(www.friendsofcubanlibraries.org)
On November 22 the National Book Foundation held a ceremony in New York to
honor the recipients of its annual literary awards. The NBF prizewinner in the
non-fiction category is Carlos Eire, a Yale University professor whose memoir
"Waiting for Snow in Havana" describes the author's childhood in Cuba and his
family's exile in the United States. Carlos Eire used the occasion of the
National Book Foundation ceremony to honor Cuban writers and librarians who are
now in prison.
In his acceptance speech at the New York event, the author of "Waiting for
Snow in Havana" dedicated his award to Cubans who are in prison for exercising
their right to freedom of speech: "There are actually several that are in
prison for establishing libraries. Hard to believe, but true nonetheless. And it
is to these very, very brave men and women that I would like to dedicate this
award - the people in prison who cannot speak their minds without paying the
heaviest price of all. And may it not only snow in Havana sometime soon, may
they be able to speak freely once and for all."
In spring of this year the Cuban regime caused an international outcry by
arresting journalists, authors and human rights activists in a massive round-up
of dissidents. After one-day trials, the defendants were sentenced to prison
terms of up to 26 years. Among the prisoners are a number of volunteer
librarians who, in an innovative challenge to censorship, have opened a network of
independent libraries offering public access to uncensored books. Cuba's
imprisoned librarians are being defended by human rights organizations such as
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and International PEN.
The American Library Association has refused to speak out in defense of
Cuba's jailed librarians. A 2001 report by the ALA labeled Cuba's imprisoned
librarians as "counterrevolutionaries," and the ALA's former president, Mitch
Freedman, suggests that the Cuban librarians are agents of the U.S. government.
The ALA's support for the Cuban regime is the subject of growing criticism by
journalists and human rights activists. For example, noted civil liberties
author Nat Hentoff has stated: "It would be astonishing - and shameful - if the
American Library Association does not support - and gather support for - the
courageous independent librarians of Cuba, some of whom have been imprisoned by
Castro for very long terms for advocating the very principles of the freedom to
read and think that the American Library Association has so long fought for
in this country."
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