Library Juice 2:36 Cuba Supplement - Library Juice is now a book and a blog

Library Juice 2:36, Cuba Supplement - September 15, 1999 Contents: 1. Cuba links 2. Cuba facts 3. Fidel to Visit Seattle? 4. Letter printed in Adbusters Magazine 5. PDR's for Cuba 6. "Friends of Cuban Libraries" debate ___________________________________________________________________________top 1. Cuba links "200 million children in the world sleep in the streets today. Not one of them is Cuban." - Cuba Solidarity Page http://www.igc.apc.org/cubasoli/ Web de Cuba http://www2.ceniai.inf.cu// Sitio WEB de la Cultura Cubana http://www.cubarte.cult.cu/ Center for International Policy (CIP) [WWW] "The Center for International Policy was founded in 1975 to promote a U.S. foreign policy that reflects democratic values. Through research, education, and direct public advocacy, CIP works to define and put into practice a more sympathetic, farsighted, and non-militaristic approach to the developing world." Web site includes policy reports on Haiti, Central America, Cuba and the CIA. Also archives of the electronic newsletter, "Central America Update." The Update is available free via email. For more information or subscription contact: Adam Isacson [isacson[at]us.net] or [cip[at]igc.apc.org]. URL: http://www.us.net/cip/index.htm and for the Central America Update: http://www.us.net/cip/caupdate.htm CUBA [WWW] Provides country information, maps, WWW and gopher sites, info on Cuban networks, list archives, news, tourist information, etc. For more information contact [davide[at]ipruniv.cce.unipr.it] URL: http://www.unipr.it/~davide/cuba/home.html ___________________________________________________________________________top 2. Cuba facts: Cuba has the highest literacy rate in the Americas and one of the highest in the world, with 98% of the population having received at least an 8th grade education, according to UNESCO endorsed figures. It has achieved the highest index of teachers per capita in the world, with one teacher per 37 inhabitants (Tovar, C : Democracy in Cuba, Jose Marti, 1997). Cuba has a ninth grade minimum educational level. It has more than one million technicians and university graduates. Practically the whole infant population that needs special education for those with disabilities is provided with it. Schooling for elementary and junior high school levels is universal. The educational budget is high and, regardless of the critical economic situation the country is facing, there is not a single pupil or student that has not had the teachers and minimum material resources to continue studying. Cuba has the world's lowest index in the student teacher ration (Ruiz, E : Cuba - socialist economic reform and modernisation, Jose Marti, 1998). The Cuban model has produced over 500,000 university graduates and hundreds of thousands of technical students. It has 200,000 teachers and professors (many of whom have university degrees and postgraduate studies). It has 11,000 scientists, the vast majority of whom are young. The educational budget for 1994 was in excess of 1.3 billion pesos. Free education has been maintained for 40 years. The per capita of students is the highest in the world (Tovar, 1997). Cuba occupies one of the first places in the world in the per capita of postgraduates that hold scientific degrees. Although, from the qualitative point of view there are still some inefficiencies to be overcome in the teaching and educational process, Cuba ranks in these parameters among the richest nations of the world (Ruiz, 1998). Millions of volumes are stored in Cuban libraries, spread throughout every city and town. Travelling libraries have also been established to transport culture to the country's remotest areas. In 1997 Cuba published 1,858 titles with a print run of 45 million copies. There are 338 public libraries used by 6 million people who borrow 8 million books (Tovar, 1997). >From John Pateman, "The State, Communities and Public Libraries: their role in tackling social exclusion," Information for Social Change No. 9, Summer 1999 / Link-Up 11(1/2) March/June 1999 (joint issue). ___________________________________________________________________________top 3. Fidel to Visit Seattle? Seattle, August 5 (RHC)-Cuban President Fidel Castro has been invited to Seattle, Washington to participate in next November's World Trade Organization to be held in that US city. The invitation was made by Democratic Representative to Washington, Jim McDermott and the Seattle City Council. Although the Cuban President does not require an invitation to participate in the WTO meeting as the island is a member nation, the US legislator said he wanted to extend a formal, respectful and friendly invitation to the Cuban leader to visit the city of Seattle. McDermott said that he believes that his community would love to hear the Cuban leader talk about the future of US Cuba relations. The US Representative condemned Washington's nearly 40 year blockade against Cuba. Carlos Balino Institute Cubans abroad defending the Homeland and the Revolution http://chebucto.ns.ca/CommunitySupport/NSCUBA/CBI/index.html ___________________________________________________________________________top 4. Letter printed in Adbusters Magazine I recently returned from a month-long visit to Cuba where I toured several middle and secondary schools in Havana and surrounding rural provinces. During the tours I noticed a complete absence of graffiti in and around the schools; the children seemed cheerful and well mannered. I asked the teachers how they were able to prevent graffiti and tagging and what measures they took to minimize violence, drugs, weapons, and gang activity. To my amazement they looked at me blankly and stated that they didn't have those problems in their school system. It seemed remarkable to me that with all the limitations and lack of resources that fetter the Cuban economy they are still able to provide an educational environment that is safe, nurturing, civilized, and highly conducive to the educational process. Considering the recent events that occurred at Columbine High School in Colorado, maybe we should send a delegation of teachers and educational administrators to Cuba to find out what they are doing that we are not. Dudley Lewis Santa Cruz, California ___________________________________________________________________________top 5. PDR's for Cuba Anyone wishing to find a good home for retired PDRs (Physicians Desk Reference) of recent vintage can send them to me and I will make sure that they get to Cuba, where they are very much needed. Thanks, Ann Sparanese Englewood Public LIbrary 31 Engle St. Englewood, NJ 07631 ___________________________________________________________________________top 6. "Friends of Cuban Libraries" debate .