Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07HAVANA372
2007-04-16 17:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Interests Section Havana
Cable title:  

CUBAN OPPOSITION AGREES ON UNITY STATEMENT

Tags:  PINR PREL PHUM SOCI CU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7952
RR RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHUB #0372/01 1061713
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 161713Z APR 07 ZDK
FM USINT HAVANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1604
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHZJ/HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUESDM/JTLO MIAMI FL
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0102
RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 000372 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SECSTATE FOR WHA A/S SHANNON, DAS MADISON, AMBASSADOR
MCCARRY
SECSTATE PLEASE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FISK,
SENIOR DIRECTOR KOZAK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2017
TAGS: PINR PREL PHUM SOCI CU
SUBJECT: CUBAN OPPOSITION AGREES ON UNITY STATEMENT

REF: HAVANA 362

HAVANA 00000372 001.5 OF 002


Classified By: MICHAEL E. PARMLY FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 000372

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SECSTATE FOR WHA A/S SHANNON, DAS MADISON, AMBASSADOR
MCCARRY
SECSTATE PLEASE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FISK,
SENIOR DIRECTOR KOZAK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2017
TAGS: PINR PREL PHUM SOCI CU
SUBJECT: CUBAN OPPOSITION AGREES ON UNITY STATEMENT

REF: HAVANA 362

HAVANA 00000372 001.5 OF 002


Classified By: MICHAEL E. PARMLY FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: THE TOP CUBAN DISSIDENT LEADERS HAVE REACHED
AGREEMENT ON A UNITY TEXT, WHICH THEY REPORT WILL BE RELEASED
THE EVENING OF APRIL 15. THE TEXT IS THE HANDIWORK OF
OSWALDO PAYA, BUT HAS THE SIGNATURES OF MARTHA BEAITRIZ
ROQUE, LAURA POLLAN, VLADIMIRO ROCA, ELIZARDO SANCHEZ, OSCAR
ESPINOSA CHEPE AND MIRIAM LEYVA. IT WILL REMAIN "OPEN" FOR
SIGNATURE BY OTHERS. ALL OF THE SIGNATORIES TOLD US ON THE
EVENING OF 13 APRIL THAT THE VISIT OF SPANISH FM MORATINOS
HAD GALVANIZED THEM INTO ACTION. THE TEXT ACKNOWLEDGES THE
DIVERSITY OF CUBAN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS BUT FOCUSES ON COMMON
OBJECTIVES, INCLUDING THE RELEASE OF ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS
AND THE PROMOTION OF RESPECT FOR THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF
ALL CUBANS. THE REGIME COULD REACT FURIOUSLY TO THE TEXT AND
TRY TO SMEAR ALL THE SIGNATORIES PUBLICLY. THE UNITY TEXT,
WHILE A SMALL STEP, MARKS A BREAKTHROUGH FOR CUBA'S
PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) THE VISIT OF SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER MORATINOS TO
CUBA EARLY THIS MONTH HAS FINALLY PRODUCED A RESULT, BUT NOT
THE ONE THE SPANIARDS SOUGHT. VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE TOP
DISSIDENT LEADERSHIP REACHED AGREEMENT ON A UNITY TEXT ON 13
APRIL. OSWALDO PAYA, HEAD OF THE CHRISTIAN LIBERATION
MOVEMENT AND FOUNDER OF THE VARELA PROJECT, WAS ITS MAIN
DRAFTER. OTHER SIGNATORIES ARE MARTHA BEATRIZ ROQUE OF THE
ASSEMBLY TO PROMOTE CIVIL SOCIETY, VLADIMIRO ROCA OF ALL
UNITED, "LADIES IN WHITE" LAURA POLLAN AND MIRIAM LEYVA,
ECONOMIST OSCAR ESPINOSA CHEPE, AND ELIZARDO SANCHEZ OF THE
CUBAN COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND NACIONAL
RECONCILIATION. THE STATEMENT WILL BE RELEASED THE EVENING
OF 15 APRIL. IT WILL BE LEFT "OPEN" FOR OTHERS TO JOIN.


