http://www.pajamasmedia.com/2007/12/cambio.php
December 10, 2007
Cuban dissidents are attempting to take to the streets today in recognition of International Human Rights Day, in spite of the fact that the Castro regime has been intimidating them for weeks. Val Prieto reports.
by Val Prieto
Imagine you tried to leave your home this morning, only to find two or three dozen very angry people at your front door, yelling all kinds of epithets and physically preventing you from going anywhere. Imagine your government considering you a “social danger,” arresting you for “dangerousness” and then extraditing you to somewhere out in the boonies, without allowing you to return to your hometown. Imagine you somehow manage to take to the streets to protest something you consider wrong and your government dispatches a rapid response brigade, which in turn berates you verbally and assails you and your fellow protesters while beating you with rocks, sticks and fists.
Those are just three examples of repression in Cuba. Three examples of what dissidents – those who oppose the Castro regime’s systematical violation of human rights and their system of apartheid – face every time they try to call attention to their plight via a peaceful march or protest. There are many other examples of the Castro regime’s repressive machinery. For those you need only go here, here and here.
Despite all the oppressive tactics, however, today, International Human Rights Day, many of these Cuban dissidents are attempting to take to the streets at 11 AM, in a peaceful march demanding CAMBIO – CHANGE. They want an end to the violation of their human rights. They want an end to their repression. They want an end to the apartheid.
For weeks, the Castro regime has been detaining, arresting, beating and intimidating these dissidents. The harassment has been all-encompassing and continuous. Yet these courageous men and women have remained true to their convictions, despite the beatings and harassment. They will sacrifice for CAMBIO.
Some of those members of the MSM with bureaus in Havana will downplay this event. Some will ignore it altogether. The Castro regime has made it perfectly clear that any story or article not in line with the official government stance or overly critical of the regime will get that reporter and his or her media entity booted from the island. Thus those dissidents brave enough to take to the streets under such monumentally dangerous conditions will have no big media entity watching their backs. They’ll have no NYT or CNN highlighting their plight or broadcasting their protest.
What they need is an Army of Davids. What they need is a full fledged internet barrage of exposure demanding CAMBIO. You are their CHANGE.
For more information on today’s march and the dissident movement in Cuba, please visit BUCL.org and CubaCambio.org.