Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Amnesty urges Obama to lift Cuba sanctions

Amnesty urges Obama to lift Cuba sanctions
Tue Sep 1, 2009 8:01pm EDT

* Embargo limits Cubans' access to some medicines-Amnesty
* Obama should send message to Congress over embargo

LONDON, Sept 2 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama should lift
sanctions against Cuba this month in a step towards dismantling the U.S.
embargo against the island, rights groups Amnesty International said on
Wednesday.

The provisions of the Trading with the Enemy Act, among a raft of U.S.
sanctions against Communist-run Cuba, expire on Sept. 14 and the
president has the power extend them for another year or stop them.

"This is the perfect opportunity for President Obama to distance himself
from the failed policies of the past and to send a strong message to the
U.S. Congress on the need to end the embargo," Irene Khan, Amnesty
International's secretary-general, said in a statement.

"The U.S. embargo against Cuba is immoral and should be lifted," Khan
said. "It's preventing millions of Cubans from benefiting from vital
medicines and medical equipment essential for their health."

Obama has taken steps towards a more open relationship with Havana than
the Bush adminstration, including lifting restrictions on travel and
remittances to Cuba for Cuban-Americans with relatives on the island.

But Obama has said the near half-century trade embargo, which the Cuban
government blames for many of its problems, will stay in place until
Cuba releases political prisoners and improves human rights.

Cuba has said it is willing to discuss everything with Washington but
has ruled out unilateral political concessions or any shift to capitalism.

The Trading with the Enemy Act prohibits any type of trade or financial
transaction, including those related to travel, transportation or
business in times of war or when a national emergency has been declared
in relation to specific country.

In its report "The U.S. embargo against Cuba: Its impact on economic and
social rights", Amnesty said the restrictions severely limited Cuba's
ability to import medicine, medical equipment and technology essential
for treating life-threatening disease and maintaining public health
programmes.

Citing data from the U.N. children's agency UNICEF because Amnesty does
not have access to the island, the group said 37.5 percent of Cuba's
under-3s had iron deficiency anaemia in 2007.

The commercial barriers have also hindered the renovation of hospitals,
clinics and care centres for the elderly, it said.

(Writing by Alison Williams; Editing by Louise Ireland)

Amnesty urges Obama to lift Cuba sanctions | Reuters (1 September 2009)
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL124395

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