3. (C) THE ACTUAL TEXT OF THE STATEMENT IS THE WORK OF
OSWALDO PAYA. PAYA, STILL SEETHING OVER MORATINOS' SNUB OF
CUBAN CIVIL SOCIETY, HAD TOLD US ON APRIL 9 THAT HE DIDN'T

WANT TO STOP AT JUST BEING ANGRY. HE SPENT THE WEEK WORKING
ON A DRAFT. PAYA THEN TOOK HIS TEXT TO A MEETING WITH EU
COMMISSION REP SVEN VON BURGSDORFF, WHERE THE OTHER DISSIDENT
REPS WERE IN ATTENDANCE, AND SHARED IT WITH THEM. THE OTHER
DISSIDENT REPS ALL TOLD US LATE APRIL 13 THAT THEY WERE
DELIGHTED WITH THE TEXT. THERE WERE TWO FIGURES AT THE
MEETING WHO BALKED -- PREDICTABLY, MANUEL CUESTA MORUA OF
PROGRESSIVE ARC AND ELOY GUTIERREZ MENOYO, THE ONLY TWO
DISSIDENTS WHO ACCEPTED A SPANISH INVITATION TO MEET AFTER
MORATINOS' APRIL 3 DEPARTURE. IN CONVERSATION APRIL 13,
THOSE WHO DID AGREE TO SIGN DISMISSED THE HOLD-OUTS AS
INSIGNIFICANT.


4. (C) THE TEXT OF THE APPEAL FOCUSES ON THE THEME OF UNITY
AND DIVERSITY OF THE PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT. IN LANGUAGE
THAT IS VINTAGE PAYA, IT UNDERLINES UNITY ON FOUR PRINCIPLES:


-- COMMON OBJECTIVES (RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL
CUBANS, DEMOCRACY, RECONCILIATION, SOCIAL JUSTICE, LIBERTY
AND SOVEREIGNTY);

-- THE IMMEDIATE LIBERATION OF ALL THOSE IMPRISONED FOR
FIGHTING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS;

-- PROMOTION OF PEACEFUL MEANS TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES;
AND

-- RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY OF INITIATIVES AND PATHS, IN A
SPIRIT OF PLURALISM, TO REACH THOSE ENDS.

THE TEXT ENDS WITH A FORCEFUL PROCLAMATION ON FOUR POINTS:

--1. THAT IT IS CUBANS ALONE WHO CAN ACHIEVE CHANGES IN CUBAN
SOCIETY.

--2. THAT THE SOLIDARITY "OF THE PEOPLES AND GOVERNMENTS OF
THE WORLD" TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS AND PROMOTE DEMOCRATIC
CHANGES WILL BE THE TRUE SIGN OF RESPECT FOR CUBANS.

--3. THAT THE SIGNERS DO NOT ACCEPT THAT THE RESPECT OF THE
RIGHTS OF CUBANS SHOULD BE CONDITIONED TO THE INTERNATIONAL

HAVANA 00000372 002.5 OF 002


SITUATION OR TO CUBA'S RELATIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES.
(COMMENT: IN OTHER WORDS, CUBA'S EXCUSE THAT THE U.S.
EMBARGO JUSTIFIES ITS ABUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS HERE IS BUNK.)

--4. THAT THE "RADICAL DEMAND" OF THE SIGNERS THAT HUMAN
RIGHTS BE RESPECTED IS ROOTED IN THE PRINCIPLE THAT "ALL
CUBANS HAVE A RIGHT TO ALL THE RIGHTS THAT BELONG TO ALL
HUMAN BEINGS."


5. (C) ALL OF THE SIGNERS BRIEFED US, BOTH SEPARATELY AND
JOINTLY, AT A FAREWELL RECEPTION FOR DEPARTING USINT HUMAN
RIGHTS OFFICER GREG WIEGAND LATE APRIL 13. IN THE BRIEFINGS,
INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITIES INEVITABLY EMERGED; SEVERAL CLAIMED
TO HAVE ORIGINATED THE IDEA OF A TEXT. HOWEVER, CLEARLY IT
WAS THE FACT THAT THE PROPOSAL CAME FROM PAYA -- WHO HAS LONG
BEEN RELUCTANT TO SIGN ON TO ANY JOINT APPEAL -- THAT TIPPED
THE BALANCE. PAYA HIMSELF TOLD US TWO FACTORS HAD PUSHED THE
EVOLUTION IN HIS THINKING: ONE WAS MORATINOS' VISIT. THE
OTHER, PAYA CLAIMED, WAS THE FACT THAT THERE HAS STARTED TO
CIRCULATE A TEXT CALLING FOR CUBA'S ANNEXATION BY THE UNITED
STATES. PAYA DISMISSED THE REPORTED TEXT AS A CLUMSY REGIME
ATTEMPT TO TARNISH THE DISSIDENT MOVEMENT. HOWEVER, HE SAID,
IT WAS TIME FOR A UNITY STATEMENT.


