Cecilia Malmström
Europaparlamentariker (fp)
Cuba
Sir, Fifty-five years ago, on December 10 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which stated solemnly in its preamble: "Recognition of the inherent dignity and of equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world;" "Disregard and contempt for human rights resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind" and "the advent of the world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people" "It is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law."
With these plain and indeed self-evident truths in mind, we, both Cubans and non-Cubans living in the democratic world, would like to express our solidarity with all brave men and women of Cuba still struggling for their inalienable rights and human dignity under the difficult conditions of an oppressive, totalitarian regime.
Our thoughts and prayers go first to the political prisoners sentenced to long terms in prison just for their commitment to the universally recognised rights and freedoms, and to their families. We call on all democratic governments of the world to express their strongest possible condemnation of these inexcusable acts of repression, blatantly violating international obligations of Cuba, and urge them to ask the Cuban government for their immediate release.
We share the conviction of the Cuban people that the time of dictatorship in Cuba is coming to an end. There will be no succession after Fidel Castro, no cosmetic changes of totalitarian system after he is gone, but the genuine return of Cuba from the totalitarian captivity to the family of the world's democracies.
We are committed to do our best to support the noble cause of the Cuban people. Let us work together, inspired by the ideals of Jose Mart, a genuine revolutionary and voice of Cuba within the community of nations. Cuba must not and will not remain a forgotten remnant from the cold war, a kind of open-air museum of a system that discredited itself and failed. We believe that the dreams the Cuban people inherited from Mart will become true sooner than their jailers and persecutors would wish, and that all Cubans will be free.
Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State, USA , Harriet Babbitt, former Ambassador, USA , Elena Bonner, human rights leader, Russia , Marek Edelman, leader of Warsaw Ghetto uprising, Poland , Jan Figel, MP, Slovakia
Bronislaw Geremek, former Foreign Minister, Poland , Andre Glucksmann, philosopher, France , Vaclav Havel, former President, Czech Republic , Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, former Ambassador, USA , Jacek Kuron, former dissident, Poland , Mart Laar, former Prime Minister, Estonia , Cecilia Malmstrom, Member of European Parliament, Sweden , Markus Meckel, MP, Germany , Adam Michnik, journalist, Poland , Dana Nemcova, human rights activist, Czech Republic , Martin Palous, former dissident, Czech Republic , Tomas Pojar, People in Need, Czech Republic , Elsa Tio, Puerto Rican poet , Ricardo Bofill, Cuban Committee on Human Rights , Frank Calzon, Center for a Free Cuba , Sebastian Arcos Cazabon, activist , Manuel Jorge Cutillas, entrepreneur , Himilce Esteve, professor , Joe Garcia, Cuban American National Foundation , Orlando Gutierrez, Directorio Democratico , Angel de Fana, Plantados por la Libertad , Carlos Franqui, writer , Guillermo Cabrera Infante, novelist , Sylvia Iriondo, Women against Repression in Cuba , Huber Matos, Cuba Independ and Democratic , Carlos Alberto Montaner, Union Liberal Cubana , Eduardo Perez, entrepreneur , Oscar Pena, Cuban Committee on Human Rights , Jesus Permuy, Unidad Cubana , Diego Suarez, Cuban Liberty Council , Alina Fernandez Revuelta , Zoe Valdes, novelist
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