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. From: raimund.dehmlow[at]aekn.de To: Laurentius[at]listbot.com Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1999 15:04:12 +0200 Subject: Friends of Cuban Libraries Weitergeleitet von Raimund Dehmlow/AEK Niedersachsen on 17.06.99 15:03 "John Pateman" <john.pateman[at]merton.gov.uk> on 17.06.99 11:33:00 Thema: Friends of Cuban Libraries Friends of Cuban Libraries There is a an appeal circulating on the Internet for library workers to write to Fidel Castro regarding the arrest of librarians in Cuba. The so-called "Friends of Cuban Libraries" has launched a campaign to oppose what it terms "the systematic intimidation and arrest of independent librarians in Cuba and the seizure of their book collections". It is claimed that since April 1998, 16 "independent libraries, entirely free of government control" have opened in Cuba. These libraries "offering collections donated by the public, explicitly reject the censorship to which Cuba's government-funded libraries are subjected". It is also claimed that these libraries offer books for children which are not available due to Cuba's "sharp economic decline". In the face of these assertions and allegations it is necessary to state the following facts : 1. Cuba has a very well developed infrastructure of libraries, offering books to all of the people in Cuba in urban and rural areas. The same cannot be said of most other developing countries. 2. the children's sections of these libraries are well stocked. The new public library in Havana, for example, has an excellent children's section. 3. any shortages of children's - or any other books - has been created by the 40 year illegal blockade of Cuba by the US. This blockade applies to food and medicine as well as books. This blockade has affected Cuba's ability to publish books - something which most other developing countries do not do. 4. given the shortages created by the US blockade, Cuba has concentrated on publishing books which help to build the revolution. They are not going to squander precious resources on supporting counter revolutionary publications. 5. the collapse of the USSR led to Cuba losing 85% of its trade. The US took this opportunity to tighten the blockade of Cuba via the Torricelli Act. This Act has two tracks - one is to tighten the blockade; the other is to fund counter revolutionary organisations in Cuba. 6. the "independent libraries" and other "non governmental organisations" in Cuba are receiving funding from the US government as part of their 40 year effort to overthrow the Cuban revolution. If UK library workers want to be Friends of Cuban Libraries they should support the efforts of the Cuban government to maintain a comprehensive and efficient library infrastructure which is one of the triumphs of the revolution. Cuban libraries have enabled the literacy rate to increase from 25% before the revolution to 100% today. The so-called "independent" libraries and librarians are seeking to undermine these achievements. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. From Ann Sparenese: I tried to do some follow-up on the posting regarding the "repression" of Cuban "independent libraries." I phoned and spoke to Mr. Kent, who is a librarian. There are many US visitors to Cuba who travel to Cuba mainly for the purpose of searching for "dissidents" and Mr. Kent, who describes himself as "no friend" of the Cuban government is among these. When I asked where I could verify these claims he referred me to www.cubanet.org. As you will see when you get there, it is a site pretty much dedicated to the various cases and claims of political repression in Cuba. As stated on the site, Cubanet is funded by the following organizations: National Endowment for Democracy (which supports a number of anti-Cuban government enterprises emanating from such places as the National Republican Institute, Ronald Reagans's creation); the Open Society Institute (a Soros thing), USAID (dedicating to advancing the "political and economic interests of the United States) and "private donors, including two very special anonymous ones." Any guesses? I'm sure the Cuban American National Foundation of the late Jorge Mas Canosa and/or surrogates constite this group of donors. Cubanet is headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida. On their site is an article in Spanish under the link "bibliotecas" which basically covers the project of independent libraries. My Spanish is not that good, so I have been reading it slowly. But I have not been able to find any other information on the net or through others involved with Cuba about the particulars that Mr. Kent's posting involves. Since this seems to be a project of CubaNet, one can figure out where the funding is coming from. We all know that there is not complete intellectual or any other kind of freedom in Cuba or anywhere else in the world. The Cubans, moreover, have been under a state of siege by the US government for about 40 years, and, folks, despite recent announcements by the US government to the contrary, it isn't getting any better, although more US people, especially students, may be able to travel more freely in the near future. The Cubans can still purchase not so much as an aspirin from US corporations here or abroad. US money is pouring in to support anti-government activities. If a foreign government attempted to have the kind of influence here that the US attempts to have there through the influx of dollars...well, you know the answer to that. Although there are legitimate claims to more intellectual and political freedoms in Cuba as in every other country, many such "dissident" elements are completely tainted by the aggressive postures of the Cuban exile community and the hostile and destabilizing policies of the US government. I don't mean to preach to the converted or to be apologist for anything. But I believe that the main concern of US progressives on Cuba should be to END the US embargo and to END the continuing aggressive US policy. Without these elements, Cuba will be freer to develop a society more "democratic" in the political sense