CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA October 13, 1997 rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Monday, October 13, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS PAY THEIR FINAL RESPECTS TO ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA AND HIS COMRADES-IN-ARMS 2.- COMMEMORATIONS OF LIFE AND WORK OF COMANDANTE CHE GUEVARA CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD... EVEN IN THE UNITED STATES 3.- DIARIES OF CHE GUEVARA AND RAUL CASTRO TO BE PUBLISHED 4.- YESTERDAY'S `DRY-RUN' SUGGESTS SMOOTH ELECTORAL PROCESS 5.- HAVANA HOSTS 1st INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL SCIENCE CONGRESS 6.- UNESCO ANNOUNCES PLANS TO EASE AFFECTS OF U.S. BLOCKADE 7.- COMMUNIST PARTY DELEGATION ATTENDS CONGRESS IN BRAZIL 8.- CUBA REPRESENTED AT 15th WORLD OIL CONGRESS IN BEIJING 9.- AND IN SPORTS... CUBA FINISHES FIFTH AT THE PARIS WORLD JUDO TOURNAMENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS PAY THEIR FINAL RESPECTS TO COMANDANTE ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA AND HIS COMRADES-IN-ARMS Havana, October 13(RHC)-- More than 200,000 people have filed past the coffins of Ernesto Che Guevara and six of his comrades-in-arms, killed in Bolivia 30 years ago. Cubans and visiting foreigners braved three, four and five hours in line -- beneath sun and rain -- to pay their last respects. The small, wooden urns containing the remains of Che and four Cubans are covered with the Cuban flag. The remains of one Bolivian and one Peruvian are covered with the flags of each respective country. Their photos adorn the wall behind the urns. Behind the honor guard are the photos of all the revolutionaries who participated in Che's internationalist guerrilla movement. Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon -- interviewed by television journalists at the entrance to the memorial -- said this massive homage is not only an expression of love, affection and respect, "but is also a veritable re-encounter between Che and the Cuban people." The funeral ceremonies in Havana will wind up today, after which Che and his comrades will be taken to Santa Clara, following -- in the opposite direction -- the path that Che took to reach Havana after militarily taking over Santa Clara during the final days of the revolutionary war against the Batista dictatorship. There, the remains will lie in state until the final burial and funeral ceremony on Friday. One of Che Guevara's sisters and two of his brothers -- Celia, Roberto and Juan Martin -- are in Cuba for the funeral ceremonies. They told local journalists here that they were "extremely moved" by Havana's massive homage to Che. COMMEMORATIONS OF LIFE AND WORK OF COMANDANTE CHE GUEVARA CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD... EVEN IN THE UNITED STATES San Francisco, October 13(RHC)-- Commemorations on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the death in combat of Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara continue around the world... even in the United States. Reports from San Francisco, California describe one of the largest Cuba solidarity events in recent history, taking place over the weekend in the Bay Area. Over 500 people crowded into the Mission Cultural Center Saturday evening to hear speakers from a broad coalition of community and grassroots organizations. Community leaders and solidarity activists commemorated the life and work of Che Guevara and expressed their solidarity with the Cuban Revolution. In telephone reports from the San Francisco Bay Area, Radio Havana Cuba has learned that a large number of those attending this weekend's activity had never before attended a Cuba solidarity function. Many organizers in the U.S. movement see this as reason to believe that there is renewed interest in the Cuban Revolution, in Che Guevara and the principles for which he gave his life. Academicians in Los Angeles, California expressed their surprise over the massive response to a photo display of Cuba's Heroic Guerrilla, Ernesto Che Guevara. The display was inaugurated this week at the Fowler Museum of Cultural History at the University of California in Los Angeles. Entitled "Icon, Myth and Message," the display includes some 200 works as well as a CD-Rom produced by Fabian Wagmister, Professor at UCLA's Department of Film and Television. The CD-Rom contains 6,500 images of Che, eight hours of video and ten of Che's speeches. The photo display is considered one of the most complete worldwide. University of California-Los Angeles Professor John Carlson announced that he will organize an academic conference on October 24th and 25th at UCLA's Center of Latin American Studies. According to Professor Carlson, Che was a man who "in the final analysis, confronted injustice and was unswerving in his ideals." The Fowley display will run until February of next year. DIARIES OF CHE GUEVARA AND RAUL CASTRO SOON TO BE PUBLISHED Rio de Janeiro, October 13(RHC)-- Brazilian publishing houses are putting the final touches on a new book by Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara and Cuba's Defense Minister Raul Castro. Reports say "Bound for the Sierra Maestra Mountains" includes the diaries of both Che and Raul, written while they were still in Mexico, gearing up for the expedition that would carry them and 80 other revolutionaries to wage the final offensive against Batista's dictatorship. In other news, the Institute for the Study of Latin