Radio Havana Cuba, July 19, 1999 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Monday, July 19, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- HAVANA TRIAL CONTINUES, ACCUSING U.S. GOVERNMENT OF DIRECTLY SUPPORTING 40 YEARS OF AGGRESSIONS AGAINST CUBA 2.- 30th CONTINGENT OF THE VENCEREMOS BRIGADE ARRIVES IN HAVANA 3.- THOUSANDS OF FOREIGN STUDENTS GRADUATE IN CUBA 4.- VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRAISES WORK OF CUBAN DOCTORS IN CENTRAL AMERICA 5.- CUBAN CHILDREN ACROSS THE ISLAND CELEBRATE CHILDREN'S DAY 6.- DIRECTOR GENERAL OF UNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION VISITS HAVANA HAVANA TRIAL CONTINUES, ACCUSING U.S. GOVERNMENT OF DIRECTLY SUPPORTING 40 YEARS OF AGGRESSIONS AGAINST CUBA Havana, July 19(RHC)-- The on-going trial proceedings against the U.S. government for 40 years of aggressions against Cuba continued to focus today on use of the illegally-occupied Guantanamo Naval Base. On Monday -- the eleventh day of the proceedings -- testimony was presented on how successive U.S. administrations used the base to organize and finance counterrevolutionary activities in eastern Cuba, as well as plan sabotage attacks against the economy and social stability of the area. According to witnesses testifying in court on Monday, the United States used the Guantanamo Naval Base to promote the illegal trafficking of immigrants and infiltrated CIA agents into Cuba through the base. Several former workers at the base also testified that they were repeatedly questioned and harshly treated during their employment, suffering from physical and psychological abuse. Two Cubans working on or near the naval base were killed -- Ruben Lopez Sabariego in 1961 and Rodolfo Rosello in 1962. So far, as we enter the third week of the trial, 166 witnesses have appeared in court in the proceedings against the U.S. government for human damages over the past 40 years. In today's edition of the Cuban weekly Trabajadores, the newspaper points out that the lawsuit against Washington by the Cuban people is an expression of the national sentiment. The article states that the United States has tried to impose its domination over the Caribbean island for the past two centuries, recalling the intentions of the nation's founders who publicly called for Cuba's annexation to the U.S. and Washington's intervention in the Spanish-Cuban-American War at the end of the last century. Trabajadores says that the on-going trial taking place in Havana is not only an accusation against those who planned and carried out criminal actions against the Cuban people, but against a governmental policy which is based on refusing to recognize the sovereignty and independence of Cuba. 30th CONTINGENT OF THE VENCEREMOS BRIGADE ARRIVES IN HAVANA Havana, July 19(RHC)-- The 30th Contingent of the Venceremos Brigade arrived in Havana on Sunday, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its founding. The 150 members of the brigade will stay at the Julio Antonio Mella Camp, located on the outskirts of the Cuban capital. The solidarity group from the United States will do voluntary work at the Habana Libre Sugar Mill and, together with the Juan Ruis Rivera Brigade from Puerto Rico, will participate in the July 26th activities in Matanzas and Cienfuegos. Nearly 7000 U.S. citizens have visited Cuba during the last 30 years of the Venceremos Brigade -- the pioneer of international work brigades to Cuba. The Venceremos Brigade first worked in the 1969 sugar harvest and later took part in housing construction and other production activities on the island. Members of the Venceremos Brigade have consistently challenged U.S. travel restrictions and Washington's nearly 40-year-old blockade against Cuba. THOUSANDS OF FOREIGN STUDENTS GRADUATE IN CUBA Havana, July 19(RHC)-- During the past nine years, some 2000 students from several countries, mainly Angola and Zimbabwe, have graduated as professors at the Carlos Manuel de Cespedes Higher Institute on Cuba's Isle of Youth. This year alone, the graduates number 200. The initiative, which began 13 years ago, was praised by Zimbabwe's Minister of Education, Ignatius Chombo, who attended this year's graduation ceremony. His Cuban counterpart, Luis Ignacio Gomez, reiterated Cuba's willingness to grant scholarships to students from underdeveloped countries. The University of Camaguey, for its part, graduated 372 students from 13 countries this year. The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Higher Education of the Democratic Arab Saharawi Republic, Saleh Boih Yusef. Since its foundation in 1967, more than 15,000 foreign students have graduated from the University of Camaguey. VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRAISES WORK OF CUBAN DOCTORS IN CENTRAL AMERICA Esteli, July 19(RHC)-- The Vice President of the Cuban Parliament, Jaime Crombet, praised the hard work of Cuban doctors in Nicaragua who, despite difficult working conditions, make extraordinary efforts in the care of their patients. The Cuban official visited the Cuban medical team located in Villanueva in the Nicaraguan Department of Esteli. According to a report of the mayor of that town, Luis Guerrero, the Cuban specialists have managed to stop outbreaks of cholera and dengue in the region. Nearly 500 Cuban health professionals are currently offering their medical assistance in Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras -- severely affected by Hurricane Mitch in October of last year. In addition to assisting the most needy and avoiding the outbreak of epidemics, the Cuban doctors are applying an integral health program to reduce the infant mortality rate in those countries. CUBAN CHILDREN ACROSS THE ISLAND CELEBRATE CHILDREN'S DAY Havana, July 19(RHC)-- Cuban children across the island celebrated Children's Day on Sunday. Following tradition, every third Sunday of July, the Jose Marti Children's Organization prepares diverse activities throughout Cuba. The president of the children's organization, Niurka Dumenigo, pointed out that in addition to Children's Day celebrations, activities on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Ernesto Che Guevara Pioneer Palace were held. The Palace was inaugurated on July 15, 1979 and is a center for vocational training. DIRECTOR GENERAL OF UNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION VISITS HAVANA Havana, July 19(RHC)-- The Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Alfredo Magarinos, is currently in Havana. The UN official is scheduled to sign a cooperation program with Cuban authorities, valued at over five and a half million dollars. The program constitutes a cooperation platform between the UN and Cuba until the year 2002 and includes work areas linked to industrial policies, energetic efficiency, tourism and agro- industries. The Director General of the UN Industrial Development Organization will meet on Tuesday with Cuba's Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister Ibrahim Ferradaz and other Cuban government officials. [c] 1999, 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) 791053 Fax: (53) (7) 795007 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org rhc-eng-10626 1999-Jul-19 18:27:40