News Bulletin from the Friends of Cuban Libaries
Date: June 11, 2000
MORE ARRESTS FAIL TO STOP LIBRARY EXPANSION
Despite a flurry of repressive actions by the Cuban government in
recent months, it appears likely that the fiftieth independent library will
soon open its doors in the island nation. Since the first independent
library was established in 1998 - dedicated to the goal of offering access to
uncensored books - the government has tried to suppress the expanding library
movement though a campaign of threats, harassment, evictions, arrests,
confiscations and at least one act of violence. This campaign has been the
subject of protests by Amnesty International, the International Federation of
Library Associations (IFLA), the International P.E.N. association of writers,
Index on Censorship and a growing number of library organizations and human
rights activists.
In recent developments, the Havana coordinator of the independent
library movement, Ruben Camalleri, was arrested on February 13 by the State
Security police. Before being released from custody, Mr. Camalleri was
warned that the establishment of any new libraries was forbidden. In
defiance of this ban, Ruben Camalleri has continued to organize new library
openings and was briefly arrested again on May 15. These events were
reported in the February 14 and May 16 issues of the CubaNet database
(www.cubanet.org). The May 18 issue of "Carta de Cuba" magazine reports
that the State Security police raided the inaugural ceremony of the
independent Aurora Library, located in Havana, in early April. The director
of the Aurora Library, Jorge Santacana, was arrested and detained overnight.
During this raid a number of books, a printer and a computer were also
seized. Access to personal computers, the Internet and e-mail is illegal in
Cuba, with the exception of government agencies and a limited number of
individuals considered trustworthy by the government.
Despite ongoing arrests and other acts of intimidation, however, the
fact that all of the libraries have not been shut down may be a sign of the
Cuban government's reluctance to offend the growing number of people around
the world who have expressed support for the independent libraries and
intellectual freedom in Cuba. An example of this trend can be seen in recent
comments by Ariel Dorfman, the renowned Chilean writer and human rights
activist. In a recent essay on Elian Gonzalez and the U.S. trade embargo
[about which the Friends of Cuban Libraries take no position], Ariel Dorfman
asked: "If the Cuban government were to allow every and any book to circulate
freely in the country and, moreover, to stop harassing and intimidating the
independent librarians who have been working against censorship, wouldn't
this be a wonderful gift to Elian and the other future citizens of Cuba?"
BACKGROUND: The Friends of Cuban Libraries, founded in June, 1999, is an
independent, non-partisan, non-profit support group for the independent
librarians of Cuba. We oppose censorship and all other violations of
intellectual freedom, as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, regardless of whatever administration may be in office in Cuba. We
are funded entirely by our members and do not seek or accept contributions
from other sources. For more information, contact Robert Kent at
[log in to unmask] Telephone: (USA) 718-340-8494. Mailing address: 474 48th
Avenue, Apt. 3-C, Long Island City, NY 11109 USA.
Comments on the situation of the independent librarians may be sent
to: President Fidel Castro, Consejos de Ministros y de Estado, Havana, Cuba.
###
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|