although democracy certainly has a profound economic meaning which the Cubans -- and not ourselves -- have done much to develop. In the meantime, in my way of looking at it, there is a fence on which it is impossible to sit. Despite all the problems in Cuba today -- the sad effects of increased tourism, the role of the dollar and who has them, etc., the Cubans have managed to maintain the two most importants gains of the Revolution: free and equal healthcare and free and equal education. If a few librarians feel put upon -- if indeed, any of this is true -- I just can't get past the point of thinking that the best way to advance the interests of al the Cuban people is to fight against our country's persecution of them through its bizarre and obscene policies. Of this perspective, I think Mr. Kent and his ilk have virtually NO appreciation -- at least they never bother to mention it. Ann Sparanese Englewood Library Englewood, NJ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. From: raimund.dehmlow[at]aekn.de X-Lotus-FromDomain: ÄRZTEKAMMER_NIEDERSACHSEN To: Laurentius[at]listbot.com Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 11:55:51 +0200 Subject: Cuban Libraries Support Group The Cuban Libraries Support Group was established on 1 July 1999 to support : 1. Cuban libraries, librarians, library and information workers and the Cuban Library Association (ASCUBI). 2. Cuba�s free and comprehensive education system and high literacy levels. 3. the Cuban people�s right to self determination and to choose the social, political and economic systems which support their library service. Partners The Cuban Libraries Support Group will work in partnership with : 1. Information for Social Change, a grass-root activist organisation for library and information workers which : * addresses issues of freedom of information and censorship as they affect library and information work * promotes alternatives to mainstream library and information provision * provides a forum for the exchange of radical views on library and information issues * debates ethics and freedom with the library and information professions * challenges the dominant paradigms of library and information work 2. The Library Association is the UK professional body representing over 25,000 members working in library and information services of all kinds. At its Annual General Meeting the Library Association agreed the following motion �Recognising the damage caused to Cuban libraries by the illegal US blockade and building on the IFLA conference held in Havana, this AGM calls upon the Library Association via its International Committee and the International Group to : * work through IFLA to develop and support libraries in Cuba * encourage a co-operative agreement with ASCUBI (Cuban Library Association) * work with the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, Book Aid International, the RNIB and other institutions to send material aid to Cuban libraries * lobby the government to end the information blockade of Cuba * recognise and support Cuban library and information professionals via subscriptions to associations, journals and networks and supporting professional events linked to Cuba * help to set up twinning initiatives between libraries in the UK and Cuba 3. The Cuba Solidarity Campaign aims to provide information and resources on Cuba, to promote positive links between the two countries and to develop solidarity, specifically : * respect for Cuba�s right to sovereignty and independence * an end to interference in Cuba�s internal affairs by foreign governments * an end to the US economic blockade of Cuba * the normalisation by the US of all diplomatic, cultural, scientific and travel relations with Cuba 4. Book Aid International works in partnership with people in developing countries to support literacy, education, training and publishing by providing books and other reading materials - which help give them the chance to realise their potential and contribute to the development of their societies. Book Aid have contacts with a number of Cuban libraries and organisations, including : * Universities of Santa Clara and Havana * Ministry of Health, Proinfo (library school), GELI (language institute) * Jose Marti National Library, Havana Public Library * Institutes of Nefrologia, Cardiology and Anaesthesiology * Inst Cubana Amist Pueblo, Ciego de Avila Ctr Hygeine Activities The Cuban Libraries Support Group will : 1. work with Information for Social Change, the Library Association, the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, Book Aid and other agencies to disseminate information about the Cuban library system 2. produce articles for publication and arrange meetings which discuss the achievements of the Cuban education and library services 3. organise a study tour to Cuba to visit libraries and meet with Cuban librarians and library and information workers. 4. support the Cuban National Programme for the Development of Reading. This is a strategic, long term programme based on the collective efforts of all those groups and institutions interested in promoting books and reading among the Cuban people. These include : National Library Jose Marti ; Cuban Institute of the Book ; Cuban Society of Friends of the Book ; Cuban Institute of Radio and Television ; and the National Centre of Community Culture. Facts about Cuban education, literacy and libraries In 1959 a popular liberation struggle overthrew the hated US-backed Batista dictatorship in Cuba. A country where the vast majority of people were impoverished and underemployed, began a 40 year transformation that has completely changed their lives. Today Cuba has : * a widely respected, free education service which has raised Cuban educational standards to the highest in Latin America (UNESCO, 1998) * education for all. The percentage of children at school jumped from 50% to 80% between 1959 and 1962. Today all children attend school and are guranteed a minimum ninth grade education * pre school education for the children of all working mothers. 