Guillermo Fariñas

*THIS IS PART OF FAUSTA'S GUILLERMO FARINAS BLOGBURST*

TODAY, now, take two minutes and sign a petition. It costs you nothing, you won't get spammed, and you'll be doing something that people in Cuba can't do at all.

On Wednesday of last week I wrote about Guillermo Fariñas. Since then, only a hundred signatures have been added to the petition, because word is just NOT getting out for this man. PLEASE, sign it. And better yet, if you have a blog, post something, even a just a simple link to something else so people will become aware of Guillermo Fariñas. Why is he so important? He is quite literally dying for internet access--in other words, freedom of information. He is sacrificing himself as a symbol for the lack of freedom of the press in Cuba. In fact, three years ago:

On March 18, 2003, an unprecedented wave of repression broke over Cuban dissidents. For three days, ninety opponents of the regime were arrested on grounds that they were "agents of the American enemy." Among them were twenty-seven journalists. Nearly all of them were tried under the "88 Law" of February 1999, which protects the "national independence and economy of Cuba," and were given prison sentences ranging from 14 to 27 years.

That was known as Cuba's "Black Spring," and things have not gotten any better.

Although it is difficult at present to estimate the exact number of working journalists in Cuba, and their working conditions are even more precarious in the wake of a new wave of repression that has begun to spread across the country, the unofficial Cuban press has not given up.

They have not given up. Nor has Guillermo Fariñas. Nor should anyone who supports freedom.

At Net For Cuba:

Information Bridge Cuba Miami and Net For Cuba International send this alert stating that:

The psychologist and Director of Cubanacán Press Guillermo Fariñas Hernandez began a hunger strike without fluids, in the City of Santa Clara, Cuba, last January 31st, demanding that the Cuban Government provides him with free access to the Internet from his home. Up to now, the regime has denied Dr. Fariñas petition and he is about to die. We appeal to the conscience of all peoples of goodwill who receive this urgent call, so that a demand is addressed to Fidel Castro to allow Dr. Fariñas to have free access to the Internet. We don’t want another martyr for the liberty and justice in Cuba! They add up to hundredths of thousands! Enough it’s enough!

For the life of Dr. Guillermo Fariñas and his just claim,
address your communication to:

Fidel Castro Ruz
President of the Councils of State and Ministries
Havana, Cuba.
Fax: + 53 7 8333085 (through the Ministry of the Exterior)
New E-Mail: webmaster@one.gov.cu

A Miami Herald editorial says,

Many people protest the Chinese government's Internet censorship, and with good reason. Freedom of information is a fundamental right. Cuba has been controlling Internet access and blocking websites for years and should be condemned, too. Indeed, Cuba's information blockade has allowed it to misinform the Cuban people, promote its image abroad and sustain its dictator in power for nearly five decades.

Those of us who don't live in south Florida (or in other places with large Cuban-American communities) hear little to nothing about the plight of Cubans, despite the ninety-mile distance from our shores, just as we hear little to nothing about North Koreans. Most Cubans are probably just trying to survive, but there are a great number of people who are desperately trying to either leave or change their country, while we are blissfully unaware of their struggle.

It's easy to feel powerless, facing such obstacles to freedom. Signing petitions online also seems rather impotent, but it's better than nothing. Someone will know you are there supporting their cause, so at least do that much. Educate yourself a little today about Cuba, and maybe you'll feel the outrage that Cuban-Americans feel--and only because they are here, they can express--and spread the word.

Charlie Bravo receives a letter from a friend in Miami about Guillermo Fariñas:

"My sources in Havana know nothing. Fariñas is kept under isolation in Santa Clara. The dictatorship is going the extra-mile to prevent the news from Fariñas from reaching the Cuban public and -most importantly- from reaching the international public, specially the American public."

Please help us break this cycle of isolation impossed by the tyranny.
From wherever you are reading this blog, take a second of your time and e-mail everybody in your list, so the whole world becomes aware of the plight of Fariñas, and by extension, of the tragedy of the Cuban people.

Castro doesn't want us to know about Fariñas or about his country. I won't help Castro hide. Not today. ¡Ya no mas!

Previous post: Guillermo Fariñas

See Fausta's blog for more about Guillermo Fariñas, because today Fausta is running a blogburst. If you write about this today, let Fausta know at faustaw ~åt~ yahoo ~dot~ com and have "Guillermo Fariñas" in the subject line. You can also send me a trackback, and I'll let her know (it will also show up in this post).

See also:
CNN video about Guillermo Fariñas (from Cuba Liberal)

Net for Cuba

Guillermo Farinas is Cuba

Babalu Blog

The light that blinds the tyrant

c/p @ MVRWC

Posted by Beth at March 27, 2006 09:56 AM