America in Beijing, China is organizing a roundtable on how China views the life and work of Comandante Che Guevara. A photo exhibit on his numerous visits to the Asian nation will be on display throughout the week. And in Nicaragua, some 3000 people paid tribute to Che Guevara at a special memorial in Managua, where the well-known Cuban music group Moncada was the main attraction. YESTERDAY'S `DRY-RUN' SUGGESTS SMOOTH ELECTORAL PROCESS Havana, October 13(RHC)-- Projections based on the results of a `dry-run' for next Sunday's municipal elections point to a smooth-running operation. Yesterday, all of the island's electoral commissions tested their equipment and ran through a `dry run' to check on any organizational problems in the electoral process. Emphasis was placed on communications equipment which, in the view of local observers, will help speed-up data processing. There will be more polling stations than during the last elections held on the island, in order to allow for more voters to be served. Next Sunday, October 19th, an estimated seven million Cubans will cast their ballots to choose among more than 31,000 candidates for municipal posts. A run-off election will be held on October 26th for any candidate who does not receive at least 50 percent of the vote. HAVANA HOSTS 1st INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL SCIENCE CONGRESS Havana, October 13(RHC)-- The consolidation of teaching methods, research and the latest breakthroughs of medical science is the focus of an international congress that kicked off Monday in Havana. Over the next four days, foreign and local experts will discuss current medical and scientific teaching methods. Running parallel to the congress is a symposium on recent medical research on arteriosclerosis, stress, immunotherapy and cancer, biotechnology applied to medicine in Cuba and results of a Cuban-made device for blood certification and the diagnosis of new borne babies. Topping the event's agenda is the development and evaluation of recombinant vaccines against hepatitis B, AIDS, meningitis and immunogenetic studies in special situations. The 1st International Medical Science Congress will commemorate the 35th anniversary of the foundation of the first Cuban medical school. Havana's School of Medicine has a total registration of some 6000 students -- enrolled in the studies of general medicine, stomatology, health technology and nursing. More than 3000 teachers staff the island's ten medical schools, which are affiliated with the medical institution in the capital, Havana. UNESCO ANNOUNCES PLANS TO EASE AFFECTS OF U.S. BLOCKADE New York, October 13(RHC)-- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization -- UNESCO -- has announced a program to help alleviate effects of the U.S. blockade against Cuba. In an action plan submitted to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, UNESCO underscores the promotion of regional and international meetings with Cuba's participation. The UNESCO report highlights the delivery of important donations and the implementation of cultural projects as part of a program to foster the island's cultural and natural heritage. Efforts by UNESCO will appear in a report by the UN Secretary General to the General Assembly, describing the observance by member organizations and States to the UN Resolution against the U.S. blockade of Cuba. COMMUNIST PARTY DELEGATION ATTENDS CONGRESS IN BRAZIL Havana, October 13(RHC)-- A Cuban Communist Party delegation is on its way to Brazil to attend that country's Communist Party Congress. The mission is headed by member of Cuba's Communist Party Central Committee, Alfredo Morales, who will hold talks with Brazilian solidarity groups during his stay. Brazil's Party Communist Congress will be held this week in the city of Sao Paulo. CUBA REPRESENTED AT 15th WORLD OIL CONGRESS IN BEIJING Beijing, October 13(RHC)-- Cuba's Basic Industry Minister Marcos Portal has arrived in Beijing for the 15th World Oil Congress. Portal who was elected as a member of Cuba's Communist Party Political Bureau at the recently held Fifth Party Congress will meet with Chinese authorities as well as executives of oil companies. On Friday, the 17th, the Cuban representative to the World Oil Congress will visit the steel complex in Bao Shang and the special economic zone of Fudong in Shanghai. CUBA FINISHES FIFTH AT THE PARIS WORLD JUDO TOURNAMENT Paris, October 13(RHC)-- At the World Judo Championship which wound up Sunday night in the French capital, Cuba finished fifth by nations in women's. In the women's competition, Cuba harvested one Gold and three Silver medals. The Gold came with Daima Beltral in the open category after defeating a Chinese expert. The three Silver medal winners were Driulis Gonzalez in 56, Diadenis Luna in 72 and Amarilis Savon in 48. France, the host nation, dominated in women's followed by China, Japan and Poland. [c] 1997. Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. This prohibition includes the distribution of this material via Usenet News, "bulletin board" services, e-mail lists, print media, radio and television. For the complete RADIO HAVANA CUBA NEWSCAST and other features, please write for our daily broadcast schedule. We welcome your comments and suggestions. For further information, contact us at: Postal Address: Radio Havana Cuba P.O.Box 6240 Havana, Cuba Telephone: (53) (7) 814243 Fax: (53) (7) 812927 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org