Radio Havana Cuba-5 June 2000 20:00 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 5 June 2000 20:00 *REPORT SHOWS US FEDERAL AGENTS ACTED APPROPRIATELY DURING ELIAN RESCUE *ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION EXAMINES CASE OF ELIAN GONZALEZ *FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF U.S. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS *TWO DEATH-ROW CASES SHOW HOW EASY IT IS TO KILL BLACKS IN THE US *CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO CONGRATULATES NICKEL WORKERS *TECNOTUR 2000 UNDERWAY IN HAVANA *EVERYTHING READY FOR THE EXPOCARIBE 2000 INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR *CUBA WORKS ON PROGRAM FOR SUFFERERS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE *CUBAN RENOWNED PERSONALITY AMONG CANDIDATES FOR AWARD *Viewpoint: MEMBERS OF U.S. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS VISIT CUBA *REPORT SHOWS FEDERAL AGENTS ACTED APPROPRIATELY DURING ELIAN RESCUE Washington, June 5 (RHC)-- A U.S. government report on the rescue operation carried out to free a six-year-old Cuban boy from his kidnappers in Miami conclusively shows that Federal agents acted appropriately and without the use of excessive force. According to the CBS television network, the report affirms that the team that entered the house where Elian Gonzalez was being held did not hit or threaten to shoot anyone, despite claims to the contrary by members of the right wing, extremist Cuban-American community. The detailed report concludes that the Federal officer, who is shown in a photo with his gun pointing toward Donato Dalrymple as the tried to hide Elian in a closet, did NOT threaten to shoot. CBS reports that the study also shows that the gun's safety was locked and could not have been fired even if the agent's finger was on the trigger, which the photo clearly shows it was not. Other parts of the report prove that the agents performed their jobs-- professionally, with skill and discipline and were only armed to protect-- themselves from possible harm, due to information that weapons could be in or around the Miami house. Once it was determined that force would not have to be used, the agents lowered their guns and were able to carry out their mission in less than two and a half minutes. According to the CBS news report on the government findings, no one in the house was hit or even touched in the rescue operation which took place on April 22nd. Once in the hands of Federal agents, young Elian Gonzalez was flown to his father, who was waiting for him in Washington, DC. *ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION EXAMINES CASE OF ELIAN GONZALEZ Havana, June 5 (RHC)-- A roundtable discussion was broadcast live on Cuban radio and television Monday night, with the latest information on the case of Elian Gonzalez. Journalists and experts in international law analyzed the current status of the case, making special mention of events that took place over the weekend. Cuban viewers were shown clips from talk show programs aired over the weekend on U.S. television. On Sunday's CBS program Face the Nation, attorney Gregory Craig responded to reports that attorneys for Elian's great-uncle in Miami planned to appeal the case. Craig, who represents Juan Miguel Gonzalez, said that he is convinced that the courts will not even hear the case, calling the appeal only another delay. David Abrams, professor of Immigration Law at the University of Miami, referred to the argument by attorneys for Elian's kidnappers in Miami that the six-year-old boy has constitutional rights. Abrams stated that newly arrived foreign immigrants do not have many rights under the U.S. Constitution and that such cases are normally handled by immigration authorities. Another legal expert in the United States interviewed by phone -- Alek Alneikov -- stated that the case "is destined to die" before reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. Alneikov, a law professor at Georgetown University, said that attempts by the Miami attorneys to appeal the case represents "a legal battle without hope." Robert Eiselman, an attorney from California, told Cuban viewers that courts in the United States sometimes produce abuses by delaying justice. Eiselman said there is no legal basis for continuing to appeal this case and that Elian Gonzalez and his father should be returned to Cuba as soon as possible. Finally, Francisco Aruca, a popular journalist and talk show host on Radio Progreso in Miami, stated that the kidnappers in Miami are only prolonging the situation and affirmed that Elian and his father are being held prisoner in the United States. Interviewed on Monday's roundtable, Aruca stated that those in Miami are using migration laws for political ends. The roundtable discussion was aired on Cuban television, the national radio network and the international shortwave frequencies of Radio Havana Cuba. *FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF U.S. