Europe must face up to the secret terror of Fidel Castro's Cuba

Sat 20 May 2006
Europe must face up to the secret terror of Fidel Castro's Cuba
PLATFORM
VACLAV HAVEL

THIS spring marks the third anniversary of the wave of repression in
which Fidel Castro's regime arrested and handed down long sentences to
75 leading Cuban dissidents. Soon after, many friends and I formed the
International Committee for Democracy in Cuba.

The bravery of those who found their social conscience, overcame fear,
and stood up to communist dictatorship is fresh in my memory. It reminds
me of the jingle of keys that rang out on Prague's Wenceslas Square in
autumn 1989.

This is why I rang keys during the conference in Prague calling for
democracy in Cuba three years ago. I wanted to draw international
attention to the human rights situation in Cuba, to support its
opposition, and encourage pro-democratic forces. The European Union then
introduced diplomatic sanctions, albeit mostly symbolic, against
Castro's regime.

Soon, a contrary position came to the fore. The EU opened a dialogue
with the regime, sanctions were conditionally suspended, and it was made
clear to dissidents they were not welcome at the embassies of several
democratic countries. Cowardly compromise and political alibis defeated
a principled position.

In return, the Cuban regime made a sham gesture by releasing a small
number of prisoners of conscience - mostly those who were tortured and
seriously ill - who it feared would die in its notorious prisons.

Respected organisations like Amnesty International have collected ample
evidence of violence and intimidation against free-thinking Cubans,
whose cases often do not end in court but hospital. The Cuban secret
police brutally attack political opponents and accuse them of absurd
crimes to intimidate them or to force them to emigrate. These moves are
known as "acts of rejection".

Political violence that creates the impression of mere street crime is
never easy to prove, and does not receive due attention. Yet thousands
of former political prisoners in Europe can attest to the fact that a
kick from a secret policeman on the street hurts just as much as a kick
behind prison gates.

Some Europeans apparently regard Cuba as a faraway country whose fate
they need take no interest in. But what Cubans are enduring today is
part of our own history.

Who better than Europeans, who brought communism to life, exported it to
the world, and then paid dearly for it over many decades, know about the
torments inflicted upon the Cuban people?

Humanity will pay the price for communism until such a time as we learn
to stand up to it with all political responsibility and decisiveness.

EU states meet in June to review policy on Cuba. They should weigh up
the consequences of accommodating Castro and show they will not ignore
his practices or neglect the suffering of prisoners of conscience. We
must not forget seemingly anonymous victims of Castro's "acts of rejection".

• Vaclav Havel is a former president of the Czech Republic

http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=748642006