To those who left their country...

I've been wanting to again address a particular post I wrote this past July 16 about the massacre of those on the "13 de Marzo" Tugboat. My post, titled "To Those Who Were Innocent," was based on two reports:

-Amnesty International: The Sinking of the "13 de Marzo" Tugboat on 13 July 1994.

-(OAS) Inter-American Commission on Human Rights: Victims of the Tugboat "13 de Marzo" vs. Cuba.

Furthermore, I sought to not only highlight this traumatic event as a significant moment within Cuban exile identity, but also place it within a grander perspective of trauma that belongs to the many collective identities across the globe. In doing so, I did not aim to minimize the loss of loved ones, but rather point out that such suffering is an emotional bond many in the world share.

After my post, blogger Manuel A. Tellechea wrote a response, which he also posted on his blog. I also took the time to respond as best I could to clarify my position. Comments by Agustin Farinas were also very welcomed and responded to as well. And, I also recently noticed that he made more comments on another blog, to which I will address now with further evidence.

One obstacle in debating issues about Cuba is bias. How do we know its there? And, how sure are we that we are being objective? There are standard ways to do this, such as the method of peer review, or some kind of blind testing. But, if you do not have those methods at your disposal then you can engage in a simple investigative experiment: examine a similar case (the more similar the better) where the parties in dispute are viewed impartially by you, and then compare your judgments with another similar case (maybe one you are partial too).

In my July 16 post, in an attempt to make a comparison, I brought up the massacre of those on Iran Air flight 655. But, there's another example that has recently been brought to attention that I feel is a much better case to examine with and compare to the case of the "13 de Marzo" massacre.

This past May, at least 61 migrants trying to leave their country by sea drowned when their dilapidated boat capsized after being struck by a coast guard boat. Many did not know how to swim and some where devoured by sharks. Upon a government investigation of the incident, which placed no blame on the actions of the coast guard, the families of the victims have buried their loved ones and have yet to see any justice done.

This is the tragic and horrific event of May 4, 2007 where approximately 160 Haitian migrants heading towards the Islands of Turks and Caicos were intercepted by the island's marine police unit, which set upon events that triggered the deaths of approximately 61 Haitians. One can only approximate these numbers given the illegal nature of entry and the lack of any full report by the marine police.

Last week, the Miami Herald published the latest in this tragic event, with the release of the anticipated British report [PDF] on the incident. The many recommendations made to the marine police of the Islands of Turks and Caicos (a British territory) "shall in no case create a presumption of blame or liability." That's because "[t]he main causal factor in this tragic accident was the [dilapidated ship's] inherent lack of stability." And, furthermore, "responsibility for the condition and overloading of the [dilapidated ship], which ultimately let to its capsize and consequential tragic loss of life, rests with those involved in the trafficking of migrants."

Just like the Cuban government blamed those who planned the "trafficking of migrants" on the "13 de Marzo" tugboat, so does the British government redirect the blame in this case of 61 dead Haitians. The British and Cuban lesson to illegal migrants: don't risk your life, stay in your desperate situation at home.

Did the marine police of Turks and Caicos also intend to kill these Haitian migrants, just like it is attributed to the Cuban government in the case of the "13 de Marzo" massacre?

Migrants all over the world suffer from one great curse: apathy. People hardly care for their welfare as they leave one country for another. Amnesty International summarizes:

"Vilified by politicians and the popular media, often subject to discrimination and human rights violations, many migrants continue to live their lives at the margins of societies unwilling or unable to accept or integrate them fully."

In Cuba, those who leave the island suffer such discrimination, mainly due to the Cuban government media, which then allows others to not care at all for their welfare. Thus, they become vulnerable to the same "tragic accidents" that plague many migrants around the world.

But, calling such horrific events "accidents" only explains one side of the story. The other explanation is that these "accidents" result from pure lack of any intention. In other words, there is no thought, worry or feeling involved in the action of the perpetrator.