90% of pre school children attend nursery education and the percentage continues to rise * comprehensive higher education. Today every province has its own university, while before the revolution there were only three. * special needs education for all who need it, either in special or mainstream schools. This is unique in the Third World. The staffing ratio is much higher than in Britain. * eliminated illiteracy (endorsed by UNESCO statistics).This is a national priority. Illiteracy plummeted during the Great Literacy Campaign of 1960/61 and has continued to fall, while in the US it stands at 12%. * a well developed infrastructure of public, academic and special libraries. * over 300 public libraries, which possess over 7 million titles, nearly 6 million of them books. Public libraries are used by 5.9 million people, borrowing 8 million books pa. * over 300 book shops * nine publishing houses which produce over 2,000 titles pa, with a total print run of more than 45 million copies, equivalent to more than 20 titles per 100,000 inhabitants The blockade Cuba has been subjected to an illegal blockade by the US government for 40 years. This blockade applies to all goods including food, medicine, books and information. In 1998, at the United Nations, 157 countries, including Britain, voted against the blockade. Only 2 countries, USA and Israel, voted to support it ! Despite this clear statement of world opinion the US government has refused to comply with the resolution. Cuba has started legal proceedings to reclaim over £1billion in damages from Washington for deaths and injuries the socialist island has suffered during 40 years of US hostility The compensation claim demands damages for 3,478 Cubans killed and 2,099 disabled as a result of �sabotage, bombings and other hostile terrorist acts� caused by hostile US government policy toward Cuba following the 1959 revolution. Lawyers will present declassified US intelligence documents from the period registering plans by the US security services to destabilise the government and overthrow President Fidel Castro This strategy was intensified by the Helms-Burton and Torricelli Acts. Track 1 of the Torricelli Act strengthened the illegal blockade. Track 2 funds �non governmental organisations� such as the so-called �Friends of Cuban Libraries� (sic) formed by Robert Kent and Jorge Sanguinetty. Robert Kent is a librarian who lives in New York City. According to Ann Sparanese (Englewood Library, NJ) who has spoken to Mr Kent : �There are many US visitors to Cuba who travel there mainly for the purpose of searching for �dissidents� and Mr Kent, who describes himself as �no friend� of the Cuban government is among these�. Mr Kent�s trips to Cuba are paid for by Freedom House and the Centre for a Free Cuba, which are funded by the US government under Track 2 of the Torricelli Act. Mr Kent gets much of his information about Cuba from Cubanet which, according to Ann Sparanese, �is funded by the following organisations : National Endowment for Democracy (which supports a number of anti Cuban government enterprises emanating from such places as the National Republican Institute, Ronald Reagan�s creation) ; the Open Society Institute (funded by George Soros) ; USAID (dedicated to �advancing the political and economic interests of the United States�) and private donors, including two very special anonymous ones�. Cubanet is based in Miami, home of the violently anti Cuban and US funded Cuban American National Foundation. Jorge Sanguinetty lives in Miami, which is the base for most anti Cuban activities. He works for Radio Marti, a US government funded radio station which invades Cuban airwaves and broadcasts a constant stream of propaganda that encourages Cubans to overthrow their government. To add insult to injury , the radio station is named after Jose Marti, the Cuban national hero. For more information For more information about the Friends of Cuban Libraries, contact John Pateman at John.Pateman[at]merton.gov.uk John Pateman is a member of the Society of Chief Librarians and has visited Cuban libraries in 1993, 1995 and 1999. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. From: "robert kent" <rkent45[at]hotmail.com> To: ALA International Relations Round Table <alaworld[at]ala1.ala.org> Subject: ANOTHER LIBRARIAN ARRESTED Date: Sat, 28 Aug 1999 08:37:12 PDT Attached below is an update on the persecution of Cuba's independent librarians. Please write to Cuban officials and your Members of Congress. It is not a crime to be a librarian or to oppose censorship! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- AN APPEAL FROM THE FRIENDS OF CUBAN LIBRARIES An article in the August 25, 1999, issue of the "Diario Las Americas" newspaper reports that the home of Ramon Colas and Berta Mexidor, the founders of Cuba's independent library movement, has been raided by the State Security police. According to the newspaper reporter, Ariel Remos, on August 23 the two independent librarians, who are a married couple, were evicted from their home, which doubles as the location of the independent Felix Varela Library. Although Colas and Mexidor were permitted to remove personal belongings from their home, it is not known if their library collection was seized by the State Security police, as has happened with other independent libraries in Cuba. In the course of the eviction Ramon Colas was reportedly arrested on unknown grounds and is now being held at at unknown location. Full details (in Spanish only) may be found on the newspaper's website (www.diariolasamericas.com) for August 25. The Friends of Cuban Libraries has issued an international appeal to protest this latest act of repression by the Cuban government. We urge librarians, library associations and human rights organizations around the world to express concern to Cuban officials. Letters may be sent to: Dr. Fidel Castro Ruz, Presidente de los Consejos de Estado y de Ministros, La Habana, Cuba. BACKGROUND: Since April 1998, 17 independent libraries have been established in Cuba. These independent institutions make a point of collecting materials which reflect all points of view, not just the officially-approved ideology. The independent librarians refuse to submit to the censorship to which government-funded libraries are subjected. The Cuban government has responded harshly to the creation of independent libraries. The librarians of these institutions have been subjected to harassment, threats, short-term arrests, and the confiscation of their collections. The Friends of Cuban Libraries is an independent, non non-partisan organization which opposes censorship and all other violations of intellectual freedom in Cuba. Further information can be obtained by e-mailing: rkent45[at]hotmail.com. Robert Kent (Friends of Cuban Libraries) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1999 19:51:16 -0500 To: SRRT Action Council <srrtac-l[at]ala.org> From: Al Kagan <akagan[at]uiuc.edu> Subject: ANOTHER LIBRARIAN ARRESTED I am just back from the IFLA meeting. You may be interested to know that the new IFLA Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression Committee is looking into this situation and will report back. They did not have enough information yet to say anything definitive at the meeting. The question was raised as to whether or not this might be a bogus claim for propaganda purposes, and/or if there was outside funding for these libraries (implying US Government funding). I will report back on the FAIFE Committee's response. