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Open Letter to
President William Jefferson and Attorney General Janet Reno by New
Generation Cuba
April 23, 2000
Re: Family reunification.
Black Saturday, April 22, 2000, is now part of American history. It is the
day that armed federal marchals stormed into an unarmed home without
presenting a search warrant and terrorized an innocent six year old child
and his family at 5 o'clock in the morning.
The scene is likely to have happened in Fidel Castro's Cuba or in Adolph
Hitler's Germany. But to the atonishment of the world, it occurred in the
land of the free América. The events of that night are best summed by the
words of University of Miami president, Tadd Foote, that he was ashamed of
the actions taken by his country. Black Saturday, is not something that can
be "swept away", as declared by House majority leader Tom Delay, this is an
illegal action that needs to be investigated and condemned.
New Generation Cuba, echoes these sentiments and upholds that we believe in
the system and government of the United States of America, but condemns the
actions carried out by the current presidential administration and the
Attorney General of this great nation.
Our organization has been working on, and will continue to work in our first
project "Mission Elian" that calls for the reunification of the Cuban
family. We have repeatedly requested the intervention of those who have been
advocating for family reunification with Elian González as are Congressman
José Serrano and Charles Rangel. Our requests have fallen on deaf ears. It
is preposterous to think that Cuba's regime may be playing a part in the
rulings and actions that have taken place in the last few months in this
country. Why hasn't there been any outcry when families have been separated
up to 13 years and murdered at sea?, but this administration sees fit to
take the law into political hands and steps over the fourth amendment of the
Constitution (search and seizure) in this case.
We, the board members of New Generation Cuba together with other community
leaders request:
1. A full and timely investigation be made into "Operation Reunion"
including the excessive use of force and power.
2. That the laws of the United States of America be upheld and the full
legal process provided by the law be respected in both family and federal
courts.
3. The best interest of the human being, Elian Gonzáles, be paramount.
Respecting family ties and his mental and physical state.
We further state that the turn of events that has led us to take this stand,
are as follow:
1. On April 22, federal agents threw tear gas into a group of men and women
that were praying outside the González' home. Federal marshals broke down
the door of the González' home without presenting a search warrant, and
terrorized the family who was unarmed. That said marshals pointed semi
automatic weapons with lasers at the chest of Marieslysis Gonzáles and other
famiy members and friends inside the home and told them to "give me the damn
boy or I will shoot." That federal marshals pointed a semi automatic weapon
at a six year old child and Donato Dalrymple and also harrased them with the
same forceful, violent and foul language stating, "Let the boy loose or I
will shoot." Federal marshals held guns at innocent bystanders outside the
Gonzalez's home who were on the ground or suffocating from tears gas.
Furthermore, Attorney General Janet Reno violated the trust of the González
family and their attorneys by leading them to believe that the negotiations
being made that night were real and in good faith. The family at the time of
the raid was on the phone on hold with the office of the Attorney General
waiting for a response on one of the final parts of an agreement that would
satisfy both sides, while they were knocking down the door at the Gonzalez
residence. This agreement stated that Elian would live under one roof in
shared custody with his great uncle and family and his father and family, so
that he would not suffer "separation anxiety"
2. During the five month period that Elian González has been in this
country, the Attorney General and President Bill Clinton have politicized
this case, not allowing the law of the Cuban Readjustment Act or the request
by the Attorney General that the family could sue the INS, be upheld. The
Attorney General has given statements that were later proven false, as are:
"No uniformed men will go in", "No armed men will go in", and "He will not
be taken in the middle of the night"
3. Elian's father, Juan Miguel González, was always welcome into the home of
the González family in Miami. "Operation Reunion" need not have happened.
The actions of "Operation Reunion" were not in the best interest of the
person, Elian González. It was a violent and traumatic experience for Elian
and his family. Play-doh is not a band-aid to help "relieve stress", as INS
Director Meissner said, nor to help Elian forget that guns were pointed at
his face a few hours earlier. The child was never in danger or held against
his will by his great-uncle. The best interests of Elian González were not
considered during this violent action, and it not only violated his civil
rights, but his human rights. The child is now being put under more trauma
by not allowing the family that has cared for him over the last five months
to see him. That it is not in the best interest of the child to be subjected
to further harrasment and separation from the family he has grown to love.
4. This illegal search and seizure action establishes a negative legal
precendent for future custody disputes. It furthermore teaches children that
guns and violence resolve problems. That this is not the message that we
want to give our children, our citizens and our courts of law.
Because the above, we call for action on the injustices that have occurred.
We ask for a full investigation of "Operation Reunion" and the actions taken
by Attorney General Janet Reno. We demand that the law be upheld and that
Reno keeps her work and let the courts handle this matter. That the
appellate court in Atlanta court be permitted to continue with the case and
the proceeding continue and the law be respected. We ask that the agreements
being reached before the raid, a reunification of the entire Gonzales
family, be honored and have the best interest of Elian González as
paramount. We ask that Elian's cousin Marieslesys González and his
great-uncle Lázaro González be allowed to visit Elian regularly to provide
continuity and stability, as the Attorney General has so adamantly demanded
for the past 5 months.
We as citizens of the United States of America, as members of our community,
as parents, and as human beings, are outraged by the actions of this
administration. New Generation Cuba calls on this administration to answer
to its people. We live in a nation that prides itself in freedom, liberty
and justice for all. All we ask is that this creed be upheld. Let there be
justice for all, especially for a six-year-old defenseless child.
Will you be as willing to take the child by force from his father if a court
of law rules that the custody belongs with the great-uncle?? Will the Castro
"diplomats" allow you to do so?
Thank you for your prompt attention to these matters.
Sincerely,
Board of New Generation Cuba.
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