December 10, 2019
In 1948 the United Nation declared December 10 as Human Rights Day
The National Network on Cuba recognizes the sovereign nation of Cuba as a model of human rights and dignity. On December 10, 2019, we denounce the actions of the United States government in violation of international law, right to self-determination, and abuse of human rights through its 60-year blockade of Cuba.
Despite the endless vicious and false campaigns of the United States commencing with the 1959 Triumph of the Revolution, Cuba stands as a model of a nation that prioritizes human rights –. as demonstrated by the November 2019 United Nations vote condemning the U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba. Cuba shares those rights including education, health care, and sustainable development not just with its own citizenry but with the rest of the world including Africa and its neighbors in Latin America and the Caribbean — and with the people of the United States.
We ask: ‘Which country violates human rights?’
One can’t help but be outraged that right now on the eve of Human Rights Day the United States has denied the right to nutrition to 700,000 people in the U.S. by ending their eligibility to the food stamp program and plans to halt school lunch access for millions of children. Contrast this with the 2019 Cuban Constitution that explicitly guarantees the right to food for its population. We ask: “which country violates human rights?”
In the just released Sustainable Development Index, Cuba ranks number 1 in the world while the United States is 5th from the bottom at number 159. Again: “which country violates human rights?” by denying its citizens clean water, air, protection from the dangers associated with climate change, etc.
According to the same Index life expectancy in Cuba is 79.6 years while in the wealthy capitalist United States life expectancy is 79.2 years. The human right to health care is guaranteed and was expanded in the previsions of the 2019 Cuban Constitution as ratified by 87% of the voters. Medical advances in both preventive and curative medicine such as cancer and diabetes treatments are available to all at no cost to all Cubans. In contrast, medical debt is the leading factor in bankruptcy in the U.S. and the number of uninsured/underinsured people in the U.S. remains unaddressed. So, “which country violates human rights?”
Cuba offers medical services around the globe and trains doctors including from the United States at no cost to the students and with the only obligation being the moral one to practice in underserved communities. Cuba has offered its medical expertise to the United States including volunteers of the Henry Reeve Brigade to help those devastated by Hurricane Katrina and sharing its diabetes and cancer treatments; the U.S. government has not accepted these humanitarian gestures. Again, “which country violates human rights?”
The United States has increased its genocidal blockade against Cuba through the implementation of Title III of the Helms-Burton legislation, the attempts to halt the availability of petroleum, the disinformation regarding Cuba’s medical and educational internationalism, the pressure on international financial and commercial transactions, all with the goal of causing economic suffering to the people of Cuba. Surely these extraterritorial actions and disregard for international mores and laws by the United States lead one to question “which country violates human rights?”
On December 10, 2019, the United States will implement yet another punitive measure; the elimination of flights from the United States to all Cuban cities other than Havana denying U.S. citizens the right to travel freely; a right that all Cubans are able to enjoy. So again we ask: “which country violates human rights?”
The aggressive, imperialist, hostilities are impacting and damaging not only Cuba but the peoples of the region. Every day the massive responses by the peoples including in Brazil, Chile, Bolivia etc. responding to the brutal repression of long fought for human, economic and political rights are taking place. The obvious U.S. intention is to overthrow and dismantle the legitimate governments of the region and destroy the cooperative and peaceful relationships of the region as guaranteed in the Proclamation of Latin American and the Caribbean as a Zone Of Peace.
Cuba’s unwavering solidarity with and support of its neighbors continue as stated in the December 3, 2019 Declaration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On December 10, 2019, we denounce the actions of the United States government in violation of international law, right to self-determination, and abuse of human rights against Cuba and beyond.
In contrast, we note and celebrate the 5th anniversary on December 17, 2019 of the return of all the Cuban 5 to their homeland, communities, and families. This is a victory that can never be forgotten or minimized and is a tribute to the untiring international campaign of people of goodwill. The events of these 5 years since their return as we see in the region and the world also serve to validate the necessity of their selfless actions in peaceful defense of Cuba.
We reiterate our solidarity with Cuba, our opposition to United States aggression and hostility in the region, and our commitment to defending Cuban sovereignty. We have confidence in the Cuban peoples’ unwavering determination to defend their society and their achievements.
NNOC co-chairs
Nalda Vigezzi
Alicia Jrapko
Banbose Shango
Cheryl LaBash
Gail Walker
Mimut Nuhu