Lucas Garve
Cuban Independent News
Agency
HAVANA. - In Havana this summer, the voltage fluctuates daily. May that be because of "El Nino," the Hole in the Ozone Layer, or even because of the Helms-Burton law? The fact remains; the heat is on with merciless adamancy. Weeks go by, days wither, a parade of news. The high temperature of indifference amalgamates them all. Detainees, detentions, hunts, hunters, prey, hideouts, hiding, disappearances, disappeared, expulsions, expelled.
The heat of the slogans increases with the heat of the summer. What a heat! The independent news media is the target of the critic from the official Cuban media and of some other unofficial Cubans. Havana and Miami; united by a high voltage line.
Every day something is thought, spoken, written. An unceasing traffic of words and messages, what may be a magnificent joust, if all participants will add proper emblems to their saddle. Even the political repression of Castro's political police does not yield constant results. It simply increases. During the summer a noticeable increase in detentions, searches and seizures, pressure was experienced. Threats and harassment against all members of the opposition's organizations and in some cases even against their family.
During June; there were 18 detentions, three searches, three citations and six reported threats. In July; 16 detentions, thirteen searches, seven citations, and three threats. In the month of August 18 detentions, five searches, and the same number of threats. All this according to reports from Odilia Collazo Valdez president of the Cuban Pro-Human Rights Party and Internal Dissidence Support Committee member.
Summer comes to a close, September begins and we wait on different detentions, other searches, new threats, and more harassment.
Translated directly from the Spanish electronic version by R. Rikki.