Steve Fesenmaier sends us a copy of Sanford Berman’s letter to Fidel Castro about Cuban libraries.
Excelencia,
I oppose the American embargo against Cuba and last week, at the American Library Association Conference in Toronto, Canada, publicly declared both the blockage and Helms-Burton Act to be “stupid,” stating that they must immediately end.
However, although I respect and defend Cuba’s national sovereignty and integrity, I cannot remain silent about the severe human rights abuses represented by the mid-March arrest and conviction of some 75 dissidents, including independent journalists and librarians. Not only were their “trials” suspect – conducted summarily in remote locations – but there appears to be no evidence that these persons truly posed a threat to Cuba’s security….
Read the full letter by following the “Read Some More of this Story” link below.
Steve also asks us to sign a petition against the arrests at www.cpdweb.org
Steve Fesenmaier sends us a copy of Sanford Berman’s letter to Fidel Castro about Cuban libraries.
Excelencia,
I oppose the American embargo against Cuba and last week, at the American Library Association Conference in Toronto, Canada, publicly declared both the blockage and Helms-Burton Act to be “stupid,” stating that they must immediately end.
However, although I respect and defend Cuba’s national sovereignty and integrity, I cannot remain silent about the severe human rights abuses represented by the mid-March arrest and conviction of some 75 dissidents, including independent journalists and librarians. Not only were their “trials” suspect – conducted summarily in remote locations – but there appears to be no evidence that these persons truly posed a threat to Cuba’s security….
Read the full letter by following the “Read Some More of this Story” link below.
Steve also asks us to sign a petition against the arrests at www.cpdweb.orgJune 30, 2003
Dr. Fidel Castro Ruz
Presidente de los Consejos de Estado y de Ministros
LA HABANA
Cuba
Excelencia,
I oppose the American embargo against Cuba and last week, at the American Library Association Conference in Toronto, Canada, publicly declared both the blockage and Helms-Burton Act to be “stupid,” stating that they must immediately end.
However, although I respect and defend Cuba’s national sovereignty and integrity, I cannot remain silent about the severe human rights abuses represented by the mid-March arrest and conviction of some 75 dissidents, including independent journalists and librarians. Not only were their “trials” suspect – conducted summarily in remote locations – but there appears to be no evidence that these persons truly posed a threat to Cuba’s security. (Even Philip Agee doesn’t think they did.) They seemed to have essentially expressed or promulgated dissenting opinions in a nonviolent way. They may wish for a “regime change” in Cuba. Well, so do I in the United States. But as long as we’re not plotting the violent overthrow of the government, we don’t deserve to be suppressed, to be imprisoned.
In order to correct an obvious injustice and also to regain the esteem of friends and supporters worldwide, I urge the immediate release of all the people jailed in March and the return of their confiscated books and other materials.
En solidaridad,
Sanford Berman
Former Head Cataloger
Hennepin County Library
Minnesota
Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award Winner
ALA Equality Award Winner
4400 Morningside Road
Edina, MN 55416
U.S.A.
952-925-5738
cc: American Libraries
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