Corrected version of the CPUSA Statement on the UN General Assembly vote to Condemn the US Blockade of Cuba: COMMUNIST PARTY USA / CPUSA CPUSA Hails UN General Assembly Vote on U.S. Blockade of Cuba, Demands Policy Change October 29 2014 On Tuesday, October 28, the United Nations General Assembly voted 188 to two, with three abstentions, to condemn the U.S. economic blockade of Cuba and to demand that it be lifted. This is the twenty third consecutive year in which the General Assembly has passed such a resolution. Countries voting in favor of the resolution included all the United States’ major allies and trading partners. The two “no” votes came from Israel and the United States itself. The abstentions were from tiny Pacific Island nations tightly tied to the United States. The Communist Party USA salutes this vote and renews our demand that the U.S. government cease and desist from their 54 year campaign of harassment and economic sabotage of our 11 million Cuban neighbors. In 1996, the signing of the Helms-Burton law locked in place particularly vicious aspects of the blockade, which can only be removed by Congressional action. For example, foreign companies are denied access to U.S. markets on the basis of their trade with Cuba. The United States has expelled foreign students because their families had trade relations with Cuba. U.S. citizens have been threatened and fined for traveling to Cuba. All these things have violated the rights of our own people as well as those of Cuba and other countries. They have cost the Cuban people billions of dollars in economic sabotage and lost trade over the years. They have blocked what would surely be very valuable cooperation with the Cubans on disease control (including the control of infectious diseases such as Ebola), protection of the environment, and the fight against terrorism. Cuba has a solid record of progress in these and other issues, and would be glad to work with the United States on their solution, as Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez pointed out in his speech to the General Assembly. It is not Cuba, but U.S. politics, that prevent such cooperation. The hostile attitude toward Cuba does not reflect the opinions of the people of the United States, who have consistently expressed a favorable attitude toward normalization of trade and an end to travel restrictions. Major sections of U.S. business and industry have also expressed a desire for these obstacles to trade with Cuba to be ended. Recently the New York Times, editorialized, not for the first time, that U.S. Cuba policy should change. A long list of professional, labor, religious and civic organizations and public figures have spoken out on the issue. We call on the U.S. Congress to repeal the Torricelli and -Helms Burton Acts, and commit ourselves to fight for that to happen. Meanwhile, there are things the Obama administration can do immediately that would considerably improve U.S.-Cuba relations, such as: *Immediately remove Cuba from its list of “State Sponsors of Terrorism”. *immediately free the three remaining members of the “Cuban Five”, perhaps as a humanitarian exchange for U.S. agent Alan Gross who is currently imprisoned in Cuba. *Greatly expand the number of U.S. citizens who are allowed to travel to Cuba by “general license” *Back off on the current aggressive enforcement of the blockade. *Notify Congress that the administration wants the Torricelli and Helms-Burton Acts repealed. *Talk to the Cubans about the many things on which our two countries can cooperate. Cuba has been in the news in the United States lately, because of its valiant and disinterested contribution of hundreds of health care workers to the fight against Ebola in West Africa. One Cuban health care worker has already died. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has recognized the value of Cuba’s effort. Why not follow up on this recognition by righting a half
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 14:25:41 +0000
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