PRESS RELEASE
EUROPEAN FRIEND OF DEMOCRACY AND FREE INFORMATION EVERYWHERE
(INCLUDING THE SOLAR SYSTEM)
Although I suspect, as many other respondents on this issue
have mentioned previously, that this whole campaign has
been instigated, motivated, and promoted as part of the
vicious US policy towards Cuba, as a democrat I have no
objection to it as long as similar criteria are applied to
the internet.
Increasingly we are seeing creeping privatisation,
monopolisation, and control of the internet and the
information on it by powerful commercial and murky
governmental interests.
An example would be the pressure to introduce criminal
sanctions for what have, hitherto, been regarded as civil
matters such as copyright or patent infringement. We even
have pop groups referring to 'theft' of their Intellectual
Property by Napster.
To my mind these attempts at controlling the free exchange
of information, or only allowing it upon payment of
exhorbitant royalties, is just as much a threat to
civilised society and democracy as censoring books &
libaries in Cuba.
Tom Davidson
Background: I am an independent, non-partisan,
non-profit making individual, not financed by anyone other
than my employer. I am not currently in receipt of any
funds from any outside bodies, but, in the spirit of the
age, I am always open to offers from any vaguely reputable
research body willing to finance me to produce the
thoroughly independent conclusions required by the funder.
On Sun, 22 Apr 2001 23:13:41 -0400 (EDT) [log in to unmask]
wrote:
> PRESS RELEASE
>
> The Friends of Cuban Libraries
> For Immediate Release Date: April 22, 2001
>
> EUROPEAN AID PROPOSED FOR CUBAN LIBRARIES
>
> Following a three-day visit to Cuba, a Swedish member of the European
> Parliament, Cecilia Malmstrom, has urged the European Union (EU) and the
> government of Sweden to provide aid to the independent library movement in
> Cuba. On April 4 Ms. Malmstrom, a representative of Sweden's Liberal Party,
> issued her findings in a report entitled "For a Common Policy Toward Cuba in
> the European Union." In the report, distributed by the European Liberal
> Democrats, Ms. Malmstrom and co-author Peter Isling urge active support for
> the growing number of Cubans, including independent librarians, who are
> striving to establish a civil society in their country. The report also
> recommends European and Swedish aid for a variety of other Cuban activists
> involved with human rights organizations, social democratic political
> parties, and independent journalism.
>
> After describing visits to two of the independent libraries in Havana,
> Ms. Malmstrom and Mr. Isling comment in their report that "[t]he independent
> libraries perform an important role as a bridge between the democratic
> movement and the rest of the population. Here Cubans can obtain books that
> are prohibited or not available in the official libraries...." Noting that
> the book collections of the independent libraries are frequently confiscated,
> the authors state that "to support and actively assist the independent
> libraries would be an important element in Swedish cooperation for democracy
> in Cuba. Considerable help could be offered toward the development of free
> libraries in the form of books. The population desires to read materials
> other than the propaganda issued by the regime; thus exists a need for
> literature, children's books and [places to hold] debates regarding social
> isues."
>
> "In conclusion," declare the authors of the report, "we should strive so
> that the European Union enacts a coherent and effective policy toward
> Cuba.... The Swedish Liberal Party will raise this question in the European
> Parliament, among other things taking the initiative for a resolution on the
> Human Rights situation in Cuba and the importance of supporting and working
> with the democratic opposition." Ms. Malmstrom is organizing a seminar at
> the European Parliament to promote a more assertive policy toward Cuba.
> Cuban human rights activists, including presumably independent librarians,
> will be invited to attend the seminar scheduled to be held in the autumn.
>
> Information on Cecilia Malmstrom's visit to Cuba and her report to the
> European Parliament was published in the April 11 issue of the CubaNet
> database (http://www.cubanet.org).
>
> BACKGROUND: The Friends of Cuban Libraries, founded in June 1999, is
> an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit support group for the independent
> librarians. We oppose censorship and all other violations of intellectual
> freedom, as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, regardless
> of whatever government may be in office in Cuba. We are funded entirely by
> our members and do not seek or accept funds from other sources. For more
> information, please send e-mail to: ([log in to unmask]). Telephone (USA):
> 718-340-8494. Mailing address: 4-74 48th Avenue, Apt. 3-C, Long Island City,
> NY 11109 USA.
> ###
----------------------
Tom Davidson
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