RHC News Update, 31 March 2000 Via NY Transfer News * All the News that Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba News Update 31 March, 2000 http://www.radiohc.org - US POSTPONES YET ANOTHER DEADLINE IN IN ELIAN GONZALEZ DISPUTE - DELEGATION TO ACCOMPANY JUAN MIGUEL NECESSARY FOR ELIAN'S ADJUSTMENT - ELIAN'S FATHER STRONGLY REJECTS US RESIDENCY LEGISLATION US POSTPONES YET ANOTHER DEADLINE IN IN ELIAN GONZALEZ DISPUTE Miami, March 31 (RHC)-- U.S. authorities have postponed yet another deadline in the dispute with the kidnappers of Elian Gonzalez. Following another meeting Thursday evening between officials of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and attorneys representing Elian's great-uncle -- which lasted more than seven hours -- the INS decided to again postpone a decision to revoke the child's temporary migratory status and begin procedures for his return to his father in Cuba. The first deadline was Thursday morning, later extended to Friday morning, and now extended to Tuesday morning next week. Elian's great-uncle, Lazaro Gonzalez, has adamantly refused to make a written commitment to peacefully surrender the boy if he loses a judicial ruling in Atlanta's 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. The New York Times reacted to this new delay in a Friday editorial,charging that the Elian case is quickly becoming an embarrassing situation for the United States and reiterating that the child must be reunited with his father. The editorial also accused Vice President Albert Gore, who is also a candidate for the U.S. presidency in November, of political opportunism, in reaction to his call on the U.S. Congress to pass legislation making Elian, his father, his step-mother, his half-brother and his grandparents into permanent residents of the United States -- in this way breaking ranks with the U.S. government and his boss, President Bill Clinton. maneuver aimed at attracting votes in Florida, Democratic Representative from California, Maxine Waters, expressed shock. The African-American legislator said that in light of Gore's new position concerning Elian, she would reconsider her support for his candidacy. DELEGATION TO ACCOMPANY JUAN MIGUEL GONZALEZ NECESSARY FOR READAPTATION PROCESS OF ELIAN Havana, March 31 (RHC)-- Havana is insisting on the need to send a large delegation to accompany Elian's father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez, in an eventual trip to the United States. The U.S. State Department has indicated that it is willing to give a visa to the father, but not to another 30 persons designated to accompany him in an effort to help Elian readapt before returning to Cuba. Besides Juan Miguel and his wife, the delegation would include several of Elian's relatives, a dozen of his classmates, teachers, doctors and child psychologists. Thus far, U.S. authorities have not given guarantees that Juan Miguel would have custody of his son during the judicial process in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta. JUAN MIGUEL GONZALEZ STRONGLY REJECTS US SENATE LEGISLATION TO IMPOSE PERMANENT RESIDENCY ON HIS SON AND FAMILY Havana, March 31 (RHC)-- Friday's edition of the Cuban daily Granma published a letter written by the father and grandparents of six-year-old Elian Gonzalez to members of the U.S. Senate. The letter-- addressed to Senator Trent Lott, Republican Majority Leader, and Senator Tom Daschle, Democratic Minority Leader -- reads: "Dear Senators: We have learned that several U.S. senators have presented a proposal requesting permanent residency for my son Elian Gonzalez Brotons and our entire family. "We are frankly shocked that someone could dare make such a proposal without our knowledge or having consulted with us first. We would like to make it clear that we do not agree with the proposal and we hope that the U.S. Senate does not approve the bill. "We would like to remind the honorable Senators of the existence of the American Declaration of Human Rights and Duties, unanimously approved by the International American Conference in Bogota in 1948, in which Article 8 specifically establishes that "Everyone has the right to reside in the territory where one is born, to freely move about and leave by one's own will. "We reject any attempts to arbitrarily deprive us of this right. We strongly reject the real purpose of this proposal, which is nothing less than to arbitrarily retain Elian Gonzalez in the United States, in clear violation of international law and despite the INS decision last January 5th and Federal Judge Michael Moore's ruling on March 21st. "Elian Gonzalez Brotons was five-years-old when he lost his mother and was deprived of returning to his family. Over four months have passed and since then, incalculable damage has been inflicted on the child and on us. "We have never caused harm to the United States, its people nor its senators. Why then are we being so unjustly and cruelly punished? "We are confident that you will respect the integrity of our family." The letter is signed: Juan Miguel Gonzalez, Nersy Carmenate, Hianny Gonzalez, Juan Gonzalez Rolando Betancourt, Mariela Quintana and Raquel Rodriguez. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba. 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-04.01.00-22:36:25-21093