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. I'm going to Cuba in October with Global Exchange and hope to visit a few libraries and talk to librarians. I hope to find out what's happening but suspect it is right-wing propaganda. I'll let you all know what, if anything, i discover. Roberta Frye, Oakland Public Library (Melrose Branch), CA .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. I trust you will go to Cuba with an open mind and consider visiting a broad range of libraries, not just the censored state-funded institutions. The independent librarians welcome visitors and foreign visitors are especially rare. They would also be pleased if you brought them a few books, regardless of the viewpoints expressed by the authors. Eighteen independent libraries are now open in Cuba, and the Friends of Cuban Libraries would be happy to provide you with their addresses. Robert Kent Friends of Cuban Libraries .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. In the past few days there have been postings to both the IFRT and the IRRT lists from Robert Kent, Friends of Cubanaries. Here is a response I have received from John Pateman, Head of Libraries,Merton Council, London, England, and the Cuban Library Support Group Norman Horrocks, Member, ALA IFRT ALA IRRT (British)LA Internional Group ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 11:11:00 +0100 From: John Pateman <john.pateman[at]merton.gov.uk> To: robert kent <rkent[at]hotmail.com> Cc: nhorrock[at]is.dal.ca Subject: Another Librarian Arrested Robert I have seen your latest "press release" which has no credence as both these so-called dissidents and your Friends of Cuban Libraries are both funded by the US government. The Cuban Library Support Group - in liaison with the Library Association, Book Aid International, Cuba Solidarity Campaign and Information for Social Change - is independent and receives no government funding. We are also in contact with the ALA and SRRT and we will continue to support Cuban libraries and counter the misinformation put out by CIA front organisations. John Pateman ___________________________________________________________________________ [From]: jo grant <jgrant[at]bookzen.com> on 03.09.99 19:00:18 An: Raimund Dehmlow/AEK Niedersachsen Kopie: Thema: Re: Cuban Library Debate raimund, I'm a bit troubled by this post today. Not knowing the people involved with the Friends of Cuban Libraries, and looking at their U.S. connections--the Brookings Institute, for example--does not place them in a position that is above suspicion. My wife has interacted with and attended international library conferences with Cuban librarians and has found them to be committed to their work as librarians, and always low on finding. In Mexico a few years ago, the Cuban librarians who made it to the conference had only round-trip airfare. Consequently librarians (my wife and a collegue of hers) adopted one and shared everything with her--food, lodging, everything. (It wasn't unusual for "their" Cuban librarian to in turn, share her food with children who were begging in the streets.). So now comes the Friends of Cuban Libraries whose primary thrust appears to be importing books to test the response of the Cuban government to the boks and literature they are sending/bringing to the island. I'm troubled that there are no titles mentioned so I have a better understanding of the content of the books. Although I oppose censorship I do understand the position Fidel Castro takes on certain books and on the actions by people who appear to be more interested in proviking the government, than they are in supporting the goals of the revolution. As for the source of funds used by Friends of Cuban Libraries, if they are getting money from the U.S. Agency for International Development, I question their objectivity and their ability to state that they are independent and nonpartisan. It shouldn't be difficult to find out exactly what books and pamphlets the Cuban government has confescated--if, indeed they have confescated private libraries. I think it's safe to say that, for the most part, the Miami Cubans have not developed a reputation for objectivity and nonpartisanship. Keep the information coming. I appreciate being on the list since I would not have the time to gather the infomation if I were not. I'm not sure how I am going to fund it, but I dearly want to spend some time in Cuba with a digital camera and a laptop with the software to edit video tape. Since the time I was in Cuba in the 50s, and saw first-hand how the Cuban people were forced to live under the U.S.suported dictatorship, I have been a supporter of the revolution. If only one of us could win a lottery to support our needs we'd have a reservea to investigate everything ourselves. The problem with that is no one has money to waste on lottery tickets. So it goes. j grant .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 03:11:48 -0400 To: SRRT Action Council <srrtac-l[at]ala.org> From: Mark Rosenzweig <iskra[at]earthlink.net> Subject: So-called "Friends of Cuban Libraries" I question the claims of Robert Kent to be representing an organization which is non-partisan and objective with regards to Cuba. His co-founder, the Miami-based Sanguinetty of the so-called Friends of Cuban Libraries is noted as an employee of US government sponsored Radio Marti which is far from non-partisan and objective. It is a US propaganda outlet, pure and simple. The Friends of Cuban Libraries is, as he admits, associated with Freedom House which is known to have had, over the years, close and barely concealed connections with the CIA and its operations. The Center for a Free Cuba is obviously not non-partisan and objective, as its very name suggests. Mr Kent and his colleague have shown no interest to my knowledge in working to lift the US enforced blockade which has crippled the material basis for cultural development in Cuba, effecting its libraries as well as many othermore fundamental sectors of Cuban society. He has never contacted SRRT about our efforts to help lift the blockade, nor has he been interested in our programming which has involved Cuban librarians. He is involved, rather, in a propaganda operation, which is his right. But to misrepresent it as non-partisan or objective or concerned with working with Cuba's libraries and librarians is nonsense. What he is doing is creating a propaganda scenario for exploitation by opponents of the Cuban revolution and Cuban sovereignty. Mark Rosenzweig editor, Progressive Librarian .