12 September 2008
The 12 September 2008 marks a decade in which the aggressive methods of the US administration against the Cuban people are underscored. In 1998, in a politically inspired trial five Cuban patriots were falsely incarcerated on charges of terrorism in the United States and are enduring lengthy sentences in US prisons, held incommunicado and unable to receive family visits.
Following many incidents of violent terrorist methods by CIA-sponsored anti-Cuban groups operating in Miami, Gerardo, Ramon, Fernando, Rene and Antonio embarked on peaceful efforts to unveil the nature of Cuban directed terrorist offensive, in which the design is meant to rupture the confidence of the Cuban people and the world on their achievement of socialism and to provoke insidious regime change belligerence.
The detention of the five was upheld by the Atlanta Court of Appeals which ratified the 30 years and two life sentences between Gerardo and Rene, and outlined intention to revisit those imposed on Ramon, Antonio and Fernando. In the handling of the Cuban 5 case all international norms and moral appeals have been disregarded.
FOCUS-SA considers this a generalized attack on the rights of Cuban and other nations, violating the principle to “freely determine, without external interference, their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development”.
We maintain the validity of growing international solidarity struggles with the people of Cuba and asserts their right to defend Cuban territory, its sovereignty and the choice of their developmental path against any imperialist maneuvers.
We condemn the Atlanta Court decision and remain firmly behind release of the Cuban 5.
South Africans also support countless calls to lift the genocidal economic blockade against Cuba, which has prevented the trade flows of essential products like life saving medicinal stuffs.
Consequent to the lifting of the blockade, we support as Africans calls for the normalization of Cuban relations by countries in Europe and call on their governments to uphold the principles of their right to self-determination and abandon the assumption of congruous policy outlook with the anti-Cuban US political project of regime change
We call for the US government to denounce all terrorist activities directed at Cuba and terminate hypocritical stances, including allowing the extradition of Louis Posada Carriles to stand trial for real terrorist activities.
We also salute our people for demonstrating the maturing political support to secure the immediate release of the Cuban 5 and universalizing of the norms of social and political justice and the principles of sovereignty and non-interference in the affairs of other states.
It is our resolve, working with all progressive forces in the world to struggle for the recognition of these principles by demonstrating our active solidarity support for Cuba band undertaking demonstrations, starting on the 26 September at the Pretoria US embassy against the criminal blockade and the release of the Cuban 5.
Released by Friends of Cuba Society-SA
Contact: Chris Matlhako
chrismatlhako@hotmail.com,
cell +2783 255 8804