Concilio Cubano is a coalition comprised of human rights groups, civic organizations,labor unions and independent professionals considered to be the formal opposition to the current system. Its priority is to spare the nation of any further and unnecessary bloodshed, while seeking to restore it to a state of freedom, justice, and human dignity, as known and upheld throughout the civilized world today. Its intention is to achieve this by using all peaceful and non-violent means available. As a consequence of its activities, members of Concilio Cubano throughout Cuba are currently recieving harassment, persecution, incarceration, and beatings by the Castro regime. The crime of these individuals is the desire to peaceably assemble. In a recent letter to Fidel Castro Ruz, signed by more than one hundred and thirty representatives of advocacy groups throughout Cuba, Concilio Cubano requested a permit for a public and peaceful assembly during February 24, 25, 26, and 27, 1996. That request was denied by the Castro regime on February 20th.
Placing its belief and faith on Articles 3,7,9, 12, 13, 19, and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Concilio Cubano requested to exercise the right to peaceful assemblage. Since its inception, the members of Concilio Cubano were dutiful and true to their announced intent to adhere to peaceful means in their pursuit of democratic expression. In the aforementioned letter, Concilio Cubano also publicly sought participation and assistance from representatives of the United Nations and the Catholic Church to serve as observers during the reunion. They also requested that any and all human rights groups, governments and members of the international community keep a close watch over the activities and members of Concilio Cubano during the month of February and beyond.
Over two hundred plus signatures of well known leaders from around the world, including eleven Nobel Prize winners, reputable intellectuals, writers and human rights activists have gathered in support of the right of the Cuban people to peacefully and non-violently quest for instituting a fully democratic government in Cuba. International political leaders and human rights activists: Desmond Tutu, Elena Booner, Vaclav Havel, Jose Maria Aznar and Margaret Thatcher, among others, have also expressed their support for Concilio Cubano.
It continues to be an inhumane travesty that the free world allows Dictator Castro to blatantly violate all civil rights belonging to the citizens of Cuba.
Official Statement By The Cuban Council
The Cuban people, determined to play a leading role in their own history, have come to that inescapable point in which only urgent and profound changes will prepare them to confront, in a mature fashion, the rights and challenges demanded by civilized society. Our people want those changes to be peaceful, in order to open a new historical chapter with freedom, national independence, democracy, solidarity, and social justice.
This urgent need for change has produced Concilio Cubano (Cuban Council), the deliberate result of a compelling need to find a consensus by all democratic forces, inside and outside the island, who are anxious to raise Cuba to the level demanded by our historical circumstances. Concilio Cubano's immediate goal is a precise one: to create an appropriate framework for debating and designing common strategies.
Therefore, Concilio Cubano is not established as a suprapartisan organization, but rather as a permanent forum where all participating organizations can fashion joint political proposalswhile still maintaining their own identity.
Our initial joint efforts have resulted in the assumptions and purposes stated below, which we are now bringing to the attention of public opinion, both national and international.
FIRST: The determination to work for a totally peaceful transition toward a democratic society under the rule of law, devoid of any vindictiveness, and equally comprising all Cubans.
SECOND: Obtaining unconditional amnesty for all political prisoners.
THIRD: Launching a series of legal transformations that will provide the necessary framework, within the law, to secure absolute respect for all universally recognized human rights, as well as equal participation by all Cubans in an opening process that will lead to economic independence.
FOURTH: The belief that, in order to harmonize the peaceful transition we are advocating with the principle that Cuba is the fatherland and the home of each and every Cuban, it is essential to provide such conditions as will guarantee participation for all Cubans, with no exclusions whatsoever.
Havana, October 10, 1995
Resultado de las primeras elaboraciones mancomunadas es el conjunto de propositos y presupuestos que hoy ponemos en conocimiento de la opinion publica nacional e internacional, y que son los siguentes:
"PRIMERO: La determinacion de trabajar por una transicion absolutamente pacifica hacia un estado democratico de derecho que no albergue violencias, odios, o sentimientos de revanchas y que incluye por igual a todos los cubanos. Por consiguente, Concilio Cubano excluye toda forma de violencia y en particular el terrorismo.
SEGUNDO: El logro de una amnistia incondicional para todos los prisoneros por motivos politicos.
TERCERO: El inicio de un proceso de transfomaciones juridicas que, desde la ley, establezca el marco necesario para garantizar el respeto integral de los derechos humanos universalmente reconocidos, asi como la participacion de todos los cubanos en igualdad de condiciones en un proceso de apertura encaminando hacia la independencia economica.
CUARTO: La conviccion de que, para que la transicion por la que abogamos sea congruente con el principio de que Cuba es patria y hogar de todos los cubanos, es imprescindible ofrecer las condiciones y garantias para que todos ellos participen, sin exclusiones de clase alguna.
La Habana, 27 de noviembre de 1995
Concilio Cubano es la union de la gran mayoria de los grupos y organizaciones independientes que existen dentro de Cuba. Esta asociacion surge de la critica situacion por la que atraviesa el pais.
Concilio Cubano se fundo el 10 de octubre de 1995, proponiendo, desde nacimiento, conciliar todas las fuerzas sobre un punto comun: liberar al pueblo del sistema totalitario que por mas de 37 aos impera en la Isla.
Las organizaciones politicas, humanitarias, sindicales y profesionales que integran Concilio Cubano han subrayado, mediante documentos y declaraciones publicas, que no integran una supraorganizacion, sino un foro de asociaciones que trabajara en una agenda con los asuntos mas urgentes por resolver en Cuba.
El 24 de febrero de 1996 ha sido la fecha escogida para la Primera Asamblea de Concilio Cubano en La Habana, a la cual fueron invitados todos los cubanos organizados en el exilio. Tambien se solicito, mediante un documento oficial de Concilio Cubano, la presencia de funcionarios de Naciones Unidas y la participacion de la Iglesia Catolica.
Como apoyar a Concilio Cubano
Mas de 40 organizaciones cubanas en el exilio decidieron apoyar la gestion de Concilio Cubano y lo proclamaron mediante una declaracion que se publico el 22 de noviembre de 1995. Desde entonces, otras organizaciones de exiliados se adhieren a este apoyo publico y se reunen para dar seguimiento al respaldo coordinando fuerzas y asi solicitar a la comunidad internacional la proteccion de los miembros de Concilio Cubano en la Isla ante las represalias del regimen y tambien reclamar su apoyo en cuanto al ejercicio del derecho que tenemos los cubanos a reunirnos para resolver pacificamentelos problemas del pais.
Estas organizaciones de cubanos exiliados que respaldan Concilio Cubano eligieron un grupo provisional de trabajo encargado de coordinar los esfuerzos de este apoyo. El grupo, compuesto por siete activistas, no representa a este forum criollo, pero si distribuye, con prioridad a las organizaciones, toda la informacion relacionada a Concilio Cubano y exhorta a los cubanos exiliados en todo el planeta a participar en este respaldo tan importante.
Defendamos a los activistas de Concilio Cubano ante la repression gubernamental
Defendamos el derecho de los cubanos a reunirse
Si deseas apoyar a Concilio Cubano o quieres recibir mas informacion te puede comunicarse por las vias siguentes:
Grupo Provisional de Trabajo y Coordinacion Apoyo a Concilio Cubano Fax: 305-662-1748 Tel: 305-667-8541
PO Box 450809 Miami, FL. 33245, USA
This information maintained by John Suarez