A group of Ladies in White were marching peacefully to demand freedom for political prisoners, bringing flowers in their hands, when they were forcefully dragged and beaten by “reformist” Raul Castro’s mobs.Reuters - Apr 9, 2009 - By Susan Cornwell
Obama should insist on rights in Cuba: lawmakers
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama should insist that Cuba release all political detainees before the United States moves to relax trade and travel restrictions with that country, two U.S. lawmakers said on Thursday.
With Obama and Congress reviewing the decades-old U.S. policy of isolating communist Cuba, the Republican lawmakers urged them not to forget human rights on the island 90 miles from U.S. shores.
Representatives Frank Wolf and Chris Smith criticized some of their fellow lawmakers who made a recent visit to Cuba, saying they failed to publicly focus on human rights.
Wolf and Smith, both members of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, urged Obama to read a 2008 State Department report that said Cuba had at least 205 political prisoners. It also said that as many 5,000 Cuban citizens were detained for "dangerousness," but had not been charged with any crime.
"This administration ought to be very careful. They ought not to lift sanctions until the prisoners are out," Wolf told a news conference.
Obama's staff has said he will announce shortly a lifting of restrictions on family travel and remittances between the U.S. and Cuba. In Congress, there is growing bipartisan support for reforming the U.S. policy of isolating Havana, which began soon after Fidel Castro took power in 1959. (continues...)
With Obama and Congress reviewing the decades-old U.S. policy of isolating communist Cuba, the Republican lawmakers urged them not to forget human rights on the island 90 miles from U.S. shores.
Representatives Frank Wolf and Chris Smith criticized some of their fellow lawmakers who made a recent visit to Cuba, saying they failed to publicly focus on human rights.
Wolf and Smith, both members of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, urged Obama to read a 2008 State Department report that said Cuba had at least 205 political prisoners. It also said that as many 5,000 Cuban citizens were detained for "dangerousness," but had not been charged with any crime.
"This administration ought to be very careful. They ought not to lift sanctions until the prisoners are out," Wolf told a news conference.
Obama's staff has said he will announce shortly a lifting of restrictions on family travel and remittances between the U.S. and Cuba. In Congress, there is growing bipartisan support for reforming the U.S. policy of isolating Havana, which began soon after Fidel Castro took power in 1959. (continues...)
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