That's one reason why the US warship Vincennes blew up a plane with almost 300 people in it; why the Turks and Caicos marine police rammed the dilapidated ship with 160 person on board; and why the Cuban coast guard let those women and children drown.

A Miami Herald editorial from July alleged that the Cuban government wanted to send "an enduring lesson" through the massacre to all Cubans who wished to leave the island. But, this theory doesn't seem credible since the Cuban government, already knowing that many Cubans were leaving anyway during the Special Period, eventually allowed illegal emigration from the island. Why plan a lesson that would never be learned?

- Three weeks after the tragedy off Turks and Caicos, another group of Haitians were found trying to enter the islands. "There is no money, no work," they say in Haiti. "Things are worse now."

- Days after the tragedy, the Haitian survivors were not allowed to talk to the press about how their boat was rammed by the marine police. About how they yelled "God help me!" They were kept in a detention center barred from journalists and only spoke through a Haitian official who said they were "angry and revolted."

- Some Haitians in Miami were angered too and couldn't sleep. The bodies recovered off Turks and Caicos were eventually sent back to Haiti, where they were all buried in a common grave, some without a name or a relative to remember them by.

- In 2005, the UN's Global Commission on International Migration recommended "the need for greater coherence, cooperation and capacity to achieve a more effective governance of international migration."

"God will welcome each one of you, our compatriots. You should not have had to take to the seas and leave your country."


- Rev. Hubert Constant, the archbishop of Cap-Haitien

What's Eating Antonio Rafael De La Cova? (Part 1)

With the release of his newest book, Antonio De la Cova has been embraced fully by most in Miami. He has appeared repeatedly on Radio Mambi to talk about his book (and also for an hour on WQBA for a popular talk show), appeared repeatedly on local Spanish TV stations (with Oscar Haza on Mano Limpia, twice with Luis Conte Agüero on Telemiami), he's had numerous book presentations (one at UM's prestigious Casa Bacardi, one at the local Books and Books which was taped by C-Span2, and one today near Little Havana, not to mention others, which makes five presentations altogether), and articles in the Miami Herald and Diario Las Americas. Of course, let's not forget the Babalu Blog. And, its only been about one month in release.

The publicity this book has received in Miami is an author's dream. So, yesterday morning De la Cova comes on Radio Mambi's roundtable program "En Caliente" (for just 15 minutes) and mentions that the book has been received well and that sales are great, and mentions today's book signing (which took place at Sentir Cubano). But, instead of talking about how incredibly hospitable Miami has been, De la Cova all of a sudden mentions "El Duende."

De la Cova says that "El Duende" has been waging personal attacks on him since the publication of his newest book. De la Cova's book, The Moncada Attack: The Birth of the Cuban Revolution, is being described as THE authoritative book on the attack of the Moncada Barracks, a "tour de force" and "ground breaking." This is hopefully the case since De la Cova spent 30 years (!) doing research and interviews for the book. De la Cova is without question a very good historian. His excellent website, Latin American Studies, provides a vast archive of news articles, photos, and reports (of which I have found very useful myself). The numerous interviews which have contributed to his newest book are accessible to everyone on his website, in PDF or MP3 format.

So, De la Cova, instead of basking in the strong local support of his new book, talks about how he's being vilified by "El Duende." I'm thinking: who cares about "El Duende?" For those who don't know, "El Duende" (The Goblin/Ghost) is a radio personality on WOCN 1450 AM, which appears for only TEN MINUTES daily, on a radio station that doesn't even register an Arbitron rating, and is mostly dominated by Haitian programming.

Why does "El Duende" bother De la Cova?