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. "John Pateman" <john.pateman[at]merton.gov.uk> on 06.09.99 10:52:00 Thema: RE: Cuban Library Debate Robert Kent claims that his so-called "Friends" (sic) of Cuban libraries are not funded by the US govt, yet he admits that on 4 occasions he has taken books and pamphlets to Cuba for Freedom House and the Center for a Free Cuba which he describes as "human rights organisations which have received publication grants from the US Agency for International Development." Kent also admits that on 3 occasions his travel expenses were paid wholly or in part by Freedom House or the Center for a Free Cuba. An article in the latest copy of "Cuba Si", the journal of the Cuban Solidarity Campaign, provides a valuable listing of US anto Castro organisations and their levels of US govt funding, compiled by the US activist Mark Rushton. The list shows that in Jan 1999 the US govt had allocated $3.1m in funding for organisations that are dedicated to the overthrow of the Cuban govt. The list, which is derived from the official US Aid dept website so we know it must be true, includes Freedom House which received US govt funding of $500,000 and the Center for a Free Cuba which received $400,000. Robert Kent and the Friends of Cuban Libraries are funded by Freedom House and the Center for a Free Cuba which are, in turn, funded by the US govt. They are not independent or non political. They seek to overthrow the Cuban govt. The UK based Cuban Library Support Group is indepenedent and receives no govt funding. The Group is supported by the British Library Association, Book Aid International, Information for Social Change and the Cuba Solidarity Campaign. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. From Ann Sparenese: Some Words on the So-Called "Friends of Cuban Libraries" Since we are now hearing from Mr. Robert Kent regularly on our SRRTAC-L, I feel it is necessary to present more information about the so called "Independent Libraries" project that he, with his co-chairman Jorge Sanguinetty, is championing through his so-called "Friends of Cuban Libraries." First of all, not one of these so-called libraries is a library, and not one of the allegedly repressed librarians is, or ever was, a professional librarian. If anyone would like to verify this statement, you should visit the web page of Cubanet (www.cubanet.org), which is the only place you will be able to find any substantial information whatsoever about them. All the so-called libraries are listed and personal information is given about all their "directors." What most of these individuals appear to have in common is NOT that they are displaced librarians, but their membership in a opposition political party (the Partido Solidaridad Democratica is the most frequently cited) and the operation of an propaganda base of some sort out of their home or a storefront. Many have lost their legitimate occupations (such as doctors, economists, professors, etc.) which they claim was for political reasons. They no longer practice their professions but, for whatever reason, now are professional dissidents. I repeat, not one of them was a librarian or claims to have been removed as a librarian. I will repeat the information given in my first post on the subject of Cubanet. Cubanet itself, the main promoter of the "Independent Libraries Project in Cuba" is based in Coral Gables, Florida and financed by the following: National Endowment for Democracy, which -- hardly neutral, but a quasi U.S. government institution -- supports a number of anti-Cuban government enterprises emanating from such organizations as the National Republican Institute (Ronald Reagan's creation); the Open Society (part of the Soros foundations); and USAID, the stated purpose of which is to advance the political and economic interests of the United States. Also credited for funding Cubanet are unnamed "private donors, including two very special anonymous ones." The right-wing Cuban National Foundation, perhaps, or perhaps the late Jorge Mas Canosa's surrogates? Since they won't tell us (for a reason) we can only take a good guess. Cubanet devotes many pages to these libraries as a "project" for which they are soliciting financial aid and sponsors. These "libraries" are being created, as we write, to bring attention to the viewpoints of these political dissidents, collect money (they are apparently all out of their jobs) and grab the sympathy of advocates of freedom of expression on the basis of opposition to "censorship", which is presumably a neutral and shared value which we librarians should all rally around. But is this all so neutral and disinterested as Mr. Kent insists in all his posts? What about his trips and his arrest in February? He apparently believes that admitting that his trips are financed by Freedom House and the Center for a Free Cuba, this makes his activities acceptable and that his arrest in Cuba makes him some kind of IF hero. But these connections - which of course eventually would have been revealed if Mr. Kent did not reveal them himself -- make Mr. Kent's credibility even more suspect. Why would these organizations fund him and why would he accept their funding? Freedom House is no simple "human rights organization" - it is also heavily endowed by the ubiquitous USAID, and the US Information Agency, among other funders. The Torricelli Act provides for U.S. government support to non-governmental organizations in Cuba, meant of course to be subversive. If my memory serves me correctly, Pres. Clinton presented a large check to Freedom House not so long ago for this express purpose. What exactly is Mr. Kent doing for Freedom House and what is their legitimate business inside Cuba? In his