UN Secretary General, in an interview with Frontlne, India, (March 11, 2005) answering to the question of Washington having a tendency to destabilise UN Secretary Generals, said: "I believe the pattern is to destabilise the UN as such". It is important to mention that a group of prestigious intellectuals have made a call to oppose the manipulation and one sided position, of the Cuban issue at the Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Casa de las Americas a prestigious Cultural Movement of Latin America in Cuba, has adhered to this call and hopes that Cuba's closest friends will do the same. At the present time, thousands of signatures are being collected. This is the text of the call: "Let us stop a new manoeuvre against Cuba from March 14th to April 22nd, 2005, the 61st session of the UN Commission on Human Rights will take place in Geneva, where once more the US government will try to pass a resolution against Cuba. It is a manipulated and selective treatment of the topic to justify the intensification of the policy of blockade and aggressions by the greatest power on the planet against a small country, in violation of International Law. The Commission must represent every United Nations member State and ensure respect for the rights of all men and women worldwide. It is significant, however, that within the Commission, during the last year sessions, it was not possible to evaluate, not even to debate, the atrocious violations of human rights taking place in US prisons in Abuh Ghraib and Guantanamo. The US government has no moral authority to set itself up as a judge of human rights in Cuba, where there is not a single case of missing persons, torture or extra judicial killing and where internationally recognised health, education and cultural levels have been reached despite the blockade. We request the countries represented in the Commission not to allow it to be used to legitimise the Bush Administration's anti-Cuban aggressiveness, when the current war-mongering policy led by Washington makes predictable an eventual escalation of very serious consequences. We also call on journalists, writers, artists, professors, school teachers and social activists to address their governments and express by every possible means that this dangerous manoeuvre stop". It is a call that must receive our attention in order to be able to analyse the present scenario of human rights in the world and what we expect the role of the UN to be. The people of the world are challenging the present structures of power. They are more and more conscious of the conditions in developing countries and the consequence of the progressive militarisation of the society influenced by Western powers. It is time for Sri Lanka to reflect on its foreign relations and its membership with NAM to construct a consistent policy to be able to exercise our rights in the present context of international relations." |
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