"The American war against Cuba has not ended"

international | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis Wednesday November 10, 2010 13:43 by Paul Dillon

Author keith Bolender speaks about his book "Voices From The Other Side: An Oral History Of Terrorism Against Cuba".

For more, see the latest edition of Look Left.

Paul:

I want to talk about the general internal security system in Cuba. Critics of the Cuba government say that Cuba uses the excuse of clamping down on terrorism to clamp down on civil liberties generally. Have they a point?

Keith Bolender:

One of the major criticisms of the Cuban government is civil rights restrictions, though the Americans try and frame it in terms of human rights restrictions. Human rights are food, housing, education and Cuba is further advanced than most of the 3rd world in these areas.
Cubans do restrict certain civil rights. They have a surveillance system. This goes back to the very first days of the revolution. The CDR, the Committee for the Defence of the Revolution, was developed in the early months when there was so many anti government activities, particularly in Havana.

The government of Cuba advanced that survellance programme prior to the invasion of the Bay of Pigs because they new well in advance that the Americans were coordinating an invasion so they set up the CDR as a way for the neighborhoods to watch any illegal or suspicious activities.

In fact, the CDR is based on an American organisation that was developed in World War 1 called the American Protection League and it served the exact same purpose.

The American war against Cuba has not ended so the validity of the CDR remains. It has changed substantially. Today, it is more of a community association, involved in activities like keeping the neighbour hood clean, and looking out for general criminal activities. Its changed considerably from the original purpose.

Is it justified? Absolutely. The intention of the American government was to overthrow the regime as quickly as possible after the revolution. Cuba couldn't deal with this threat externally, they couldn't invade the United Sates to stop it, so they had to deal with it internally. And like any other country in the world, including the United States after 9/11, the Cubans have used internal security systems and programmes to ensure the safety of citizens and the government itself.

So, in my opinion yes, and the whole question of civil rights in Cuba has justification and background in the context of the war of the war on terrorism. The Cubans have always said end the war on terrorism, end the hostilities, normalise relations, and we can see where we will go. Its hard to compare how the Cuban government will react because they have always been under the hostilities of the American government.

Paul:

What about the Obama Presidency? How has this impacted on relations between the United States and Cuba?

Keith Bolender:

Obama is under the same influences, the same pressures and the same geo-political realities as every President prior to him. Just this week, Obama signed the continuation of the Trading with the Enemy Act which is the legislative justification for the embargo which goes back to the early stages of the revolution. This act can only be instigated at times of war under American law. The United States considers itself to still be at war against Cuba.

Obama has done some things. Their is real dichotomy of opinion whether he has done a lot or not enough. He ended all the travel restrictions for Cuban-Americans. He has the capacity to move the dialogue in a new direction between Cuba and the United States. He hasn't done it yet.

In fact, he has come out in support of the American foreign policy position which is that things have to change in Cuba before the Americans will consider ending the siege.

And the Cubans just respond no. You have the embargo on us; we don't have it on you. You have to end it before we consider anything else.

Paul:

How visible is the impact of terrorism on the ordinary Cuban people?

Keith Bolender:

Almost Invisible. The Cubans don't talk about it on a daily basis. The Cuban government doesn't exploit it, doesn't propagandize on it. It is not something that's readily noticeable within Cuban society even though it has been going on for 50 years, though the last physical attacks were 1997.

The government and the people have internalised the situation. The surveillance system was instituted in the 1960s and it has maintained itself. You ask Cuban. You ask young Cubans about terrorism, they may not even know, or care. They are looking for economic advancement and a change within the system to improve their life.
So if you went to Cuba, you would not see the impact. But the individuals I talked to in the book still deal with it on a daily basis. For them, it is a daily situation that they have to deal with.

Paul Dillon:

Final question: To quote George Orwell in the Road to Wigan Pier, What, if anything, can be done about it?

Keith Bolender:

Well, they say knowledge is power and I hope my book brings that knowledge to people who may have a general inclination of terrorism against Cuba but don't know the details or the extent, and certainly not know the individuals who have been affected.

The more people know about it, and its difficult because the mainstream media don't speak of it.
However, the number 1 topic in the world remains terrorism and no one knows what the Cubans have been going through for the last 50 years.

What I can say is learn about it, find out about it and do what you can to let others know about this unknown war.