AT CUBA'S INDEPENDENT LIBRARIES, UNCENSORED DEBATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 021100

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE DEPT FOR WHA/CCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2016
TAGS: PHUM KDEM SOCI CU
SUBJECT: AT CUBA'S INDEPENDENT LIBRARIES, UNCENSORED DEBATE


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


1. (C) Summary: Cuba's outlawed Assembly to Promote Civil
Society (ASPC),led by Martha Beatriz Roque, launched its
"Congress" of independent librarians October 10 and reported
successful meetings in at least six provinces. APSC said 153
independent libraries are taking part in the
four-and-a-half-month-long event, which is aimed at
encouraging Cubans to "retake the initiative in the peaceful
struggle for democracy." Not surprisingly in this atomized,
totalitarian state, the start of the Congress was tarnished
by acts of repression and snubs from others in the human
rights community, including the "Ladies in White." End
Summary.


2. (C) Martha Beatriz Roque told us October 11 that on the
first day of the Congress, independent librarians, other
activists and ordinary Cubans took part in discussions, book
reviews, forums and other events across the island. One
event at the Havana home of Felix Bonne, one of the 75
activists jailed in 2003 (but later freed on health grounds)
drew 50 or 60 people. (Note: This number could be inflated
by the fact that alcohol was served, to celebrate a
relative's birthday. End Note.) A meeting in Cienfuegos
allegedly attracted 15 people, while in Camaguey, eight
adults and two children visited an independent library. In
Santa Clara, hundreds of communist militants, many of them
young men wearing sports gear, staged an "act of repudiation"
in front of the home of dissident and independent librarian
Noelia Pedraza, but produced no injuries. However, in
Ranchuelo, Villa Clara province, a dissident was reportedly
struck in the head by a militant in a Congress-related
incident.

"LADIES" DISTANCE THEMSELVES
--------------


3. (C) Roque described as "sabotage" an October 9 statement
from the leadership of the "Ladies in White" - relatives of
political prisoners - which states: "We are not members of
any project, organization or party, and thus we will not
participate in the librarian Congress." This followed a
September 26 statement by APSC that the Congress would
feature, among other activities, a conference with relatives
of political prisoners, including inviting "some of the
esteemed Ladies in White, so that the public can hear
first-hand the terrible situations" of political prisoners
and their families. APSC was also stung by a statement by
longtime independent librarian and dissident Gisela Delgado
Sablon, saying she would not participate in the Congress.


4. (C) Roque accused Delgado of working for State Security
and referred to rumors, as yet unsubstantiated, that
Delgado's political-prisoner husband, Hector Palacio, had
been spotted walking around in public. Roque also asserted
that the Ladies' statement did not reflect the will of the
group but rather that of Miriam Leyva, an influential Lady
(and Delgado ally) who has frequently clashed with Roque.
(Note: Another leading Lady, Laura Pollan, told us that the
statement idea was discussed and agreed upon by a group of
Ladies. End Note.) "Some people don't like the Assembly
because the Assembly actually does things," said Roque, whose
group held an historic meeting in May 2005 attended by
roughly 150 pro-democracy activists.

FARINAS VISITOR REPORTEDLY ATTACKED
--------------


5. (C) In an incident apparently unrelated to the Congress,
independent librarian Yunieski Garcia Lopez was reportedly
beaten by militants after she visited dissident and former
hunger striker Guillermo Farinas at a hospital in Santa
Clara. Separately, Roque expressed concern about APSC
executive and Congress coordinator Jesus Adolfo Reyes, whose
whereabouts are unknown and who is feared to have been
detained by police.

COMMENT
--------------


6. (C) The Assembly deserves credit for envisioning,
organizing and realizing an event that brings together
dissidents and helps them share ideas and subversive
materials like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Congress and APSC achieved more on the first day than
many opposition groups do in half a year. The event also
fills a void after months of dissident quiescence since Fidel
Castro's incapacitation. Regarding detractors, it would have
been surprising, and completely uncharacteristic of Cuba's

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human rights community, if no one had stepped forward to
bad-mouth a rival dissident event.
PARMLY