determination to champion the political freedoms of dissidents in Cuba, Mr. Kent does not concern himself with the fact that other U.S. citizens, unless they receive a "license" from the US government are prohibited from traveling and/or spending money in Cuba at risk of jail or fines. For every "independent librarian" who has been harassed and/or arrested in Cuba, hundreds of US citizens (on trips NOT approved by the U.S. government as was Mr. Kent's) returning from Cuba have been harassed at customs; had their belongings, Cuban materials and/or passports confiscated; have been threatened with fines and jail terms; have actually BEEN fined, and have had the FBI hound them at home and/or work. They have been the subjects of Senate hearings and had their names and addresses published in the hearing reports. Just a couple of years ago, the Pastors for Peace caravan was forced by the U.S. government to stay in a little yellow school bus at the border of Mexico and fasted for over two months in order to bring computers, etc. to Cuba. These violations of the rights of US citizens do not concern Mr. Kent at all. Mr. Kent obviously traveled to Cuba without such threats over his head. Clearly he was doing the work of the US government in Cuba and financed by them. And doing so -- that is, carrying out the work of the U.S. government in a small country with which we do not even have relations -- his freedom of travel and expression is guaranteed, even promoted. The only arrest and harassment he had to worry about was from the Cuban government, and after all, it IS STILL their country, and they can allow in whomever they please, just as the U.S. and every other sovereign country does. Mr. Kent claims that his organization is not a front for an "espionage agency." Note that the disclaimer is very specific, because it apparently is a front for something, since Mr. Kent's trips are paid for and sanctioned by government-funded organizations. What exactly was Mr. Kent carrying into Cuba? We don't know because he wants us to think it is impartial materials showing both sides of everything and written by patriotic, though censored, Cubans. Most likely it was quite one-sided propaganda materials published and printed by Freedom House. Perhaps the "small sums of money" he admits to carrying was to support the "political process" in Cuba, namely the support of the party to which most of these so-called "librarians" belong - the Partido Solidaridad Democratica, or some other opposition party? If a foreigner or foreign government did that in the U.S., this would be illegal. Witness the outrage over the alleged Chinese contributions. Even if the sums were not so large as with the alleged Chinese connection, the act would still be illegal. Are the so-called "independent libraries" really so independent? And imagine if the activities of the Cuba Solidarity movement in the US were bankrolled by the Cuban government? It would not only be scandalous, but unless those people had declared themselves to be the "agents of a foreign power" they'd go to jail. But the U.S. Interests Section in Havana regularly funnels money to dissident groups in Cuba. The kind of thing that used to be done covertly by the CIA is now being done openly by the kinds of groups that Mr. Kent represents. And Kent and Sanguinetty would like librarians to be hoodwinked into supporting this because THEY characterize it as an intellectual freedom issue relating to "independent libraries." Mr. Kent claims that his organization, "as an organization" takes no position on the U.S. blockade against Cuba. But Mr. Jorge Sanguinetty, Mr. Kent's co-chair in the so-called "Friends of Cuban Libraries", has anything but this neutral position. He is a very prominent spokesman on this very issue, as any search of the WWW with his name will show. It should come as no surprise that he has nothing to do with libraries either. He is an ex-patriot economist whose stock-and-trade is lecturing on how Cuba should follow the free market road of the European former socialist countries. A recent speech of his at the Center for Strategic and International Studies was avidly against the lifting of the embargo because it would only benefit Castro's monopolistic power and prevent others from benefiting from free enterprise and private property. He preaches the gloom and doom scenario about how the Cuban economy is going to self-destruct any minute unless it adopts the "free market" panacea immediately. I guess he's not a very good economist either, since this prognostication has been going on for YEARS. He also predicted an imminent famine in Cuba on the scale of North Korea. And even given this dire prediction, he wants to see the blockade continue, presumably letting Cubans starve. Go figure. When he's not doing this and running his own company, DevTech, he is working outright for the U.S. government as a commentator on the infamous "Radio Marti" (also openly admitted by Kent, because this credit appears prominently on Sanguinetty's resume.) He agitates, nonstop, for the restoration of capitalism in Cuba. I would say that the position of the so-called Friends of Cuban Libraries on the blockade (especially since the only two "friends" we know are Kent and Sanguinetty) is pretty transparent and anything but non-committal. The restoration of capitalism in Cuba, by any means necessary, has been the road taken by the U.S. Government all these years. I don't' have to recount this sorry history for the SRRTAC-L membership, but here's some free information that Mr. Kent and his misnamed micro-group are NOT publicizing. Presently in Cuban court, there is a case brought by the Cuban peoples' organizations against the United States government for compensation for the deaths and injuries of over 5500 ordinary Cuban citizens as a result of the various aggressions by the U.S. against Cuba for the last 40 years. These acts and the resulting casualties are documented primarily by the release of classified U.S. documents, not simply Cuban-generated information. It is a long, chilling and convincing case, which has received NO coverage in the mainstream press here in this country. If anyone wants a copy, e-mail me and I will send it. It reveals why the Cuban government and the Cuban people feel under siege by our country. (You can also read about it in Fidel Castro's July 26 speech at Cienfuegos on the official Cuban government page, www.Cuba.cu) and this page might also have the whole