Two opposition leaders, Martha Beatriz Roque and Jose Luis Garcia (known as Antunez) issued a call for the Cuban opposition to unite and change tactics. (Pdf of statement here, via Penultimos Dias.)
Opposition unity has long been an elusive goal because of genuine and natural disagreements about policies and tactics, personal and political rivalries, suspicions, and disputes relating to connections with
Regarding tactics, the statement almost implies that the opposition has not connected with the public. It calls on each member of the opposition to do so now, one-on-one, to “win the street” and later “come out united.” The idea is to avoid repression and to open “many more contacts with the people.” The plan is for each member of the opposition to talk to three Cubans each day, people not a part of their family or circle of friends, and to explain three things. First, how the government violates each article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the need for political prisoners to be released. Second the need to engage in “non-cooperation” with the government. Third, “to make known the difficult economic, social, and political situation that the country is living and its ‘irreversible’ condition inside the totalitarian system, hence a change is indispensable.”
Smells like desperation to me. If you have to tell your neighbors that things are so bad, are they really that bad???
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice if they re-directed away the tactics that pretty much asked for repression such as taking assistance and direction from the US Government and Miami groups. Many dissidents already stayed clear from these sources, but this indeed has been a major source of division.
if these groups represent no one, then why is the regime so terrified of them, you pathetic miscreant? Why does it need to send out its goon squads to bully a bunch of old men and women? Why does it need to jail them?
ReplyDeleteAs Phil pointed out, the letter istelf reads as an admission of lack of relevance with the public. Everyone knows they have no following and all these groups have like a 3 or 4 members. When they tried to get everyone under one roof as the Assembly, there were maybe 150-200 people there from across the island. The deplorable actions of the security forces over the last week prove nothing to the contrary. That does not mean there is not discontent, but most of these so-called opposition leaders lead no one because their message of drastic change and confluence with Miami does not resonate.
ReplyDeleteSo Leftside finally admit that it was the DGI that was behind the actos de repudio and abuses last week! Well, well, well, he is making progress. A few days ago he said the Security forces were there to protect the dissident form the "wrath of the people". Sure, that is why they were using Walkie-takies to coordinate the action. I find it hard to believe that average citizens in Cuba have walkie-talkies to communicate with each other about a counter demostration and coordinated actions. But I am sure Leftside believe that they do have them.
ReplyDeleteThe wonderful Security forces always so concerned about protecting its citizens, was there to protect them, alright!
Sure, sure, and yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!
Agustin, for the 3rd time, I said I WANTED to think the security forces are just there to protect the protesters from the people (and there is something to that), but I did not find that reason wholly convincing in this case. I also believe, from my viewing of photos and tapes, that many of the counter-protesters are indeed regular citizens, while most are probably party/CDR activists. But they seem to have been coordinated by security forces, who then detained some folks.
ReplyDeleteI want stronger opposition too, but they will ONLY gain legitmacy if the Miami mafia gets their hands OUT of Cuba.
ReplyDeleteto anonymous:
ReplyDeleteyou continue calling us the maffia
but as you can see people like carlos otero , rafael del pino likes miami.why?