Marifeli Perez-Stable

Published in The Miami Herald
July 2, 2009

On June 24, five Cuban dissidents received the annual Democracy Award given by the National Endowment for Democracy. José Daniel Ferrer, Iván Hernández and Librado Linares are serving long prison terms for their peaceful opposition. Imprisoned for 17 years, Jorge Luis García, known as Antúnez, was released in 2007. He and wife Iris Tamara Pérez, a fellow awardee, are under virtual house arrest.

President Barack Obama called for the release of Cuban political prisoners and said of the five honorees: ”All of them have endured significant personal hardship for nothing more than standing up for basic rights and freedoms.” Previous recipients include Violeta Chamorro (Nicaragua), Václav Havel (Czech Republic), Vicente Fox (Mexico) and other democracy activists worldwide.

Human rights are, or should be, nonpartisan. The U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights says: ”All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” Among these are freedoms of opinion and peaceful assembly. Governments can’t pick and choose which ones to respect nor claim — as Havana does — that those who peacefully oppose its rule are in violation of the law. Laws that bar free expression are themselves the problem.

Defending human rights, moreover, is no one’s monopoly. Hard-liners with respect to U.S. Cuba policy denounce Havana’s violations front and center while criticizing Latin American presidents who meet with Raúl Castro in official visits. Yet, has the regime manifested greater respect for human rights as a result of these denunciations?

Human rights not optional

At the same time, those of us who applaud the Obama administration for the modest steps taken toward a ”new beginning” with Cuba — whether individuals or governments — should never sideline human rights. Respecting human rights is, or should be, universal, not optional. Condemning their violation is, therefore, not meddling in Cuba’s internal affairs. Speaking softly, however, is not tantamount to being soft.

The crux of the matter is the Cuban regime. It’s a dictatorship fearful of ordinary citizens, the silent majority who no longer listen, let alone support. Trapped in a stale, self-serving rhetoric, its leaders find safety in going slowly and, thus, doing little to improve the citizenry’s material well-being. When some Cubans — like the five NED honorees — dare to speak the truth in the light of day, the regime can’t help but unleash dark, cowardly fury.

Change in Cuba will come from within, whatever the policies of the United States, the European Union, Canada and Latin America. While it’s too soon to judge, Obama’s opening may be bearing some modest fruits. Neither Canada nor Spain under the Socialists spoke up while Washington stuck to the hard-line. Now Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is calling for democracy in Cuba and Spain’s Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is urging Havana to launch economic reforms.

Change will happen

Change will happen along multiple tracks. As it stands today, regime opponents alone will not bring democracy to Cuba. The silent majority — now concerned mostly about their daily subsistence — will need to realize its power. How that might come about is anyone’s guess at the moment. But, sooner or later, it will transpire.

Not to be dismissed are the potential fractures within the elite itself. Should they have proven capable of organizing the Communist Party congress this coming October, Cuba’s leaders would have given a sign of strength. But they haven’t even called the meetings of the party’s grassroots, which are required before a congress is convened.

On Sunday, Spain’s El País gave more information about the purges of Carlos Lage, Felipe Pérez Roque and others last March. A broader group of select militants is being showed a video on the alleged collaboration with Spanish intelligence services of the deposed and their unremitting criticisms of the old men in charge. I’d say this is just the tip of the iceberg and one of the reasons why the party congress is in limbo.

Cuban politics everywhere has often been on an either/or basis. Before we multiply our strength, we need to add to it every day. That’s why we should be open to all the various actors who might harbor change. Human rights should be our only intransigence. Our common humanity demands their respect everywhere, and Cuba is no exception.