text of the case.) The war conditions that we have imposed on Cuba, most openly exemplified by the blockade but also including the introduction of biological warfare, the financing of terrorism, the use of the Guantanamo base to initiate provocations and more. This four-decade state of war is a key factor - perhaps THE key factor -- in the resulting lack of full political freedoms in Cuba and the level of official -- and popular-- intolerance of dissidence. This point cannot be emphasized too much. As U.S. citizens, we have to give this reality its full weight, if we are to appreciate the problems of censorship and political intolerance in Cuba. If we believe that we have any role in helping the Cubans to achieve a more perfect democracy, as we might commonly define it, wouldn't our most pressing concern be to end the conditions - caused by our own government - which are arguably responsible? Since the U.S has actually resorted to assassination plots, invasions and the sponsorship of terrorism to accomplish its aims in Cuba during these 40 years, the present strategy represented by the so-called "friends of Cuban Libraries" is probably a sign of profound weakness. The U.S. is now reduced to using people like Kent, the only librarian in the bunch as far as I can tell, to try to win the hearts and minds of other librarians by appealing to our genuine passion for intellectual freedom and freedom of expression. It's a pretty clever idea, because Cuba IS imperfect in this regard, which is no surprise to those of us who have been friends of Cuba for many years. "Friends of Cuban Libraries" want us to believe there is a level playing field and it is the Cubans who are not playing fair. They want us to equate political freedoms we might have here and those of people in Cuba and make a judgement against Cuba. Or course we could make the argument, and I often do, that human rights also encompass the right of all to healthcare, education, housing and employment in as profound a way as does the right to make your house a propaganda center for an opposition party. That the fact that all children are equal in Cuba and their welfare comes before that of any others groups of people in Cuba makes our own nation's sorry commitment to youth look like an outright human rights debacle. Of course, the so-called "Friends of Cuban Libraries" do not see it that way. We have no idea what Cuba might be like, were the U.S. aggression and blockade to end tomorrow. The flowering of Cuban culture and arts, intellectual and sports achievements, healthcare excellence and the educational level of the common people are incredible and acknowledged throughout the world. And this, under conditions of less than perfect political freedom - who knows what Cuba might accomplish without the constant military and economic threats and crises, covert and overt aggressions provoked and carried out by the U.S. government. This is no an abstract issue. In times of war, many freedoms are sacrificed and/or lost and this is as true in our own country as in Cuba. There was NO freedom of the press during our own revolution against the English. Debs went to jail for his pacifist views during wartime. Historical examples go on and on. We have lost our freedom to travel because of 40-year war against Cuba. We can be fined and jailed for doing so. Even today, we risk our jobs for being just a little too red in our opinions - the results of the Cold War -- and the FBI definitely has an active file on us. We do not have accurate information about what is going on in Cuba - from which we might learn a lot -- because our mainstream "free press" is loath to tell anything positive about socialism. So even the most cursory look at the history of nations, including and especially our own, reveals that no nation at war allows full democracy. I'm sorry that Cuba is imperfect, I wish it were perfect. I think that in a perfect world Kent's pretend-librarians should be able to say anything they want, have any literature they want in their homes, and never be arrested (if, indeed, that was what they were arrested for!) But as U.S. citizens, our first responsibility is to get our own imperfectly democratic country to stop interfering overtly and covertly in the internal affairs of the Cuban people. The majority of the Cuban people have made a choice that is theirs and theirs alone to make. The best thing we can do to promote democracy in Cuba is to get the U.S. government to end the blockade, because no country under daily siege can afford full democracy. I hope that every one of you on the SRRTAC-L will read the Cuban case mentioned above and travel to Cuba despite the travel ban. I think we, as progressive U.S. librarians, have to be clear and have to take a side that is unequivocal and cannot be subverted by those who cleverly try to use our best instincts against us - and against the Cuban people who, though less powerful, have spoken. If forty years of American aggression have not made the Cuban people give up their chosen system, they HAVE spoken and they HAVE chosen. I apologize for being so long on this subject, but, personally, I have no intention of continually responding to every provocative post sent by Mr. Kent. In the interest of honesty, Mssrs. Kent and Sanguinetty should rename their group "Friends of Cuban Dissidents"(there's no dishonor in that) and try for a base of support among people for whom opportunism can masquerade as truth more easily. I agree, of course with Mark and Al that SRRT should take an official position on this and support and participate in the program outlined by the Cuban Libraries Support Group. Perhaps we should thank the so-called "Friends of Cuban Libraries" for reminding us to strengthen our opposition to the blockade and to do more to assist the Cuban people to get rid of it, for once and for all. Ann Sparanese SRRTAC Member Englewood Public Library Englewood, NJ Sparanese[at]bccls.org ___________________________________________________________________________top L I B R A R Y J U I C E | http://libr.org/Juice/ | | Original material and added value in Library Juice | is copyright-free; beyond that the publisher makes | no guarantees. Library Juice is a free weekly | publication edited and published by Rory Litwin. | Original senders are credited wherever possible; | opinions are theirs. Your comments and suggestions | are welcome. Juice[at]libr.org This page was created by SimpleText2Html 1.0.3 on 15-Sep-99.