Radio Havana Cuba-20 March 2002 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 20 March 2002 . *CUBA CONDEMNS POLITICAL MANIPULATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES *STRUGGLE AGAINST GLOBALIZATION WILL GROW STRONGER, PREDICTS ALARCON *CUBA HAS LOWEST TB MORTALITY RATE IN LATIN AMERICA *NGOs PREDICT GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR WILL CONTINUE TO WIDEN *GROWING RESISTANCE IN ISRAELI MILITARY AGAINST OCCUPATION *PROTEST IN ZIMBABWE AGAINST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS LARGELY INEFFECTIVE *CHENEY FAILS TO PERSUADE MIDEAST LEADERS ON MILITARY ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ *UNEMPLOYED ARGENTINES LAUNCH ANOTHER ROAD-BLOCK PROTEST *COLOMBIAN WAR-TAX PLAN SPARKS CONTROVERSY Viewpoint: *UN RIGHTS COMMISSION: A MARKETPLACE WHERE VOTES ARE BOUGHT AND SOLD? . *CUBA CONDEMNS POLITICAL MANIPULATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES Geneva, March 20 (RHC)--Cuba has condemned the manipulation of human rights issues for political purposes at the 58th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. Cuba's ambassador before the Geneva-based Commission, Ivan Mora, referred to reports and resolutions on alleged human rights violations in Third World countries -- pointing out that by mainly targeting underdeveloped nations, poor people were being unjustly discriminated against. The Cuban representative to the UN Commission noted that the human rights of millions of people in the rich, industrialized countries are also consistently violated. Speaking during Wednesday's session, Cuba's ambassador said that Havana was in favor of reforms at the UN Human Rights Commission -- abandoning the practice of several wealthy and powerful countries to criticize poor countries. He said that international relations must be based on mutual respect and sovereignty and not on fear and the use of force. Cuba's representative also said that the issue of geographical imbalance must be addressed, pointing out that membership in the UN Human Rights Commission has always been unfavorable toward underdeveloped nations. Ivan Mora said that historical, cultural and religious differences must be respected -- calling for an end to centuries of exploitation, hate and the imposition of values on other peoples. The Cuban ambassador to the Geneva-based Commission said that the treatment of human rights should be founded exclusively on dialogue and cooperation and not on its manipulation for political purpose, using the issues for the interests of the powerful against the weak. *STRUGGLE AGAINST GLOBALIZATION WILL GROW STRONGER, PREDICTS ALARCON Mexico City, March 20 (RHC)--Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon expressed his confidence that the struggle against neo-liberal globalization will grow stronger and take on new allies. In an interview published in this morning's edition of the Mexican daily La Jornada, Alarcon said that this new movement against capitalist globalization has essentially changed the orientation of the Left around the world. Ricardo Alarcon spoke with reporters from La Jornada following a session of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas, which just concluded in Mexico City. The president of the Cuban Parliament said that the new movement against neo-liberal globalization took on new strength after the Seattle meeting of the World Trade Organization in November 1999. Alarcon said that the protests in Seattle were not only organized by a group of radical Leftists, but also had the participation of the U.S. trade union organization, the AFL-CIO -- "something that would have been unimaginable ten years ago." While the role of the Left is important in this new coalition of forces against globalization, Alarcon noted that the movement is broad-based and that Left and progressive forces must understand its complexity. He said that the movement for social change demands that all components work together. Speaking about the United Nations-sponsored International Conference on Funding for Development, currently underway in Monterrey, the top Cuban lawmaker said that, unfortunately, not much would come from it. Until rich, industrialized nations contribute their fair share to help develop Third World countries, there will be no real solution to poverty and underdevelopment. Alarcon pointed out that the commitment by wealthy nations to contribute 0.7 percent of their Gross National Product to development programs has fallen far short of completion. In his statements to La Jornada, Ricardo Alarcon said that the flow of capital is still from South to North -- with underdeveloped countries financing nations that have been developed for a long time -- when the flow of capital should be from North to South. And the Cuban lawmaker emphasized that to achieve real development, it will be necessary to eliminate the foreign debt of poor countries and generate financial aid without attaching conditions. The leader of the Cuban Parliament said that while it is difficult to be optimistic for world peace following the tragic events of September 11th and the declaration of a never-ending war against real or imagined enemies by the United States, one must never give up the struggle for a more just and humane society. *CUBA HAS LOWEST TB MORTALITY RATE IN LATIN AMERICA Havana, March 20 (RHC)--Cuba has the lowest mortality rate for tuberculosis in all of Latin America -- 7.9 for every 100,000 inhabitants. According to a new report issued by the World Health Organization, Cuba is far and away the leader in the fight against tuberculosis. Compared to Cuba's 7.9, Chile registers 19.9 deaths for every 100,000 of its citizens, Costa Rica weigh in with 22, El Salvador with 24, Argentina registers a mortality rate of 31.8, Brazil with 47, Honduras with 62 and Peru comes in last with 151. Doctor Libertad Carreras, head of Cuba's National Immunology Group, told reporters that tuberculosis has almost been completely eliminated as a disease on the island. She noted that treatment is universal and free-of-charge -- as is all medical attention in Cuba. Dr. Carreras said that as a result of the anti-tuberculosis program, begun in 1971, nine out of every 10 patients with TB in Cuba have been treated and cured. Throughout the world, tuberculosis affects some 30 million people -- all