CUBAN ACTIVISTS REACHING OUT TO NAM PARTICIPANTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 017126

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE DEPT FOR WHA/CCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016
TAGS: PHUM KDEM SOCI CU
SUBJECT: CUBAN ACTIVISTS REACHING OUT TO NAM PARTICIPANTS

REF: HAVANA 15674

Classified By: COM Michael E. Parmly for Reason 1.4(d).


1. (C) Summary: Cuba's "Ladies in White" have started
distributing a letter to nations that will participate in or
observe Havana's September 11-16 meeting of the Non-Aligned
Movement. The letter calls on foreign governments to request
the immediate, unconditional liberation of Cuba's peaceful
political prisoners. Other human rights organizations,
including Martha Beatriz Roque's Assembly to Promote Civil
Society ("Asamblea"),are also reaching out to Europeans and
Latin Americans. Roque told us August 30 that she had heard
that the Government of Spain will send a high-level
delegation. Dissident doctor Darsi Ferrer is planning to
stage a demonstration in central Havana shortly before the
(Sept. 15-16) summit, and the "Ladies in White" plan to hold
a conspicuous protest march on September 16. End Summary.


2. (C) The "Ladies in White" - relatives of Cuban political
prisoners - have started contacting Governments that will
take part in or observe September's NAM meetings in Havana.
In a one-page letter, the group calls for the release of all
peaceful political prisoners, but makes a special appeal for
the 60 who remain in prison following the 2003 crackdown, in
which the GOC arrested, quickly tried and convicted 75
peaceful activists. The "Ladies" are also encouraging
foreign governments to urge the GOC not to return to prison
the twelve "75ers" currently out on conditional probation.
Leading "Lady" Laura Pollan told us on August 24 that her
group will hold a rare Saturday march September 16 through a
Havana district popular with foreign visitors. (Note: It
would be among the Ladies' highest-profile marches yet, and
occur on the summit's final day, when many foreign visitors
are likely to be in the area. End Note.)


3. (C) Pro-democracy activist Martha Beatriz Roque told us
August 30 that she had heard from a Slovak diplomat that the
Government of Spain is planning to dispatch a high-level
delegation to the NAM, probably led by an undersecretary of
state. Roque said she had heard elsewhere that the
Government of Belgium might also send a delegation. Apart
from Spain, Belgium and Russia, Roque said, all other
European nations with missions in Havana are expected to send
their Chiefs of Mission as observers. We're seeing the
Spanish DCM on Friday and will double-check.


4. (C) Roque said that on the NAM sidelines, the Asamblea
hopes to hold meetings with high-level Latin American
delegations, "hopefully including Peru's foreign minister,"
to discuss Cuba's human rights situation. She added that the
Asamblea will soon start visiting Western embassies in Havana
- beginning with Slovakia's on August 31 - to request an
official answer to the Asamblea's "Day After" transition
plan. (The document, reported reftel, outlines the group's
vision for the period between the fall of the current regime
and the holding of free elections. It emphasizes social,
political and economic restoration, envisions guaranteed
liberties and calls for governmental decentralization.)


5. (C) Dissident doctor Darsi Ferrer, who issued a public
appeal August 9 for Cubans to halt cooperation with the
regime, told us August 24 that he plans to lead a group of 20
activists in a demonstration shortly before the start of the
NAM meetings. Ferrer is pushing ahead with his campaign for
a plebiscite on whether the Cuban people should accept the
transfer of power to General Raul Castro.

COMMENT
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6. (C) The release of political prisoners is the issue on
which the entire pro-democracy opposition agrees; ditto for
ourselves and the Europeans. The NAM is a perfect venue to
publicize the plight of political prisoners.
PARMLY