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS Havana, June 5 (RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has offered to provide free medical training for American youths from low-income families. The offer came at a gathering Saturday evening with the visiting members of the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus that lasted into the early morning hours of Sunday. It was in response to Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson's affirmation that in his district, in the Mississippi Delta, the infant mortality rate is extremely high. The Congressional Black Caucus delegation began their visit to Cuba last Wednesday and wrapped up the stay with the gathering with President Castro. On Saturday, they toured various sites of economic and historic interest in eastern Santiago de Cuba, where they reiterated their opposition to Washington's blockade against the island. The head of the delegation, Representative James Clyburn, stated that when Congress resumes debates on lifting restrictions on the sale of food and medicine to Cuba next week, the voice of the Black Caucus will be there to demand an end to what he called "this obsolete policy." *TWO DEATH-ROW CASES SHOW HOW EASY IT IS TO KILL BLACKS IN THE US Havana, June 5 (RHC)-- Cuba's weekly Trabajadores newspaper wrote today that the cases of African-American political prisoners Mumia Abu-Jamal and Shaka Sankofa demonstrate how easy it is to kill Black people in the United States. In an article entitled "White Power Continues On The Hunt," the Cuban news weekly pointed out that in Pennsylvania, where Mumia was convicted of killing a white police officer in a trial riddled with racism and irregularities, 60 percent of death row inmates are African-Americans in a state where Blacks constitute only nine percent of the population. In reference to Texas, the record holder of executions, the article recalled that Texas Governor George W. Bush has been baptized as the "legalized serial killer." Shaka Sankofa was convicted of murdering a white drug trafficker at the age of 17 in court proceedings in which there were neither fingerprints, nor ballistics nor any credible evidence pointing to his guilt. He was sentenced to death on the basis of police-coaxed testimony of a single witness during a quick trial. The Trabajadores newspaper said both Sankofa's and Abu-Jamal's trials were tainted by racism, police and judicial misconduct, suppression of evidence and an incompetent, unenthusiastic defense by court-appointed lawyers. 19 years later, Mumia still has an appeals possibility, but Sankofa -- after the Supreme Court refused to hear a final appeal last May 1st -- has been sentenced to die on June 22nd. *CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO CONGRATULATES NICKEL WORKERS Holguin, June 3 (RHC)-- President Fidel Castro has congratulated nickel workers in the province of Holguin for their improved production and modernization of the industry over the past three months. Delivering the Cuban president's message to the workers in Holguin, Vice President Carlos Lage visited the area to assess the progress of the nickel and energy plants there. Lage affirmed that present energy investments have resulted in the most important progress in the area during the Special Period. He said that this progress is illustrated in the Felton Plant in Mayari, which currently runs at a 250-megawatt capacity. In contrast, during the 1990s -- the most severe years of the economic crisis -- the plant was only running at 25 percent production. Vice President Lage commented that the thermo-electric plant is in perfect condition and, regarding automation, is one of the most modern both in Cuba and in the world. With respect to the nickel industry -- one of the nation's most important -- Lage added that production stability, organization and experience all serve to reduce costs and contribute to increased production. *TECNOTUR 2000 UNDERWAY IN HAVANA Havana, June 5 (RHC)-- The 12th International Technology and Tourism-- Industry Products Fair -- Tecnotur 2000 got underway on Monday at Havana's Pabexpo Exhibition Hall. This year's exhibition fair will have over 3100 square meters and will be attended by some 200 companies from 15 countries. Tourism Deputy Minister and President of the Organizing Committee, Marta Maiz, told reporters that, while in the early 1990s only 18 percent of the needs of the tourism industry were covered by national production, by December of 1999 the figure reached nearly 60 percent. According to Marta Maiz, the