Anywhere and Everywhere: The Case of the 5 Cuban Heroes Gaining More Support in the US
By Alison Bodine
September 12th 2008 marks 10 years since
the imprisonment of the Cuban 5. Like any
period since that day, this summer has been
a period of both continued injustice for the
5 heroes and increased struggle for their
freedom. In the United States, peace and
justice loving people are coming together,
now more than ever, to demand “Free the
Cuban 5 Anti-Terrorist Heroes!” “Justice
for Ramón Labañino, René González,
Antonio Guerrero, Gerardo Hernández and
Fernando González!”
US Ruling Class Pulls the Rope Tighter
Since the June 4th 2008 ruling of the 11th
Circuit Court of Appeals there has been
increased action in solidarity with the Cuban
5. People all over the world have vowed not
to step down until the 5 are free. People in
the United States demonstrated creativity
and determination with a variety of actions.
In the two days following the release of
the June 4th decision about the case of the
Cuban 5, there were immediate responses all
over the world. People took to the streets in
all major US cities and some smaller ones to
demand freedom for the 5, in response to yet
another “guilty” verdict handed down in the
US courts. This included an action in Miami,
the city where three of the Cuban 5 are now
facing re-sentencing and the most fiercely
anti-Cuban city in the world. There was also
an important press conference scheduled in
order to continue to try and break the media
silence on the case of the Cuban 5. Activists
handed out hundreds of leaflets in the city
of San Francisco alone, where they had
gathered for a public rally on a busy street.
These “Day After” actions were the result of
a call by the National Committee to Free the
Cuban 5 (US) to assure united actions the day
after the decision was handed down. Due to
this effort the June 5th and 6th actions were
organized quickly and successfully.
Resistance and Fight Back
Following the international protest organized
by the National Committee to Free the Cuban
5, the Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba took
to the road, as it does every year. Pastors for
Peace is an organization which, for the past
16 years, has been defying the US blockade
by taking people and aid from across the US
to Cuba. A component of this effort to break
the immoral and inhuman blockade against
Cuba is a Caravan throughout the US and
Canada, where people travel on brightly
painted school buses and hold meetings in
cities along the route. This year each of the
5 buses that went on different paths through
the US were dedicated to one of the Cuban
5. In this way people driving on the road
could learn about the case of the 5 case by
seeing a bus, and also learn about how to
get involved. At every one of the 120 stops
that the Caravan made on its way to Cuba, a
major element of the program was the case of
the 5. Each year thousands of young people,
students, workers, and elders find out about
their case through the work of the Caravan.
When the Caravan made its way back along
the west coast, returning with people from the
trip to Cuba, there was yet another show of
growing solidarity with the Cuban 5 waiting
in San Francisco, CA - a gigantic billboard
displayed on a busy street for the entire month
of August. The billboard measured 35 by 75
feet, with pictures of the Cuban 5 and “10
years in US prisons: persecuted for stopping
terrorism: Free the Cuban 5!” written in
large yellow letters. The unveiling of the
billboard got support from Cindy Sheehan,
an important US antiwar activist who is also
running for US Congress in San Francisco.
Tim Paulson, Executive Director of the San
Francisco Labour Council, was also present.
Through this billboard, thousands of people
in San Francisco could learn about the case
of the Cuban 5 and how to get involved. The
fundraising effort for the billboard also drew
lots of support, including donations from
Cuban 5 committees all over the world. The
billboard campaign was also organized by
the National Committee to Free the Cuban
5.
At the Democratic and Republican National
Conventions in late August and early
September 2008, the case of the Cuban
5 was yet again brought to the streets.
In Denver, at the Democratic National
Convention, there was a political prisoners
rally that went from a large park in Denver,
along the busy downtown pedestrian mall
to the Federal Courthouse. The Cuban 5
were a large component of this march,
with people holding signs and handing out
leaflets about their case along the entire
route. Their case had a presence alongside
other political prisoners in the United States,
including Leonard Peltier and Mumia Abu
Jamal. Cuban 5 activists also participated in
the mass antiwar march on the Republican
National Convention.