[Hint]

[Part 2]

One for Reconciliation (Part 2)

Last June, the US/Cuba Normalization blog aptly posted a Tampa Tribune story about a recent conference in support of normalization. According to the article, 16 organizations gathered last May in Ybor City to discuss their common goals in opposition to current US policy towards Cuba. Among them was Antonio Zamora, a veteran of the Bay of Pigs invasion and now a strong advocate of lifting the US embargo towards Cuba. "Normalization will open up all kinds of opportunities... For too long, we shut out reconciliation. We need a different approach," said Zamora to the Tribune. The conference in Tampa was organized by Zamora's Normalization of US/Cuba Relations (FORNORM), The Cuban American Alliance (CAAEF), The Alliance for Responsible Cuba Policy and Cuba Vive.

Antonio Zamora, like Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo, form part of a group of men who long ago took up arms against the Cuban government, but now seek reconciliation and a peaceful resolution to the US/Cuba conflict. Its a position that some in Miami vehemently disagree with.

In 2002, Zamora took part in another conference in support of normalization, but this time in Miami. The summit drew about 250 guests to the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables where they where met with some protest. US Representatives Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen held a press conference in front of the Biltmore the same day of the summit and mentioned that "[t]here are economic interests that are seeking to do business with the dictatorship and they would like the dictatorship to survive the dictator." The protest was completed by the presence of Miguel Saavedra and members from Vigilia Mambisa, a group who earlier this year attacked a group of counter-protesters in Little Havana. (The actions of Vigilia Mambisa have not since been condemned by Lincoln Diaz-Balart or Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.)

The 2002 summit was successful in drawing a crowd in support of normalization, but the gains made at the meeting were soon dashed by Cuba's massive 2003 crackdown on dissidents. The calls for normalization had to begin anew.

Among those who organized the event with Zamora was another veteran of the Bay of Pigs invasion, Alfredo Duran. Duran, like Menoyo and Zamora, has also become a vociferous advocate for US/Cuba normalization and reconciliation, and in 2001 showed everyone he meant it.

That year marked the 40th Anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion, where in Cuba it is celebrated as the victory at "Playa Giron." Alfredo Duran made a bold move that year to attend a historic three-day conference in Havana about the event. For such an act, Duran was expelled from Miami's Brigade 2506 Veterans Association. Two other veterans were also expelled by the association for participating in the Havana conference. The veterans association cited: "treason to our principles, treason to all of our martyrs and treason to our country."

One of the expelled was disappointed and said: "It's ironic that 40 years ago, when I was captured by Cuban soldiers [after the invasion], I was called a traitor... And today, 40 years later, I'm being called a traitor by my friends."

But, Duran and the other expelled veterans nevertheless made it to the Havana conference. There, Duran met the artillery officer who tried to kill him. They shook hands and the conference audience applauded.

"I realized all my hate and remorse was gone," said Duran describing the instance.

- In 2003, Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo, one of the founders of Alpha 66, returned to Cuba advocating peace and reconciliation.

- In 2004, Antonio Zamora, former Brigade 2506 veteran, returned to Cuba and regained his Cuban citizenship which was invalidated after the Bay of Pigs invasion. It was part of a grand gesture of good faith from the Cuban government.

- And, just the other night, another founder of Alpha 66, Antonio Veciana, appeared on Polos Opuestos and called for negotiations with Cuba. He said that we should negotiate even with the devil himself if it would bring us closer to a free Cuba.

"You negotiate peace with your enemies and your adversaries. That is one of the highest tasks of diplomacy. " - Edward Djerejian.

One for Reconciliation (Part 1)

So, last night I was listening to Martha Flores on Radio Mambi. Boy, is she ticked about this whole Rudy Crew business. Rudy Crew is the Miami-Dade School Board Superintendent and has met increased criticism when last month's county evaluation found an increase of "F" schools and other unmet goals. But, despite all that, Crew still received a job bonus from the school board this week. Upset callers to Radio Mambi have been plentiful, and sometimes racist, repeatedly calling Crew "El negro ese" (that black guy). Local blog Riptide has a link to a lengthy Miami New Times article that summarizes the frustrations of many in the county. The pressure around Crew is boiling, not to mention a recent allegation that Crew called Cubans "the enemy." But, Rudy Crew is prepared to leave his position if things get way out of hand. In a recent interview on NPR, Crew made it very clear that he is presently calculating the costs and benefits of staying in Miami as Superintendent, and that Miami "doesn't have to be the place where you have your first heart attack." Crew described some of the opposition from the school board as "brutality."