tourism industry has become Cuba's principal industry, accounting for more than half of the island's hard currency income in 1999. *EVERYTHING READY FOR THE EXPOCARIBE 2000 INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR Bayamo, June 5 (RHC)-- Everything is ready for the 9th International Trade Fair Expocaribe 2000, slated for Santiago de Cuba from June 18th through the 25th. According to Jose Puente, a representative of Cuba's Chamber of Commerce for the island's eastern provinces, some 200 foreign companies from 21 countries have confirmed that they will attend the event -expected to be the largest since its inauguration in 1992. Some 600 Cuban companies will be represented at the fair. Puente said that Spain, Mexico, Panama, Italy, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela will be the countries with the largest number of companies in the event. However, there will also be representatives from Germany, Japan, Canada, France, Colombia, the United States, Holland and the United Kingdom. The representative of the island's Chamber of Commerce added that Expocaribe aims at promoting trade exchange and investment and enhancing economic cooperation in the Caribbean region. *CUBA WORKS ON PROGRAM FOR SUFFERERS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE Havana, June 5 (RHC)-- Cuba is developing a program to assist those who suffer from Alzheimer's disease -- characterized as a progressive loss of memory and other problems related to aging. The project, which is being developed at the Ibero-American Center for the Elderly in Havana, includes not only treating the patient but also training the family to care for the patient. There are currently a million and a half elderly people living in Cuba, making it the fourth nation in Latin America with the most number of senior citizens. *CUBAN RENOWNED PERSONALITY AMONG CANDIDATES FOR AWARD Havana, June 5 (RHC)-- Cuba's Prima Ballerina Assoluta and Director of the island's National Ballet, Alicia Alonso, is among candidates for the Prince of Asturias Award. The award, granted in the Arts category, will be presented on Wednesday in the Spanish city of Oviedo. The winner of the prize will also receive 28,000 dollars. Among other candidates are filmmakers Arturo Ripstein and Manuel de Oliveira as well as musicians Paul McCartney and Mikis Teodorakis. The most recent winners of the Arts Prince of Asturias Award are Spanish architect Santiago Caltrava, Portuguese photographer Sebastiao Salgado and Italian actor Vittorio Gassman. Viewpoint: MEMBERS OF U.S. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS VISIT CUBA. The visit to Cuba by members of an African-American congressional delegation will hopefully help to dispel many myths held by U.S. legislators in relation to the island and its system of government. The U.S. Congress and all the American people have been the victims of more than 40 years of anti-Cuba propaganda. It was indeed an opportune moment for the Congressional Black Caucus to see what's happening on the island first-hand, taking into account that Congress is about to vote on a measure designed to lift the prohibition on the sale of food and medicine to Cuba. Up until now, the sale of food and medicine has been prohibited under the U.S. blockade against the island. Ironically, last year the U.S. Senate authorized the sale of these specific items, but the complicated framework of the blockade, in effect since February of 1962, has made any commercial transaction virtually impossible. The intermediary channels established through the official visits by Democratic and Republican legislators alike, including extensive trips throughout the island, have helped to facilitate the debate in the U.S. Congress on ending the blockade. In this case, Democratic Representatives Bennie Thompson, Gregory Meeks, and James Clyburn, among many others, have expressed the will to articulate their observations to the U.S. Congress on the Cuban system of government, health care and education, as well as the negative effects of the blockade on the Cuban people. The present trend of official visits by U.S. legislators, religious leaders and members of the business community have helped to combat the propaganda of the Cuban-American National Foundation lobby and their right wing representatives in the U.S. Congress. Given the current statistics on U.S. public opinion concerning the Elian Gonzalez case, in conjunction with the recent normalization of trade relations with China, the winds of change appear to be blowing in favor of ending the criminal blockade against the Cuban people, which has resulted in economic hardships unparalleled in many areas of the world. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= rhc-eng-23985 2000-Jun-05 21:07:00