Radio Havana Cuba-08 October, 2001 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 08 October 2001 . *CUBA SAYS US ATTACK ON AFGHANISTAN IS WAR IN FAVOR OF TERRORISM *CHE GUEVARA REMEMBERED ACROSS THE ISLAND ON ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH *CUBA TO CONTINUE TO IMPORT MORE RICE FROM ABROAD THAN IT PRODUCES ITSELF *US PEACE ACTIVISTS CONTINUE TO BUILD AN ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT *COLOMBIA: PASTRANA DECIDES TO GIVE PEACE PROCESS ANOTHER CHANCE *ISLAMIC GOVERNMENTS DEFINE THEIR POSITIONS ON US ATTACKS *VIOLENT ANTI-US DEMONSTRATIONS IN PAKISTAN *NEW EXODUS OF REFUGEES FROM AFGHANISTAN *Viewpoint: THE WAR HAS BEGUN . *CUBA SAYS US ATTACK ON AFGHANISTAN IS WAR IN FAVOR OF TERRORISM Havana, October 8 (RHC)--The government of Cuba has affirmed that Washington's attack against Afghanistan is in reality a war in favor of terrorism. A front-page editorial in the official Cuban news daily "Granma" also questioned using the term "war," noting that this term usually means a conflict between more or less equal sides in which the weakest at least has a minimum of technical and economic resources with which to defend itself. In this case, asserts the editorial, one of the sides has absolutely nothing, calling the conflict an attack by a country with the most sophisticated technology and weapons of destruction against millions who can't even read or write. A conflict, it continued, between a country with a gross domestic product one thousand times greater than the country under attack. The official Cuban news daily affirmed that it's also a conflict in which an entire country has been converted into a testing ground in which experts will be able to determine the capability of a sinister war machinery that costs hundreds of billions of dollars. This war, asserts the editorial, will make it more difficult and complex to eradicate terrorism when the international community possesses other more efficient, rapid and lasting means to do so - saying the cure is worse than the ailment. "Granma" affirmed that after the triumphant fanfare, the patriotic bravado and the expressions of arrogance and a spirit of cultural and racial superiority, the unanswered questions will arise: Will resistance cease? Will all the contradictions disappear? Or will the true war begin, the war defined as long, as interminable? *CHE GUEVARA REMEMBERED ACROSS THE ISLAND ON ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH Havana, 8th October (RHC)--Cuba today commemorated the 34th anniversary of the death of Ernesto Che Guevara, a man whose name is synonymous with the Cuban Revolution, who was murdered by the Bolivian army under orders from the CIA. Captured fighting in the Bolivian jungle, Che was briefly questioned, and when he refused to be interrogated was shot dead in a school house in the hamlet of La Higuera. In statements relating to the assassination, Philip Agee, a former CIA officer, said that there was general rejoicing at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, where Che's movements had been monitored and reported to the Bolivian authorities from the moment the CIA knew he was back in South America. Agee said that CIA agent Felix Rodriguez was present when Che Guevara was killed. In a letter written to Fidel Castro prior to his departure in disguise for Bolivia, Che Guevara said that he had lived magnificent times as they fought to liberate Cuba and that in his last minutes of life he would have Fidel and the people of his adopted country of Cuba on his mind. More than 144,000 Cuban first grade schoolchildren received their traditional neck-scarves from their parents and family today in an annual ceremony across the island that remembers the Argentine doctor. *CUBA TO CONTINUE TO IMPORT MORE RICE FROM ABROAD THAN IT PRODUCES ITSELF Havana, 8th October (RHC)--According to a report by Reuters news agency, Cuba will continue to import most of its rice from Asia and limit its own production, as long as international prices remain at their current low levels. In an interview with Reuters, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Dr Alfredo Gutierrez, said that as rice has been selling as low as $135 a ton on the international market, Cuba will be careful about its use of the island's arable land. Gutierrez indicated that rice produced in Cuba so far this year amounts to some 74,000 tons. The country needs some 700,000 tons of rice a year, of which more than 400,000 tons are imported. Rice -- which is a mainstay of the Cuban diet -- is distributed to the entire population through a subsidized food program. Cuba has attempted to revitalize the rice industry by encouraging small farmers to grow the crop, said the Deputy Minister, with an additional 200,000 tons expected to be produced by the end of this year. He said it was the cheapest way to supplement the government-subsidized rice program, but that it would never come close to the 700,000 tons needed. The Cuban Special period of economic stress has had a severe effect on rice production on the island with large state-run farms not being cost-effective for the government. The Acero plague has also affected the crop, as well as drought and falling international prices. Gutierrez said that he and the agriculture authorities are pretty certain that the disease was deliberately introduced to the island by the CIA, which given its history in this field, is not unlikely, say reports. The Acero is now under control and the country's drought is at an end. *US PEACE ACTIVISTS CONTINUE TO BUILD AN ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, October 8 (RHC)--Despite surveys in the United States reflecting overwhelming support for the attacks against Afghanistan, peace activists continue efforts to build an anti-war