Radio Havana Cuba-21 June 2000 22:00 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 21 June 2000 22:00 *SHAKA SANKOFA 24 HOURS AWAY FROM EXECUTION *EXPOCARIBE 2000 CONTINUES IN EASTERN SANTIAGO DE CUBA *PARAGUAY'S MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE ENDS VISIT TO CUBA *US PROFESSORS SAY WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA IS WEAKENING *THE REALITY OF EXPLOITED CHILDREN DEBATED IN HAVANA *CUBA'S ARAGON ORCHESTRA PERFORMS IN A PACKED CARNEGIE HALL *Viewpoint: DESPITE CUBA'S ENEMIES US POLICIES UNDER FIRE *SHAKA SANKOFA 24 HOURS AWAY FROM EXECUTION Havana, June 21 (RHC)-Wednesday night's round table discussion on Cuban TV once again focused on the impending execution in the US state of Texas of African American Shaka Sankofa. Sankofa, who is also known as Gary Graham, is scheduled to die tomorrow, Thursday, at 6pm. RHC's Barbara Bettancourt and Tricontinental Magazine's Arlene Rodriguez both spoke of the inhuman conditions that African American prisoners on death row suffer in the US and the system that ensures that the poorer you are the more likely you are to receive the maximum penalty. They cited the example of Mumia Abu Jamal the African American activist who explained what it is like to live in solitary confinement allowed out of a 4 meter by 4 meter cell only 2 hours of the day, living the other 22 hours under lights that are never turned off, eating food that has no taste or smell. Gloria Rubac, the president of the Texas Movement to Abolish the Death Penalty, who also appeared on Monday's round table here in Havana, spoke by phone from Houston, Texas. She explained that there have been demonstrations across the entire country to condemn the coming execution with many major US newspaper editorials criticizing the manner in which Sankofa's trial was conducted and demanding a retrial. Cuban TV's Wednesday round table then touched on the vote in the US Congress yesterday which refused to create a US/Cuba bi-partisan commission to study ways to improve relations between the two countries. The panel opined that because of the influence of Florida's anti-Cuba legislators and that of the right wing in Congress not even the creation of a commission to study the problems everyone talks about can be approved. It indicates no desire whatsoever to improve relations, the round table participants concluded. The panel then ended the discussion by talking about Elian Gonzalez. A call made to Lisa Valenti who is the president of the US/Cuba Sister City Association elicited the comment that the father Juan Miguel and his family are the best ambassadors for Cuba during their forced stay in the US. By just being your average, responsible father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez has gained the support of the great majority of the people of the USA, said Valenti. The round table series was begun with the kidnapping of Elian Gonzalez last November and continues to provide an excellent forum for the discussion of issues relating to his case and that of other issues pertaining to the US. *EXPOCARIBE 2000 CONTINUES IN EASTERN SANTIAGO DE CUBA Santiago de Cuba, June 21 (RHC)- In Santiago de Cuba, economic negotiations were consolidated during an important commercial exhibition, the EXPOCARIBE 2000 Trade Fair, according to the President of Cuba's Chamber of Commerce, Hector Perez. The Cuban official highlighted the large turnout at the event with the participation of over 890 firms from 41 countries. Meanwhile, Haiti's Foreign Trade Minister, Gerald Germain visited the trade fair at the invitation of his Cuban counterpart, Raul de la Nuez. The Haitian official emphasized the positive relations between the two countries. Germain characterized EXPOCARIBE 2000 as a significant expose of Cuba's productive capacity, and defined the objectives of his visit in terms of bettering trade with the island. *PARAGUAY'S MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE ENDS VISIT TO CUBA Havana, June 21 (RHC)-Winding up an official visit to the island, Paraguayan Minister of Industry and Trade, Euclides Acevedo, stated that the agreements signed with Cuba will broaden bilateral cooperation significantly. Acevedo added that Cuba will be present during next July's Expo Trade Exhibition, scheduled to take place in Paraguay, while Paraguayan business executives plan to attend the Havana Trade Fair to be held next November. Paraguay's Minister for Industry and Trade announced that his country plans to establish an embassy in Cuba, while Havana has expressed the desire to construct an embassy in Paraguay. He also announced his return to the island, next month, accompanied by Paraguay's Foreign Minister Juan Esteban Aguirre. *US PROFESSORS SAY WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA IS WEAKENING Havana, June 21 (RHC)-U.S. professors Cliff Durant and Joahline Dodson stated in Havana, on