6. (C) SEVERAL OF THE SIGNERS, INCLUDING PAYA, TOLD US THEY
WANTED TO CONSULT WITH US IN THE DAYS AHEAD ON NEXT MOVES.
FOR NOW, EVEN TEN DAYS AFTER MORATINOS' DEPARTURE, THE VISIT
OF THE SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER CONTINUES TO RILE THE
DISSIDENT MOVEMENT. OSCAR ESPINOSA CHEPE RELEASED ON APRIL
13 TWO INCENDIARY COMMENTARIES, ONE ON THE MORATINOS VISIT,
THE OTHER ON THE SPANISH BUSINESS PRESENCE, ESPECIALLY IN THE
HOTEL SECTOR, WHICH CHEPE LABELS BLUNTLY AS "APARTHEID."
OTHER DISSIDENTS ARE ALSO EXPANDING THEIR FIELD OF ACTION.
INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST AND FREED 75ER JORGE OLIVEIRA REPORTS
THAT A CUBAN CHAPTER OF THE "PEN" ORGANIZATION WILL BE FORMED
THE WEEK OF APRIL 16. LEADING "LADY IN WHITE" LAURA POLLAN
SAYS HER ORGANIZATION IS PLANNING NEW ACTIVITIES. ALL POINT
TO THE MORATINOS VISIT AS A CATALYST.


7. (C) COMMENT: THE UNITY TEXT IS A SMALL BUT IMPORTANT STEP.
CUBA'S LEADING PRO-DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS HAVE
FINALLY RECOGNIZED THAT MORE UNITES THAN DIVIDES THEM.
CLEARLY, RIVALRIES CONTINUE IN THE DISSIDENT COMMUNITY. THE
TEXT'S VALUE IS THAT IT ACCEPTS THESE DIFFERENCES OPENLY.
IT'S UNCLEAR HOW THE REGIME WILL REACT TO THE STATEMENT; IT
COULD SIMPLY TRY TO IGNORE IT, THOUGH THE AUTHORITIES ARE
MORE LIKELY TO REACT FURIOUSLY AND SMEAR THE SIGNATORIES
THROUGH THE PRESS. AS ALWAYS, THE U.S. WILL BE DRAGGED
THROUGH THE MUD REPEATEDLY. STILL, THE TEXT IS A SIGN OF
COURAGE, AND A HEFTY BOOST TO WHAT WE HAVE REPORTED AS A
GROWING WILLINGNESS TO SPEAK OUT (REFTEL). THE ASPECT THAT
PLEASES US MOST IS THAT THE TEXT IS ENTIRELY A CUBAN
INITIATIVE. FOREIGN OBSERVERS, ESPECIALLY EUROPEANS, ARE
VOCAL IN THEIR CRITICISMS OF THE FACT THAT THE DISSIDENT
MOVEMENT IS DIVIDED. THEY OFTEN CITE THAT AS THE EXPLANATION
FOR THEIR FAILURE TO DO MORE TO HELP. THE UNITY TEXT TAKES
THAT EXCUSE AWAY. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING QUIETLY BEHIND THE
SCENES FOR MONTHS TO REACH THIS GOAL, AND HAVE FELT PROGRESS
WAS BEING MADE IN RECENT WEEKS, AS DISSIDENT LEADERS CAME TO
REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING TOGETHER. IN THE END,
HOWEVER, WHEN THE TEXT COMES OUT SUNDAY EVENING, IT WILL BE
THE CUBANS THEMSELVES WHO WILL HAVE PULLED IT OFF. THE TEXT
REINFORCES OUR CONVICTION THE THE PRESIDENT'S POLICY -- OF
INSISTING THAT CHANGE BE LED BY CUBANS THEMSELVES -- HAS BEEN
THE RIGHT ONE.
PARMLY