of whom could die within the next few years if they do not receive proper treatment. *NGOs PREDICT GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR WILL CONTINUE TO WIDEN Monterrey, Mexico, March 20 (RHC)--Non-governmental organizations at the International Conference on Funding for Development have formally asserted that the gathering is a failure, that the gap between rich and poor will only widen. Some 35 NGOs released a document late Tuesday entitled "The Reality of Aid," which asserts that international assistance alone will never eradicate poverty if there isn't a restructuring of global relations in the areas of finance, trade and environmental protection. The anti-free market globalization activists charged that in the past several years, rich nations haven't only gotten richer, but have also become more miserly -- pointing out that 24 industrialized nations control 70 percent of the votes at the World Bank. Without foreign debt cancellation, asserts the document, aid will be increasingly useless and part of an established order that tolerates poverty. The document was made public as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development revealed that funds earmarked for the struggle against poverty in the year 2000 fell by 24 percent with respect to the previous year. Several prominent participants at the event in Monterrey, Mexico, have bluntly criticized rich nations, including former US President James Carter, who called the current US administration's recent announcement of more aid for development "a drop of water in a bucket." Controversial Hungarian-American financier George Soros called the announcement a package that is nicely wrapped but empty. And UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's appeal for a 50-billion-dollar a year hike in government-to-government assistance has not been included in the gathering's final declaration, called the Monterrey Consensus - which has been described as a vague 16-page summons to raise living standards in poor countries. *GROWING RESISTANCE IN ISRAELI MILITARY AGAINST OCCUPATION Jerusalem, March 20 (RHC)--Rebellion within the Israeli military has continued to spread, with another 2 army reservists thrown in jail Wednesday for refusing to serve in occupied Palestinian territories. Israeli paratroopers Yishai Mor and Sergio Yani joined another 7 army reservists currently serving a 28-day jail sentence as conscientious objectors. This is reportedly the largest number of Israeli soldiers in jail at the same time for refusing to serve in the past ten years. The two soldiers belong to a conscientious objector movement established in 1982 during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, called "Yesh Gevul" - a play on words that can mean "there is a border" or "there is a limit." Spokespersons for the growing movement said the soldiers refuse to oppress the Palestinian people or to serve outside of Israel's recognized border. Since the Palestinian uprising began 18 months ago, close to 50 army reservists have faced military court proceedings, including most of the original group that in late January signed an open letter to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon expressing their refusal to kill, starve out, oppress and humiliate the Palestinian people. The original 52 signatories of the open letter have now grown to 331, grouped in a new organization called "Ometz Learev," or "Courage to Refuse." This group has asserted that it is not pacifist, but rather, was acting out of a sense of patriotism. One of the organization's leaders, Amit Meshiah, said that since the publication of the open letter, the Israeli army has stepped up its human rights abuses in occupied territory, which, he added, gives them more reason to continue their struggle. A recent survey indicated that 25 percent of the Israeli population believe that the military rebellion is morally correct. The survey came as a former Israeli intelligence chief, reserve Admiral Ami Ayalon, surprised the nation by coming out in support of the rebellion. He said his move responded to deep concern over the number of Palestinian children killed by Israeli soldiers in the past months. *PROTEST IN ZIMBABWE AGAINST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS LARGELY INEFFECTIVE Harare, March 20 (RHC)--A general strike called by Zimbabwe's trade union federation after a hotly disputed presidential election has been largely ignored in the capital, Harare. News agencies interviewing people on the streets of Harare found that there is no interest in a political strike now that the elections are over, and that people just want to build the nation and improve their lives. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions' call for a 3-day general strike beginning Wednesday, coincided with the country's one-year suspension from the Commonwealth. But with a large unemployment rate, Zimbabweans seemed more concerned about holding on to their jobs and bringing home a pay check. Traffic was reportedly normal coming in from the suburbs and a nearby city, while a large market in the working-class suburb of Mbare was teeming and schoolchildren were seen heading to school. Neither have formal charges of treason against Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai seem to have made ripples in the country's political scenario. The leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, accused of having a pro-western agenda favoring a new type of colonialism in Zimbabwe, was immediately released on a 27,000 dollar bail. Tsvangirai is accused of participating in a plot to assassinate President Robert Mugabe. *CHENEY FAILS TO PERSUADE MIDEAST LEADERS ON MILITARY ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ Ankara, March 20 (RHC)--Instead of convincing countries in the Middle East to support a US military campaign against Iraq, Vice President Richard Cheney was forced to calm fears in the region concerning such an eventual move in the short-term. Following the extensive tour, Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said Cheney told him that there will be no such attack now or in the near future. According to news dailies in Turkey, the US vice president expressed to Turkish leaders Washington's determination to overthrow Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, while assuring allies that it will not be done in a manner that will destabilize the region. On several occasions Ankara has expressed fear that attacking Baghdad could favor the creation of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq. Other nations in Cheney's Mideast tour were unanimous in telling Washington that instead of focusing on Iraq, the United States should be doing much more to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. *UNEMPLOYED ARGENTINES LAUNCH ANOTHER ROAD-BLOCK PROTEST Buenos Aires, March 20 (RHC)--Unemployed Argentines massively blocked roads and highways Wednesday demanding the release of one of their arrested leaders and welfare assistance. The protesters are demanding the release of 26-year-old Emilio Ali, arrested almost 2 years ago for leading a peaceful assault on a supermarket demanding the distribution of free food. