CUBAN FARINAS ENDS HUNGER STRIKE AFTER SEVEN MONTHS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 017683 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE DEPT FOR WHA/CCA E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2016 TAGS: PHUM KDEM SOCI CU SUBJECT: CUBAN FARINAS ENDS HUNGER STRIKE AFTER SEVEN MONTHS REF: HAVANA 16901 HAVANA 00017683 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: COM Michael E. Parmly for Reason 1.4(d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Cuban dissident Guillermo Farinas ended his hunger strike August 31 after surviving on IV fluids for seven months in a campaign for internet access for all Cubans. The independent journalist decided to end the hunger strike following a joint appeal by three leading women dissidents. He has started drinking water and juice. Doctors do not expect him to make a full recovery. The campaign received international press attention, boosted awareness of the Cuban Government's nearly absolute control over internet access, and inspired dozens of other activists to stage solidarity fasts. Our calls to Farinas on August 31 were cut off immediately by Cuban authorities. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Cuban independent journalist Guillermo Farinas halted his seven-month hunger strike at 12:01 am August 31, following an appeal by three leading women dissidents. Days earlier, the lead doctor attending to Farinas at Santa Clara's Milian Castro Hospital had warned him that he could die within a week. The diagnosis was seconded by dissident Dr. Hilda Molina, who along with activists Martha Beatriz Roque and Bertha Antunez convinced Farinas to call off the hunger strike before it was too late. Farinas, who launched the campaign after GOC authorities cut off his access (and that of other independent journalists) to an internet facility in Santa Clara, repeatedly threatened to die for his cause. The action prompted dozens of other activists, including political prisoners such as Dr. Oscar Biscet, to stage solidarity fasts of their own, some for as long as two weeks. Roque and other dissidents characterized Farinas' decision to discontinue the hunger strike as a personal favor to them. "We couldn't bear to see him die, although he was ready to go all the way," Roque said. PHONE LINE CUT -------------- ¶3. (C) We spoke three times with Farinas August 31, using a complicated conference-call system with a sympathetic activist in Santa Clara, but as soon as Poloff identified himself, the line was cut. "State Security," explained the Santa Clara activist, if any explanation were necessary. According to Roque, Farinas' mother and our Santa Clara contact, Farinas drank water and later a little juice on August 31, causing him to hiccup. His headaches continued and he is still battling a staph infection, among other ailments. Although he is once again orally receiving nourishment - rather than only IV fluids, which kept him alive since January 31 - his survival is not a given. Permanent physical damage has already been done, doctors said, and it is possible that he will not recover. Farinas, director of Cubanacan Press, will remain at the hospital for the foreseeable future. ADMIRED IN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMUNITY -------------- ¶4. (C) Farinas, a charismatic Afro-Cuban, is widely admired in the human rights community. In addition to his unauthorized reporting activities, Farinas operates the Roberto Avilo independent library in Santa Clara (300 km/185 miles east of Havana),and belongs to the outlawed Cuban Liberal Party. Although his hunger strike did not prompt the GOC to ease its nearly absolute grip on internet access on Cuba, it did receive broad coverage from international media, thus increasing awareness of the Cuban people's lack of freedom of speech and press. We circulated widely on August 31 a digitized photo of an artist's rendering of Farinas' hunger strike. COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (C) Farinas, a former Special Forces soldier, was wounded in Angola and was positioned to receive preferential benefits and privileges. Only Farinas knows why he joined the opposition, why he has waged 20 hunger strikes, and why his current campaign reached the end of the line. Farinas' mother made it clear that the family was contacting a number of Western governments to see if they would accept Farinas as a refugee. (To our knowledge, none did. USINT Havana did not receive any such request.) We believe that the Cuban authorities did all they could to prevent Farinas from becoming a martyr. His death could have sparked protests across the island and generated considerable sympathy overseas. HAVANA 00017683 002.2 OF 002 PARMLY