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NEWS
Dissident says
Cuban people shut out of Ibero-American Summit
Havana, Nov 3 (EFE).- Cuba's most prominent dissident said in an open
letter issued here Friday that it is regrettable that the people of this
Communist-ruled island are excluded from the annual Ibero-American
Summits.
"The people of Cuba are excluded from these summits because there is no
recognition at (the meetings) of their right to their rights," Oswaldo
Paya, the 2002 recipient of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize,
said in the document released to coincide with the gathering of leaders
from Spain, Portugal and Latin America getting under way Friday in
Montevideo.
According to the dissident, "there has never been an agreement in favor
of the rights of Cubans (at these meetings); indeed the lack of freedom
and democracy in Cuba has never even been discussed."
"We've never asked that the Cuban government be excluded from these
summits ... but we've also never requested that they legitimize the
oppression," said Paya, who added that he addressed his letter to the
peoples of the Ibero-American nations rather than to the heads of state
and government gathered in Uruguay.
"It makes no sense to send these messages to them or ask anything since
they don't want to listen to us."
Paya noted that normally "most of the organizations of the democratic
opposition" would send a letter to these summits but "now most of our
brothers who signed those messages are in prison."
He added that he has no doubt that "the Cuban people in the very near
future will open up a new phase of freedom and rights for all, of
justice, of reconciliation, of peace and of democracy, so there's no
doubt that Cubans on their own can elect their leaders."
"What we question is whether at that time the Cuban people will feel
encouraged to send their representatives to the Ibero-American summits,
where they never had a voice," the dissident said. "If (events) in
Montevideo cause that future (scenario) to change, it will be better for
everyone."
Paya said that "it should be a scandal that all the Ibero-American
peoples, except for Cuba, can freely elect their leaders" and that on
the island there are "many citizens enduring unjust, inhumane and cruel
prison (terms) solely for defending their human rights."
The activist also said it is scandalous that "no one demands that the
governments that attend these summits respect the documents they've
signed, especially the declaration of Valparaiso, (by which the various
countries pledged to uphold) democracy and respect citizens' rights."
EFE jlp/mc
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