So, after Martha Flores took a breather, she went on to a story about Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo. Yeesh!

Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo, like other men, waged a war against the Cuban government years ago, but unlike many, found no positive gains in violence, and has since directed himself towards a peaceful path for a free Cuba. Those who want to know more about Gutierrez Menoyo can check out an eye-opening interview he gave for the documentary "Nobody Listened" (1994), which is also fully available at Google Video or on DVD at the Miami-Dade Public Library System. Or, you can check out the various articles about him archived at the Latin American Studies website. Today, he is part of the opposition inside Cuba, where he seeks to establish a "legal space" for political dissidence.

Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo made news this week because he participated in some kind of open forum in Puerto Rico where he made several statements and answered questions from the public. According to Diario Las Americas, he confidently stated that Fidel Castro "will not return to take back the reins of power" and that, unfortunately, Raul Castro "will continue the tragedy." Gutierrez Menoyo believes that all Cubans are now waiting for a change, and that such a change will come peacefully through a dialogue between the government and its opposition. "I support dialogue, reconciliation of the Cuban family, and a peaceful reconciliation."

Fantomas from the Abajo Fidel Blog was there and provides a short summary of what occurred at the public forum in Puerto Rico. Fantomas writes that Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo evaded many questions, such as how many members belonged to his dissident group and about his fortunate ability to travel in and out of Cuba. Fantomas believes that Gutierrez Menoyo is being used by the Cuban government for some purpose, but Fantomas doesn't say for what purpose. Fantomas plans to have video of the conference available on his blog soon.

And, speaking of those who want reconciliation...

News about Cuba

I have decided to add two more blogs to the list: US/Cuba Normalization Blog and the Cuba Journal Blog. Both serve as news archives that report on Cuban and normalization issues between the US and Cuba. You won't find much personal musings on both, but plenty of good articles.

Thoughts About Tomorrow

Having read the 2006 Cuba Study Group report (and other articles) Cuba's future seems real grim. The CSG report states: "Cuba is running out of time... The stakes are high... Failed economic policies litter the landscape of transitioning economies, and many countries end up facing worse economic conditions than existed during the predecessor regimes."

Andy Gomez from the University of Miami's Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies (ICCAS) paints a similar, dark picture. "I dare to say, that Raul [Castro] has six months to a year," said Gomez in a recent interview. He continued, saying that Raul Castro should pursue "minimal economic reform" in Cuba. "If he doesn't, then I dare to say, that you can have a large migration out of Cuba." In the worst case scenario "as many as half a million Cubans trying to leave the island." Gomez later reveals in the interview that it was he that gave the US Coast Guard some of the ideas of a possible mass exodus to prepare for, such as 100,000 Cubans rushing into the US base at Guantanamo Bay. Because of such scenarios, it was reported that the US Department of Defense has set aside $18 million to prepare the US base in Cuba for such a mass migration.

Local blogger El Gusano from La Contra Revolucion Blog believes these actions of preparing for an exodus reveal something he calls Cubanophobia. He recently summed it up to me as a belief that "a bunch of politically active spics in South Florida who are mucking things up by participating in the political process" are now acceptable targets of racism, and thus are being prevented from entering the US in the face of an invasion. Never mind the fact that Andy Gomez is Cuban himself.