Most recently, there was a series of events
organized in many cities of the US to
commemorate the 10th anniversary of the
arrest and imprisonment of the Cuban 5.
All of these actions are organized within
an entire month of activities called in
solidarity with the Cuban 5. This month was
initiated by the Popular Education Project
to Free the Cuban 5, and now has dozens of
endorsers all over the US and Canada, from
Latin American solidarity organizations to
community groups and individuals. Below
are reports from some of the actions during
this time. Also keep in mind that there are
still many more to come.
Action and Action and More Action
On September 12th there was a press
conference at the White House called for by
the National Committee to Free the Cuban
5. The conference marked the collection and
attempted delivery of 102,000 signatures
on petitions from 78 countries demanding
freedom for the Cuban 5. In an act of civil
disobedience during the attempted delivery
of the signatures to George W. Bush, 5 people
were arrested, each one representing one of
the Cuban 5. This press conference brought
out many different media outlets including
Al Jazeera English, Univision and CNN.
This event also announced the delivery of a
letter signed by many important supporters
of the Cuban 5 and their wives. Addressed to
Bush, the letter was signed by Howard Zinn,
Alice Walker, Noam Chomsky, Martin Sheen
and Ramsey Clark (former US Attorney
General), among others.
On September 13th there was a march on
Washington organized by a coalition of
Cuban 5 committees and solidarity groups.
This brought people from different parts of
the US to Washington DC in order to march
in front of the White House in defense
of the Cuban 5. It began with a rally at
Malcolm X Park, which included messages
of solidarity from many local and visiting
groups. This was followed by a loud and
energetic march through many busy streets
and different neighborhoods in Washington
DC with constant chants of “Free, Free, Free
the Cuban 5!” People then gathered for an
indoor rally at the local SEIU union hall.
Leonard Weinglass, a lawyer for the Cuban
5, gave an important update about the case
of the Cuban 5, making clear the necessity of
support and solidarity at this moment. Other
speakers followed Leonard leading up to the
special guest of the afternoon. The head of
the Cuban Interests Section in Washington
DC, Jorge Bolaños, gave an inspiring
speech to a room full of solidarity activists.
He outlined the importance of solidarity
work with the Cuban 5 and continuing the
struggle to defend Cuba. As everyone left
the event to return to their homes, near or
far away, it was apparent that everyone
was inspired by the events of the day and
would carry this new energy back to their
organizing.
In the evening on September 13th there
was also an important concert organized
in New York City for the Cuban 5. Many
famous Puerto Rican and other Latin
American musicians, as well as artists,
participated in the concert, entitled “Five
Stars and One Song,” after the Cuban
5. It also brought out many people from
New York City, especially from the large
Dominican and Puerto Rican communities.
Performing at the concert were the Puerto
Rican Golden Jazz All Stars, the Dominican
songwriter Victor Victor and his group, and
Puerto Rican legend Danny Rivera. There
was a message of solidarity from Danny
Glover read during the celebration of hope
and struggle. The concert, organized by the
International Committee to Free the Cuban
5, also had a special focus on the campaign
to pressure the United States government to
grant visas for Olga Salanueva and Adriana
Perez, who have been unable to visit their
husbands in US jails for over 9 years.
This Long Struggle Will Continue
Since the June 4th decision against the Cuban
5, it is apparent that solidarity is growing
across the United States. From rallies and
pickets, to press conferences and concerts,
thousands and thousands of people in the US
who did not know about the case of these
5 anti-terrorist fighters now do. It is only
with this continued energy and coordinated
action that justice loving people in the US
can raise the campaign for the freedom the
Cuban 5 to the level needed to guarantee
their freedom. In the next few months, time
is especially vital. Three of the Cuban 5 will
be re-sentenced in Miami, while the other 2
and the entire case of these 5 Cuban heroes
goes in front of the Supreme Court of the
US. Now is the time more than ever to get
involved.
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