Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-11-16-Speech-2-142"
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"en.20041116.12.2-142"2
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"Mr President, the law passed in Cuba this year limiting access to the Internet is a clear violation of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It was adopted as a punishment to society, following the statements made last year by a group of 75 protesters fighting for the freedom to express their opinions. The law allows the Internet to be accessed only from selected businesses and government offices. It should also be noted that in 2002 the government placed a ban on the sale of computers to the public, making this year’s law merely one more in a series of measures aimed at protesters and independent journalists. Cuba and its left-wing allies all over the world constantly present us with the myth of the revolutionary event that took place several decades ago, when the corrupt Batista government was overthrown. Are we to allow this myth to blind us to the reality of life in the modern police state of Cuba, to the imprisonment, repression and persecution suffered by those who merely desire liberty and basic civil freedoms?
As citizens of a part of Europe that was occupied by Russia and its Communist allies for decades, we know how much meaning a small gesture of solidarity by the free world can have for activists campaigning on behalf of those who have been imprisoned and persecuted because of their views. We know from our own experience that the only thing anti-democratic regimes take any notice of is firmness and consistency, and that all the efforts of such regimes are directed towards breaking international solidarity with human rights defenders. This is the very reason why we must not disengage ourselves. Measures we can and should take as EU Member States include diplomatic sanctions and support for those who defend civil rights. It is also important to speak out on their behalf in the international arena. My message to those who thoughtlessly carry round gadgets bearing images of Che Guevara is merely that they should add to them the slogan ‘Cuba yes, we’re starting afresh’. The dissidents charged with conspiring against Cuba’s independence and territorial integrity were actually imprisoned simply because they exercised their fundamental rights in a peaceful manner. It should be noted that the number of those suffering persecution has increased and decreased in proportion to the level of pressure exerted by other countries, and also in proportion to the extent of Fidel Castro’s international interests. The current escalation is a step backwards for human rights in Cuba, and it is therefore crucially important that international support for Cuban democrats be reiterated, and that diplomatic sanctions be kept in place against the regime."@en1
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