movement. Several thousand anti-war demonstrators marched in New York City on Sunday just two hours after the first bombs were dropped. The political and social organizations that came together also denounced the racist backlashes against Arab-Americans and the erosion of civil liberties. One of the slogans of the day was "Our grief is not a cry for war." Many of those who turned out blamed the current situation on the arrogance of US foreign policy and the lack of social justice worldwide. Several hundred people protested in Los Angeles, where some activists distributed copies of Cuban President Fidel Castro's speech of the day before, condemning terrorism war. Activists in that city are building for a major anti-war mobilization at Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles on October 27th. Hundreds also rallied in Chicago, shouting "no more victims, justice not war." Many protesters in Chicago acknowledged that their views put them on the margins of public opinion right now. One participant stated that the tragic events of September 11th brought home to some Americans that some people abroad have issues with US foreign policy, though admitting that there are a lot of people who just don't want to hear that right now. *COLOMBIA: PASTRANA DECIDES TO GIVE PEACE PROCESS ANOTHER CHANCE Bogota, October 6 (RHC)--Colombian President Andres Pastrana has announced that he will extend the demilitarized zone in the southern part of the country until January 20 -- despite unprecedented pressure to suspend peace talks with rebel forces. The vast area, established in November 1998 to facilitate rebel-government peace talks, is renewed every six months and would have expired on Tuesday. In announcing that he would extend the demilitarized zone for only three months this time, the Colombian president said government controls on the area would be reinforced. Pastrana emphasized that military patrols on all roads leading into and out of the area would be stepped-up, adding that the Colombian Air Force would intensify its strict control over the zone's air space. Pastrana said he had decided to extend the timetable for the demilitarized zone after learning that representatives of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces had agreed to continue peace talks. In an agreement reached with the High Commissioner for Peace, Camilo Gomez, the rebels will meet with government representatives this week to establish a work plan and study a cease-fire proposal. Pastrana has come under harsh fire in recent weeks from all sides. Politicians and presidential candidates are calling on him to suspend the peace talks, saying that little has been accomplished over the past three years. Others are highly critical of the president for not doing enough to cut the ties between government armed forces and right-wing paramilitary death squads. On Friday, Human Rights Watch issued a report in Bogota, revealing details of connections between three army brigades and the right-wing Colombian Self-Defense Units in the southern Putumayo Department. Addressing the nation on radio and television late Sunday evening, Pastrana warned that if the demilitarized zone is not used for the purpose of securing peace, he will not hesitate to terminate it at any moment. *ISLAMIC GOVERNMENTS DEFINE THEIR POSITIONS ON US ATTACKS Cairo, Tehran, October 8 (RHC)--Washington's Arab allies, with Muslim populations who are overwhelmingly opposed to the attacks on Afghanistan, are having a difficult time assuming a clear posture on the military strikes. A spokesperson for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stated Monday that Cairo understands the US's right to respond if Washington has proof, but fears for the suffering of the Afghan people. News agencies reporting from the Egyptian capital are asserting that sentiments on the streets are notably against the attack. Media outlets in the Persian Gulf region approved the military strike, but with reserve. The government of Qatar called the attack unfortunate, while at the same time expressing support for an international struggle against terrorism. Iran, however, questioned Washington's objectives, insisting that instead of eliminating terrorism the military offensive is going to propagate terrorism. Though adversaries of the Taliban regime, authorities in Iran said war can't destroy terrorism, only the elimination of its root causes. Malaysia, a nation outside the Middle East region with two-thirds of its population practicing the Muslim faith, stated that a conventional war against terrorism can't work, that even if terrorists sought by Washington are captured, others will replace them. *VIOLENT ANTI-US DEMONSTRATIONS IN PAKISTAN Islamabad, October 8 (RHC) -- Thousands of angry protesters in Pakistan took to the streets of several cities. torching buildings and battling police as they called for a holy war against the United States. At least one person was killed and dozens wounded in the southwestern city of Quetta, where some 15,000 demonstrators torched four movie theatres and two United Nations offices and destroyed vehicles. Besides tear gas, police could be heard using automatic rifle fire as military vehicles deployed throughout the city. Several thousand also mobilized in the northwestern city of Peshawar; in the capital, Islamabad; in the eastern city of Lahore and in Karachi in the south. Authorities in Pakistan continue insisting that the majority of the population supports the government's cooperation with Washington's war against terrorism and the US-led bombardment of Afghanistan. *NEW EXODUS OF REFUGEES FROM AFGHANISTAN Kabul, October 8 (RHC)--The military strikes against Afghanistan have sparked a new exodus of the civilian population, leading to ever-growing fears of a humanitarian