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May 2003

Crackdown on Cuban Dissidents
With international attention turned to the Middle East, Cuban President Fidel Castro has launched on of the most aggressive crackdowns on dissidents in recent years. In less than a month nearly 80 dissidents, including supporters of the Varela Project; human rights activists; independent journalists; and directors of independent libraries have been arrested and detained. Thirty-three dissidents have already been given prison sentences ranging from 14-28 years. Three Cubans who hijacked a passenger ferry on April 2 were summarily executed by a firing squad on April 11, ending a three-year moratorium. The Cuban government issued a statement following the executions saying that the actions were taken as a response to "provocations and threats to its national security emanating from the United States."

James Carson, head of the U.S. Interest Section in Havana has been meeting with dissidents and publicly encouraging their work. These meetings have been viewed by the Castro regime as aggressive and provocative actions, especially given the actions of the U.S. in Iraq. It does not, however, justifies the arrest of the dissidents.

In a communication from the Cuban Religious Conference, Oswaldo Paya, the author of the Varela Project (see last month’s Bulletin), asked the Religious Conferences to "help them in their struggle for liberty and justice." As of the writing of this J/P Alert the Conferences that met in Havana are discussing a possible joint statement about the current situation in Cuba.

Some Cuban leaders and groups in the United States have started calling for changes in U.S. foreign policy that would begin to normalize relations with Cuba. Echoing what Cubans in Havana told the Conference presidents and executive directors, some living in the United States now say that the more U.S. citizens visiting Cuba, the more open Cuban society could become. This underscores what was said, that the embargo on the flow of ideas and thought has been as damaging to Cuba as the economic embargo. Future J/P Alerts will report on any actions taken by the CMSM or the joint Conferences. Also, check this CMSM web site for any updates.

Congress Contemplates Patriot II
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the 107th Congress enacted the "USA Patriot Act," giving the federal government broad powers in addressing terrorist activity in the United States. Critics of the "Patriot Act" point out that many provisions in the law violate the very principles of freedom that the terrorists seek to destroy. The law allows the government to collect extensive personal information about citizens and non-citizens in the United States, even if they are not suspected of terrorism or any other crime. Both liberals and conservatives have documented extensive abuses of the "Patriot Act" and have asked Congress to review and amend the law so that civil liberties are protected.

In a related matter, the Justice Department has authorized local police departments to enforce non-criminal immigration laws in their jurisdiction. This move has far reaching consequences for undocumented immigrants in the United States.

The Bush Administration, however, is asking Congress to strengthen and extend these powers by passing the "Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003," more popularly known as "Patriot Act II." This legislation has not yet been introduced, but versions of the proposed bill have been leaked. It would allow the government to conduct warrantless searches, secret arrests, strip people of citizenship even if they have no ties to terrorist activity,

In statements since the terrorists attacks, CMSM has called for protection of civil liberties and will follow this legislation. The J/P Alert will continue to report on this and the Justice and Peace Office will recommend actions that can be taken once the bill is introduced. You can get more information about the "Patriot Act," a meeting of liberal and conservative analysts about the consequences of the act, and some information about "Patriot Act II" at the ACLU website, www.aclu.org.

Debt Relief Legislation Introduced
Two years ago the faith communities scored a victory by supporting legislation that provided the first substantial debt relief package to alleviate the crushing debt that many of the world’s poorest nations are burdened with. Because of that legislation millions of children around the world have gone back to school, vaccinations against preventable diseases are available to hundreds of thousands of people, and AIDS prevention programs have opened in many of these nations. However, millions of people still suffer under the debt where nations are forced to pay back international loans at the expense of health, education, and environmental programs.

Legislation has been introduced in the House and Senate to provide an additional $1 billion in debt relief annually to countries that currently qualify for relief. It will also double the current debt relief offered to the poorest countries, and would remove many of the most restrictive IMF conditions such as charging fees for schools and health care programs. In the House, HR 1376, to improve the HIPC initiative, was introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and enjoys wide bipartisan support. A provision in the Senate AIDS bill sponsored by Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Rick Santorum (R-PA), proposes increased aid for debt relief as a part of an effective strategy to fight global AIDS. There is pressure to remove this provision from the bill.

Representatives and Senators need to hear from their constituents asking them to support the legislation so that millions of lives can be saved through debt relief. Send a letter or fax to your representatives and senators and urge them to co-sponsor HR 1376 and to keep the Biden-Santorum proposal in the Senate bill. For more information visit the Jubilee USA Network web site, www.jubileeusa.org. Jubilee USA Network has also updated its education and action packet with new information about the debt crisis, World Bank and IMF policies, the current debt relief plan, and advocacy strategies. The cost of the packet is $5.00.

Resources
Spiritual Perspectives on Globalization: Making Sense of Economic and Cultural Upheaval, Ira Rifkin, Skylight Paths Publishing, www.skylightpaths.com, Sunset Farm Offices, Route 4, P.O. Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091, $16.95. This book considers the economic and cultural dynamics of globalization and its impact on our spiritual lives through the lens of eight faith systems: Roman Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, the Baha’i faith, Buddhism, Earth-based tribal religions, Hinduism, and Protestantism. It is a practical and easy-to-read introduction on this issue (from Maryknoll News Notes).

World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability, Amy Chua, Doubleday, 2002, $26.00. An interesting presentation on globalization through the theory that "minority dominant economies" on local, national, and world levels leads to instability and increases ethnic tensions in regions and the world. By looking at nations where ethnic minorities control the economies and the power of the U.S. economy globally, she offers insights into another negative aspect of globalization that must be dealt with.

Stan De Boe, OSST
Editor

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