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison. Thousands blocked highways leading into the capital, Buenos Aires, and in the country's interior. Interior Security Secretary Juan Jose Alvarez admitted that more police than usual have been mobilized. Argentines are planning another protest next Sunday, on the anniversary of the March 24, 1976 military coup, in which organizers are asking participants to also remember the 32 people killed last December during a social uprising that toppled the government of Fernando de la Rua. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund stated Wednesday that renewed financial aid for Argentina is not probable unless the country complies with all IMF demands. Of the list of 10 IMF demands, President Eduardo Duhalde has already insisted that it's impossible to comply with 2: the unfreezing of bank accounts, and a ban on the printing of money in the provinces aimed at paying the salaries of public workers. With Argentina's multi-billion dollar capital flight in recent months, authorities believe that lifting the bank withdrawal freeze would leave the country bankrupt. And the country has seen numerous and violent public workers' protests demanding the payment of backlogged salaries. *COLOMBIAN WAR-TAX PLAN SPARKS CONTROVERSY Geneva, March 20 (RHC)--The Colombian government's plan to implement a war tax to finance its military campaign against leftist rebels has sparked controversy in the nation. Colombian Labor Minister Angelino Garzon stated that the war shouldn't be financed by the poor - in reference to a proposal that workers donate one day of their salaries each month. Garzon said everything invested in war is lost, and only generates destruction and misery. Participating in an International Labor Organization gathering in Geneva, he said he personally felt that all efforts should be directed towards peace. The labor minister said a breakdown in the rebel-government peace process should not translate into a failure to continue searching for peace. Colombian labor leaders have also termed as absurd the idea of donating salaries. Viewpoint: *UN RIGHTS COMMISSION: A MARKETPLACE WHERE VOTES ARE BOUGHT AND SOLD? The hostility of nine US administrations toward Cuba has been effective in numerous ways. It has made possible the organization of mercenaries and the application of a cruel economic blockade. It has encouraged illegal and dangerous emigration and has gathered forces to paint a dismal picture of human rights on the island. Despite the fact that the draft resolution presented by the United States in the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva in l998 was rejected, in the following years Washington has blatantly manipulated the Commission into passing its anti-Cuba proposals. The government of George W. Bush, like its predecessors, has taken advantage of the traditional role played by the industrialized nations in the area of human rights. The Commission's 58th session began on Monday in the Swiss city with the attendance of more than three thousand delegates and guests, who will witness how the rich nations negotiate resolutions as though they were bargaining in a street market. The 53 countries that make up the Commission will approve close to a hundred documents, theoretically dealing with all types of circumstances but in reality the politicization imposed by the industrialized North substantially narrows the possibilities. This year's agenda contains important topics like terrorism, xenophobia, racism and the violation of the rights of residents of the occupied Arab territories, but very often the powerful nations manage to twist laudable objectives. In the last decade the unipolarity of the world with the United States as the only superpower, has politicized the United Nations Human Rights Commission and discriminatory mechanisms have prevailed. Each year in Geneva they attempt to impose their prejudiced version of citizen's rights, excluding a priori, social rights strongly supported by the people. This time we can once again expect sophisticated or clumsy maneuvering of draft resolutions and the case of Cuba will be no exception. The Cuban Foreign Minister has denounced the feverish efforts exerted by the White House to find a country willing to "sponsor" its annual anti-Cuba resolution, as the Czech Republic has done in the past. Though at first Prague seemed to be reluctant to repeat the farce, it appears the United States is again leaning towards the Czech Republic to fulfill its role after having a difficult time finding a substitute country in Latin America. An element that supports Cuba's charges can be found in the 2002 yearly report on human rights issued by the United States, as if it were the judge of the world. A more than five thousand page State Department document filled with lies and distortions, includes Cuba among the countries negatively judged. A decision, which didn't surprise Havana, but rather, confirmed Washington's intentions to continue its attacks. Now, the offensive is concentrated in Geneva, where once again, US representatives are applying pressure and blackmail to obtain, first, the presentation of an anti-Cuba resolution and then, a favorable vote. But the yearly anti-Cuba campaign in the UN Human Rights Commission and the Commission's selectivity is no longer surprising and each year resistance is growing. (c) 2002 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-30447 2002-Mar-21 03:38:41