Wednesday, that Washington's blockade against the island is weakening. Cliff Durant, who is a Philosophy professor at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, is one of the principle organizers of the 12th Conference of Philosophers and Social Scientists at the University of Havana, with the participation of over 70 U.S. academics. Professor Joahline Dodson from Colorado State University, said that forums, like the one being held in Havana, facilitate an important exchange of ideas between Cubans and Americans. Moreover, Americans get a first hand look at the Cuban reality in contrast to the anti-Cuba propaganda they have been saturated with by the U.S. mainstream media and government outlets. The first of these meetings, between Cuban and US Philosophers, was held in 1982 and, since then, both sides have continuously met in Havana. *THE REALITY OF EXPLOITED CHILDREN DEBATED IN HAVANA Havana, June 21 (RHC)-The dramatic reality that characterizes the exploitation of children in Latin America was at the center of debate, on Wednesday, at Havana's Center for American Studies. The forum takes place as part of activities preceding the 10th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held next November in Panama. The Summit, dedicated to children and teenagers, will focus on social justice and equality on the threshold of the new millenium. Dario Machado, director of the Center for American Studies, put together a conference entitled "Neoliberalism vs. Childhood; which side are we on," showing the dramatic reality of poverty in Latin America with an emphasis on the exploitation of children, and the poor conditions of education and healthcare. *CUBA'S ARAGON ORCHESTRA PERFORMS IN A PACKED CARNEGIE HALL New York, June 21 (RHC)-The legendary Cuban group, the Aragon Orchestra, performed Tuesday night at New York's Carnagie Hall, as part of a US tour, commemorating its 60th anniversary. The concert was dedicated to the memory of renowned Puerto Rican legend, Tito Puente, who passed away early this month, provoking an emotional response from the audience. The Aragon Orchestra was founded in 1939, in the central province of Cienfuegos, and has since then contributed to the creation of critically acclaimed traditional Cuban music. The renowned group opened last night's performance with the famous tune "El Bodeguero," while the audience danced to the tropical rythums of Cuban music. The last time Aragon performed at Carnegie Hall was in 1957. *Viewpoint: DESPITE CUBA'S ENEMIES US POLICIES UNDER FIRE The U. S. Senate has shot down an amendment attached to next year's Pentagon budget. The amendment was aimed at creating a bipartisan commission to review U.S. foreign policy towards Cuba. Forty-one lawmakers were in favor of the proposed commission while 59 voted against it. Tuesday's session on Capitol Hill was attended by all 100 senators, demonstrating that there is a special interest in discussing the issue of Washington's policies regarding Cuba. The measure was not aimed at alleviating the effects of the U.S. economic blockade by authorizing the sale of food and medicine to Cuba. It was rather aimed at a full review of 40 years of a hostile foreign policy towards Cuba. The fact that half of the Senate favors an analysis and discussion of Washington's policy indicates that there is a credibility crisis among U.S. government representatives when it comes to its Caribbean neighbor. It has been reasonably said that the case of six-year-old Elian Gonzalez -- who is still being illegally held in the United States, together with his father and others -- was the spark that ignited the current debate over U.S. policy. Regarding the case, Washington has had to admit that the Cuban government is right and that the young boy should have been sent back to Cuba long ago. The legislative project to allow the sale of food and medicine to Cuba for "humanitarian reasons" is being strongly promoted by important U.S. business sectors. They feel that they are at an extreme disadvantage with respect to other foreign investors -- primarily Europeans -- because U.S. firms do not have access to the Cuban market. U.S. businesses are blocked out of Cuba by their own government's economic blockade, imposed on the island nearly 40 years ago. The overwhelming majority of Americans support the return of Elian to Cuba. And the right-wing Cuban-American groups in southern Florida -- the forces that kidnapped the six-year-old and held him for more than five months with the help of local authorities -- have been totally discredited before U.S. public opinion. People throughout the United States have seen through the lies of the Miami Mafia and are not only in favor of Elian's return home but are also increasingly opposed to the criminal economic blockade against Cuba. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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