Neglect of economic and social rights is a direct cause--albeit a diffuse and complex one--of violence and social conflicts. The view is generally held and would appear justified that, in the case of certain countries, the extreme poverty of the bulk of the population--itself in part the result of a highly unequal distribution of production resources--has been the basic cause of the terror that has afflicted and is still besetting the countries in question. However, in general the Commission has been extremely cautious in this sensitive area because it has recognized the difficulty of establishing criteria that could be used to measure compliance by the States with their obligations. And it has also understood the very difficult choices the governments have to make in allocating resources between consumption and investment, and, therefore, between present and future generations.
To do so, the Commission has drawn on various sources from which it has obtained sufficient daata to assess the economic and social rights situation in Cuba. One of the main sources used is the report on the "Situation of Human Rights in Cuba" submitted by the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Carl-Johan Groth, to the United Nations Human Rights Commission at its 50th session.
This report--issued by the United Nations on January 24, 1994-- presents certain statistics--prepared in 1993--by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which are quoted below:
a) Life expectancy at birth for 1990 was 75.4 years against 63.8 in 1960;
b) Infant mortality (per 1,000 live births) was 14 children in 1991 against 65 in 1960;
c) The percentage of the population with access to health services (years 1987-1990) was 100%, in both urban and rural areas;
d) The number of inhabitants per physician (years 1984-1989) was 530;
e) The adult literacy rate for 1990 was 94% compared with 87% in 1970;
f) The combined enrollment rate in primary and secondary schools (years 1987-1990) was 95% compared with 76% in 1970.
As will be noted, advances cited above in economics, social and cultural rights do not go beyond 1990. From that year onward economic growth has been negative. This was inevitable given the serious economic crisis affecting the country. A report prepared abroad by the Christian Democrat Party and quoted by the U.N. Special Rapporteur in fact states that "many of the achievments posted, including the low infant mortality rates, high life expectancy and eradication of diseases , are being severely impacted by the current economic crisis. One of the items most affected is surgical materials. Only emergency cases are being operated on and medicines and laboratory materials are unavailable. The lack of medicines and inadequate food supply are giving rise to vitamin deficiencies and serious nutrition problems.
Statistics cited by the European Union confirm the above situation and show that "calorie intake per capita and per day was only 1,780 in 1993, which was 1,065 less than in 1989 and even 770 less than in 1960, whereas the ideal is over 3,000. Between 1989 and 1992, output of eleven of the fifteen main agricultural products slumped alarmingly; livestock production fell by 77% as regards poultry meat and by 69% as regards pork. The fall was equally marked in industrial food production; only one tenth the amount of powdered milk placed on sale in 1989 is being produced. The daily glass of milk is now only being provided in the schools, and not even in all of them, to children up to eight years, whereas it used to be given to children up to age 16".
On this last point, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights wishes to point out that, at its 88th session, witnesses testified about the serious economic situation in Cuba.
Moreover, the U.N. Special Rapporteur states in his analysis of the prevailing economic situation that "Cuba is passing through one of the most difficult periods of its recent history as regards the economic situation. (...) Living standards have deteriorated to a point where basic services such as public transport are currently almost shut down. Public reaction to this situation cannot be other than disillusionment and desperation. Furthermore, the Government tends to resort to repressive measures to silence any expression of discontent or of the slightest dissent. Persecution of individuals is practiced at times at the most petty levels and with a harshness that would appear to any impartial observer to be manifestly out of proportion."
The U.N. Special Rapporteur concludes his analysis by referring to certain of the factors that could have contributed to this situation. In this context he mentions that "The economic reforms are held back by ideological and political factors, in particular by a marked suspicion of anything that might mean limitation of governmental control." (...) "Moreover, the cessation of the flow of aid formerly received from external sources, together with Cuba's virtually total exclusion as a beneficiary of the multilateral financing and technical advice agencies, has not left the government much room for maneuver in this area. A policy toward Cuba based on economic sanctions and other measures aimed at isolating the island constitutes, in the Special Rapporteur's opinion, in the present stage, the most certain way of prolonging an unsustainable domestic situation, since the sole means that would be left to avoid capitulating to external pressures would be to continue making desperate efforts to remain anchored in the past. International sanctions, .... are totally counterproductive if the international community's aim is to improve the human rights situation and at the same time to create conditions for a peaceful and gradual transition to a truly pluralist and civil society."
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights accordingly considers that the Cuban crisis has, primarily, deep internal roots that affect not only the economic, political and social sphere, but also are to be found in all the country's institutions in general. The factors that have contributed to this are, essentially, the subordination to the political branch of the entire Cuban social dimension, the repressive policy of the regime backed by the country's legislation and institutions, coupled with a system that excludes any differing viewpoint and the absence of effective guarantees that would enable persons to assert their rights vis-a-vis the State.
The Commission considers it appropriate, however, to reiterate what it stated in its Seventh Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Cuba:
The Commission trusts that domestic and international conditions will be created that will make it possible to achieve effective and authentic participation by the citizens of Cuba in political decisions affecting them, in setting of freedom and pluralism essential for a real effectiveness of human rights.