Cuban democracy honorees unable to attend ceremony
- From: PL <pl.nospam@xxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:21:54 +0200
Posted on Thursday, 06.25.09
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Cuban democracy honorees unable to attend ceremony
A Washington democracy group honored five Cuban dissidents -- but none can attend the ceremony.
BY BRITTANY LEVINE
blevine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When the National Endowment for Democracy handed out its annual Democracy Award on Wednesday in Washington, all five recipients were Cuban, a first.
Another first: None could attend the ceremony.
Three are in prison. Two were arrested Tuesday after holding a political meeting in a public park, according to the nonprofit organization, which gives money to pro-democracy causes. Cuban citizens are not allowed to leave the country without government permission.
''Dissidents feel more alone in Cuba, and they are often seen as obstacles to improving [U.S.] relations there,'' said the organization's president, Carl Gershman.
The awardees represent ''a new Cuba, the Cuba of the future,'' he said.
The winners:
• Jorge Luis Garcia Pérez, known as ''Antúnez,'' who was arrested Tuesday with his wife and fellow honoree, Iris Tamara Pérez Aguilera. García Pérez was a political prisoner from 1990 to 2007. Pérez Aguilera has led several women's movements promoting democracy.
• José Daniel Ferrer García, a youth activist. He was arrested during the ''Black Spring,'' a crackdown on political dissidents in March 2003.
• Librado Linares García, founder of the Cuban Reflection Movement, an advocacy group that tracks human rights abuses and provides aid to political prisoners. He also was arrested in March 2003.
• Ivan Hernandez Carrillo, a political prisoner, labor activist and youth leader.
''From leading hunger strikes to neighborhood meetings, opening independent libraries to human rights advocacy, these brave individuals represent the regime's greatest fear: the free will of the Cuban people,'' said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, in a statement prior to the Capitol Hill ceremony.
Republican Sen. Mel Martinez said he hoped the fights for democracy would ``one day soon help to bring freedom to the Cuban people.''
Last month, the Obama administration asked the island nation to resume talks on legal migration.
Past recipients have come from China, North Korea and Rwanda. Many have been political prisoners.
Bertha Antúnez, Pérez's sister, accepted the awards. The Miami resident often acts as her brother's proxy here, delivering letters to congressmen and attending pro-democracy events.
''This recognizes for the first time those inside the country who are fighting for democracy,'' she said in Spanish. ``Because of this, those fighting know they are not alone.''
Carrillo, in prison in Cuba, used his one monthly phone call to contact the group and express his gratitude. Because he spoke about the award, his phone privileges have been revoked for six months, Gershman said.
''It reminds us that we are not simply malcontents but fighters for democracy,'' Carrillo said told the group. ``This award encourages us to continue fighting and believing in hope, high principles and democracy.''
Cuban democracy honorees unable to attend ceremony - Nation - MiamiHerald.com (25 June 2009)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/1112787.html
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