With this purpose, we invite you to sign the Madrid Declaration, which requests from the European Union:
- To maintain the current European Union Common Position.
- To demand the unconditional release of all Cuban innocent prisoners who are in prison for non violent political acts.
- To require from the Cuban authorities the elimination of Cuban Criminal Code articles which penalize the free exercise of opinion and expression.
- To recognize the pacific Cuban opposition as a valid party to deal with the diverse matters related to Cuba .
- To make possible the access to free flow of information to the Cuban civil society.
- To oppose Cuba participation in the current United Nations Human Rights Council.
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PETITION TO THE CHANCELLORS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRY MEMBERS TO RATIFY THE COMMON POSITION ON CUBA (96/697/CFSP).
By the fact that the Cuban people needs and asks for a political, social, pacific and profound change in Cuba. The latest universal history has shown us that when pacific changes are refused, because despotic and tyrant governments are not interested to carry them out, the changes are only possible, of course after several years, by the denounce and the demands exercised by the Free International Community upon that abusive country; and by the international recognition of the victims. Lets remember the end of the South Africa Apartheid.
In this way is how the Common Position of December 2, 1996, defined by the Council from the J.2 article of the European Union Treated on Cuba (96/697/CFSP); wants to work. "The objective of the European Union in its relation with Cuba is to encourage a process of transition to pluralist democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,..." (Common Position, article 1).
Today, as petitioned by the already ended Spanish Presidency of the European Council, the European Union can put aside the Common Position, and begins to establish a new bilateral relationship with the Cuban government. This, after the resent events of Orlando Zapata Tamayo death , a political prisoner, the pressure exercised by the Damas de Blanco, Guillermo Fariñas and other Cuban dissidents hunger strikes, the international denounce, and the church-state negotiations, which resulted on the release from prison and deportation of a group of political prisoners by the military dictatorship of the Castro brothers. The release of prisoners and deportation are common practices by the Cuban dictatorship since April 14, 1962.
The international platform Cuba Democracia ¡Ya!, which gather different Cuban generations living in different countries , who are signing this declaration, and Cubans and no Cubans of good will, are addressing the twenty seven Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the member states of the European Union, to request from them the ratification of the Common Position towards Cuba during the Ministers of Foreign Affairs Council next September 13, 2010.
It is not the unjustly incarcerated political dissidents deportation, nor the transfer of conscience prisoners to prisons closer to their relatives, or the free manifestations of political prisoners mothers and wives the political-social solution for the Cuban people, it is "the reform of internal legislation concerning political and civil rights, including the Cuban criminal code, and, consequently, the abolition of all political offenses, the release of all political prisoners and the ending of the harassment and punishment of dissidents", (Common Position, article 3,c), it is also allowing free economic initiative for all Cubans what will put to an end the unfortunate social-political situation our country is submerge in.
Cubans who subscribe this text want to request:
- From the European Union the maintenance of the current Common Position. None of the recent events happening in Cuba by the military dictatorship of the Castro brothers constitute and advancement in human rights.
- The demand, by the European Union, of the unconditional release of all Cuban innocent prisoners, who are in prison for non violent political acts.
- The requirement, by the European Union to the Cuban authorities, to abolish from the Cuban criminal code all the articles which penalize the free exercise of freedom of opinion and expression.
- The recognition, by the European Union member states, of the Cuban pacific opposition as a valid party to deal with the diverse matters related to Cuba. Activities like: to visit dissidents in Cuba by European personalities when they travel to the island, to invite them to celebrations at the European Union members embassies, or even, for the dissidents to travel to different European countries in order to know their democratic institutions, show a clear support and recognition to the pacific opposition in Cuba.
- From the European Union member states, to make available the access to free flow of information to the Cuban Civil Society. The European radio stations, broadcasting in Spanish language to Latin America and the Caribbean, could broadcast more information about Cuba. The diplomatic European missions could make the use of Internet available to Cuban opponents; and send them newspapers, books and European publications
- The opposition by the European Union member states to Cuba participation in the current United Nations Human Rights Council. Countries which governments violate human rights systematically should not be part of the United Nations Council.
Finally, the European Union can count on our most sincere and loyal compromise to the cause of a pacific transition to democracy in Cuba. We could even understand and support proportional gestures by the European Union member states, at the time that the Cuban government takes the first serious step to consolidate human rights respect in the island.