catastrophe. Thousands of refugees are arriving at the borders of neighboring countries, joining tens of thousands who had already converged on those borders during the past few weeks. Afghanistan's neighbors, however, continue refusing to receive the refugees. Iran stated that it's incapable of guaranteeing the necessary aid, even aid of an emergency nature. Iran, which shares a 900 kilometer-long border with Afghanistan, had already taken in some 2 million Afghan refugees. Pakistan, with close to 3 and a half million Afghan refugees in camps all along its border with Afghanistan, has also reiterated its refusal to open those borders again. Nevertheless, some one million refugees are expected to enter Pakistan through remote border crossings impossible to control. Thousands of refugees are also heading for the border with Tajikistan. Some 10,000 Russian soldiers are deployed along the almost one thousand kilometer-long border, though it's not certain if Tajikistan officials will allow the refugees to enter this former Soviet republic. *Viewpoint: THE WAR HAS BEGUN Yesterday, at 9:00 pm Afghanistan time, the war began, or rather the military attack against Afghanistan began. The word "war" suggests a conflict between more or less similar parties, where the weaker has, at least, a minimum of technical, financial and economic resources to defend itself. However, in this case, one of the parties has absolutely nothing. Still, let us call it a war. That is what he who ordered the beginning of the military operations called it. This is really a sui generis war. An entire country is being turned into a testing ground for the most sophisticated weaponry ever invented. The experts and specialists at the research centers and military workshops, who have invested tens of billions of US dollars in the creation of deadly devices, will attentively follow every detail of their products' performance. Whatever the pretexts, this is a war, in which the most sophisticated technology will be used against people who cannot read or write. A country whose Gross Domestic Product is $20 billion a year will be fighting another with approximately one thousand less. Therefore, for economic, cultural and religious reasons this will be a war of previous colonizers against the formerly colonized; of the most developed against the least developed; of the richest against the poorest; of those who call themselves civilized against those they consider to be ignorant and barbaric. It is not a war against terrorism, which should and could have been defeated by truly efficient, swift and enduring means. It is a war in favor of terrorism, since the military operations will make it more complicated and difficult to eradicate. It is a cure worse than the disease. From now on, there will be an avalanche of news about bombs, missiles, air strikes, advances of armored vehicles with troops of ethnic groups allied with the invaders, the dropping of paratroopers or the ground advances of elite forces of the attacking countries. There will be news about occupied cities, including the capital, and TV images of whatever the censors will permit. The fight will be against the people of that country and not the terrorists. There are no battalions or armies of terrorists. This is a sinister concept and an insidious method of struggle against a ghost. These events will be compounded by triumphant statements, chauvinistic exaltation, boasting and other manifestations of arrogance and of a spirit of racial and cultural superiority. Then there will be the big question: will resistance stop and every contradiction disappear or will the true war begin, that which was defined as long and open-ended? This is certainly the main question in the minds of those who are now taking pride in having launched this dangerous war. Millions of refugees are already spreading everywhere and undoubtedly, the greater difficulties are still to come. Let us wait for events to unfold. Our people will be informed with the utmost objectivity of every occurrence, providing more or less space in the press, radio and television depending on their importance. At the same time, we shall avoid major disruptions of our everyday activities and the usual programs. We shall remain focused on the enormous efforts being made in matters related to our social and cultural development. We will be particularly watchful and mindful of production and services, which are today more important than ever, given all the problems that the on-going events will bring to the already deteriorated world economy, whose effects no country will be able to escape. However, no other country is bettered prepared and organized, or more aware than ours, to face whatever difficulties may arise. Likewise, we shall continue to concentrate on our defense as we have always done. Once again, there will be hesitation and panic in the world. Later, as the foreseeable problems begin to arise, there will be a growing awareness and a universal repudiation of the war that has just begun. Even the American people, who are today so shocked by the horrible tragedy, will sooner or later understand. The opposition and condemnation of terrorism and war, which have been the basis of our stance, today shared by many people in the world, has sustained an unexpected blow with the beginning of military operations. But we shall persist in struggling with all our capabilities for the only possible solution; the end of the military operations and the eradication of terrorism through the cooperation and support of all countries, and through the unaninous repudiation and condemnation of international public opinion under the leadership of the United Nations. (c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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