Aside from those who definitely see dark clouds looming above Cuba, there's also the view of being cautious (perhaps hopeful) that economic changes will come to Cuba. Phil Peters from the Lexington Institute, and the Cuban Triangle Blog, has maintained a view that anything could happen with Raul Castro. But, one important question lingers about "whether [Raul Castro] will open up the boundaries so new ideas are heard." Peters feels that perhaps Raul Castro would do more, since he has been vocal of many internal problems already, but "[h]is moves so far seem to be those of a man with limited room for maneuver."

Marifeli Perez-Stable seems to share this position as well and wonders: "Will [Fidel Castro's] veto on markets stand?" That is, will Raul break away from Fidel's historic recalcitrance? Perez-Stable pondered other important questions in a column published last month by the Miami Herald, and, like Peters, sees Raul Castro "trapped in the worst possible scenario: [Fidel] Castro is alive and somewhat recuperated." This means that Perez-Stable sees Raul as a reformer, but held back by some factors, like being "too cautious."

But, it seems to be a wait-and-see situation now. Perez-Stable was recently on a local Spanish program, Polos Opuestos, hosted by Maria Elvira Salazar. She appeared with another "Cuba expert," the famed Cuban intellectual Carlos Alberto Montaner. Perez-Stable made it clear that there's uncertainty ahead in Cuba, while Montaner provided a dire picture, even suggesting that Raul had the capacity to control future internal instability with brute military force. Perez-Stable countered that idea and suggested that the Raul Castro government would prevent such a scenario from taking place. She believes such chaos would signal the end of Raul Castro and the roots of the revolution altogether.

So, just like many decades before, we continue to wait. Stuck in between chaos and uncertainty. It seems that our vision goes no further.

[Photo by Mike Hollingshead]

More Thoughts a Year Later...

Yesterday, Miami Herald columnist Ana Menendez shared her thoughts on the one-year mark without Fidel Castro. Reading her columns in the past, I've found Menendez to sometimes be unsympathetic on some issues. In this case, Menendez makes a comment about how (among other factors) a future Cuba "will depend on us here in Miami and our willingness to let go of the dusty language and habits of nostalgia."

Based on her past work, Menendez is obviously referring to some in the Cuban exile community, not Miami in general as suggested by her generalities from the start. I don't see how focusing on such emotional elements will get us anywhere. It's language and nostalgia that have been some of the defining qualities of the Cuban exile. They are important bonds of any social identity. To "let go" of those things would be tragic.

But, further down in her column, Menendez does provide us with a pragmatic model to follow: "a humane policy... built on more than a catalog of grievances." She's referring to a 2006 report [PDF] by the Cuba Study Group (CSG) which proposes micro-economic reforms for a Cuban transition. According to the CSG, "Cuba is already in a suboptimal pre-transformation state." In other words, "the stakes are high" in preventing Cuba from serious economic collapse. The CSG report makes a lot of recommendations (for the Cuba government I suppose), but it doesn't say to whom or how or when it shall implement them. It just suggests. But, the report can also be seen as an emergency plan available AFTER some kind of collapse, or "economic transformation" as they like to say. The CSG also mentions that "[t]he plan relies, in part, on the economic theories of the noted Peruvian economist, Hernando de Soto." This will definitely send warnings to those who are well aware of the current income gap in Peru, where De Soto is currently at the service of the Garcia administration.

Nevertheless, Menendez believes Miami and the US need "really new ideas" and the CSG report provides a notable example. She ends saying that Cuban government should "finally get past their paranoia and allow the future to take shape, it will be evidence they truly care for the ordinary Cuban people. If we [the USA or us in Miami] can get past ours, it will show we do too."

She's a bit vague, but I agree that a sense of paranoia does surround thinking on the US/Cuba issue. Namely, the idea that the Cuban government is bent on eventually destroying us freedom-loving people. Or, the idea that the US is currently ready to engage in a military invasion of Cuba. Such ideas over the years have created false assumptions and have led to the "tragic inability to find common ground" that Menendez believes is at "the roots of our misery."

[Photo above of entrance to Calle Ocho, Little Havana]