Toronto Forum on Cuba
  • Home
    • Contact Us
  • Calendar of Events
    • Event Flyers
    • Cuba Events
    • Cuba International Events
  • Culture
    • Culture - Articles
  • News
    • Blockade
    • Terrorism >
      • The Reasons of Cuba
    • Education
    • Health
    • Internationalism
    • Solidarity
    • National
    • Latin America
    • International
    • Opinion
  • The Cuban Five
    • Write to the Cuban Five
    • Messages from the Cuban Five
    • Solidarity with the Cuban Five >
      • Cuban Five Peoples´ Tribunal and Assembly
    • Cuban Five News
    • Legal documentation
  • Toronto Forum on Cuba
    • Declarations
    • Letter sent to the media
    • TFC Newsletter 11/04/2015
    • Past Newsletter Editions
    • Event Announcement: 10/06/2015
    • Activities
    • Reports
    • Resources and Publications
    • TFC in the Media
  • Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network (LACSN)
  • Campaigns & Petitions
  • Speeches
  • History
    • Universidad de Granma >
      • Universidad de Granma – La Campaña de Alfabetización
      • Universidad de Granma – Historia de Cuba
  • Multimedia
    • Online Publications
    • Downloadable Forms
    • Audio
    • Video >
      • Rompiendo el silencio - una serie sobre Los Cinco
  • Forums
  • Links
  • Galleries

Knocking Down Walls of Silence

9/16/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Lázaro David Najarro Pujol/ Radio Cadena Agramonte.
najarro@rcagramonte.icrt.cu

Wafy Ibrahim is a Lebanese-born woman who lived 11 years in Cuba. She feels a loving devotion for the Cuban Revolution. For her, the country that has always supported the cause of the Arab people is a school where she has learnt politics and ethical values, and even became a better person.

This woman, who put down roots in Cuba, is the coordinator of the Lebanese Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban Five, which has a Coordinating Board whose members are of diverse political tendencies, religious beliefs and social strata, but all friends of Cuba; and it is led by Anwar Yassine, who spent 17 years in Zionist prisons, and is considered a hero of the Lebanese National Resistance against the Israeli Occupation.

Among the actions this organization has done in favor of Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, René González, and Gerardo Hernández, we can mention the holding of fora, law seminars, marches and sit-ins opposite the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement headquarter and the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. In addition, they have carried out mass dispatches of messages and emails to President Barack Obama, demanding him the immediate release of The Five.

As Wafy Ibrahim informed recently, names were collected for the “One Million Signatures Campaign to Free the Cuban Five”, consisting on a letter to Barack Obama, which is an initiative that friends of this Socialist nation are promoting in Europe.

Since the early days of its foundation, the Lebanese Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban Five has made its best in presenting the truth of this case, “that's why we have been adding sympathizers, embracing all those people with loftiest human sentiments who oppose injustice in all of its forms.

What do you think about the attitude of U.S. President Barack Obama who ignores worldwide voices claiming for the release of the Cuban Five?

Obama should be brave enough so as to show that he is the President who wanted and performed a real change in the stance of the US Government regarding justice, by freeing Rene, Antonio, Ramon, Fernando and Gerardo, righteous men who honor humankind.

The court case of these Cuban heroes has been the lengthiest in US history ever, which undoubtedly shows the hostile policy of that North American nation against Cuba.

This case is an example that justice in the United States is kidnapped by politicians who hate our nation and discriminate against our people. The Cuban Five’s trial, for instance, was held in the den of the anti-Cuban mafia based in Miami.   

This court case is not only questionable because it has been long-standing, but also for the lack of transparency and because it has been manipulated, above all the case of Gerardo Hernández, who is awaiting now the court’s pronouncement on his Habeas Corpus request.

We, the friends of the Cuban Five in Lebanon and Palestine, are very worried about the alleged freedom on parole of Rene Gonzalez in the city of Miami, which is the home of the Cuban Revolution foes.

We have spread a communiqué on this regard, and I take the opportunity to repeat our demand for Rene Gonzalez' return to his homeland in October, on humanitarian and safety grounds.

The United States proclaims itself a staunch opponent of terrorism; however this nation is against indicting confessed murderer Luis Posada Carriles as a terrorist. What’s your opinion regarding this double standard policy? What do you think is hidden behind this crusade against terrorism?

This has always been the foundation of the US policy around the world: double standard is what characterizes their foreign affairs. The United States has used this slogan to carry out its evil plans to seize the wealth of Third World countries and safeguard its economic and military hegemony, which is now threatened by the world’s financial crisis.

It is like saving the political system at the expense of the blood of our children, young and elderly people... This is happening in Palestine, in Libya… what they wanted to do in Lebanon during the 2006 war and what they want to do in Syria.

But Syria is the fortress where our people find shelter to face a Zionist aggression. So, in spite of the domestic problems that only the people and Government of Syria should solve, we will defend it with the blood of the Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian people. The future of our region is at stake there, and the enemy will crash into such stronghold.

The world has witnessed the steadfastness of The Five. Where do you think such strength comes from?

I think that a genuine Cuban is someone who believes in Jose Marti, Che Guevara, Celia Sanchez, Vilma Espin, Raul and Fidel Castro. It is someone who cares for the good of humankind, for justice, sovereignty, dignity and peace. It is someone steadfast and faithful to the martyrs of our homeland who offered their lives without hesitation. This is the way the Cuban Five are. 

Wafy Ibrahim, you are a down-to-earth person, but you are also a dreamer: When would you see your dream come true?

To fulfil our dreams you have to work very hard. That’s why I never rest in the struggle for the release of The Five, which is my greatest wish.  When this happens, then I’ll know that there is justice and noble sentiments in the hearts of those who make decisions in the United States, and that peace and a better world are possible.

If this happens, the plans conceived by the US empire towards our region would vanish and over 11,000 Arab and Palestinian political prisoners locked in Zionist jails would be released. (Translated by Gualveris Rosales).

cadenagramonte.cu
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed


    Voices for the Five

    Picture


    Archives

    May 2016
    April 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010

CALENDAR OF EVENTS / CALENDARIO DE ACTIVIDADES

Campaigns & Petitions / Campañas y Peticiones
HOME
CONTACT US / CONTÁCTENOS
LINKS / ENLACES


NEWS / NOTICIAS
  • Blockade / Bloqueo
  • Terrorism /Terrorismo
  • Education / Educación
  • Culture / Cultura
  • Solidarity / Solidaridad
  • National / Nacional
  • Internationalism /  Internacionalismo
  • Latin America / América Latina
  • Health / Salud
  • International / Internacional
  • History / Historia
TORONTO FORUM ON CUBA
  • Declarations / Declaraciones
  • Activities / Actividades
  • Resources & Publications / Recursos y Publicaciones
  • In the Media / En los Medios
  • Previous Newsletters / Boletines Anteriores
  • YouTube Channel
MULTIMEDIA
  • Video
  • Audio
  • Online Publications / Publicaciones en Línea
  • Downloadable Forms / Documentos para Bajar
  • Galleries / Galerías
THE CUBAN FIVE / LOS CINCO
  • News / Noticias
  • Solidarity with the Cuban Five / Solidaridad con Los Cinco
  • Legal documents / Documentos Legales
  • Messages from the Cuban Five / Mensajes de Los Cinco
  • Write to the Cuban Five / Escriba a Los Cinco