"The Entrenched Cuban Embargo"
by Alberto Jones
October 19, 2009
In the upcoming days, the United Nations General Assembly gathered in New York will hear once again, an endless list of powerful arguments denouncing the fifty year old war of attrition, that the most powerful nation on earth have imposed unilaterally upon a small, developing country for no legal or morally acceptable reasons. What is really sad about this event, is that it is rapidly becoming a ritual, in which the United Nations is unable to carry out the mandate for which it was created.
As it has been during the past decade, we can anticipate a near unanimous parade of heads of delegation, denouncing this immoral practice and demanding the United States to cease and desist from this inhumane practice, which have caused unspeakable harm to the people of Cuba. At the end, when the votes are cast and counted, the world will receive another slap on its face, when one hundred and eighty something nations abstain or vote against this monstrosity and the United States exerts its overwhelming power with the help Israel and a couple of geographically insignificant or financiallly compromised nations, to deny the will of the majority, further weakening the authority of this institution and leading many to ask, what's the purpose of this expensive exercise in futility?
We have and will continue to despair over this irrational behavior, yet we must remember, that each of these despicable acts, have become a part of human history.
On the other hand, when we read year after year, the powerful arguments presented by the Cuban government describing the damaging effects the embargo/blockade have done, in its effort to stifle education, health, industry, culture, development and every other sector in Cuba, it becomes harder and harder for any average outsider to understand, how can the Cuban government expect that this year, after presenting the same report, about the same government, at the same United Nations Assembly, that this time around, they will meekly go to the podium, apologize for thier historical wrongdoings, squash this rotten policy, become friends and live happily ever after with Cuba.
Never in life, have anyone done the same things over and over and achieve a different outcome. With this basic premise in mind, it is therefore incumbent upon Cuba, the victim, to actively develop a strategy that is capable of forcing the United States government to relinquish its murderous stranglehold on our people, rather than continuing to accrue symbolic, moral victories on the world scene, with no tangible results four our people.
As we have experienced over time, leverage is the key in all negotiations. Cuba has not been at war with the United States nor have killed over 50,000 of its soldiers. Viet Nam did and yet, leverage have created a different outcome.
China have not renounced or denounced its socialist political arrangement, which puts her in a similar political camp as Cuba. Yet, the treatment of both countries by the US, are diametrically opposed.
As Cuba, the United States have labelled Iran as the worst country in the world and yet, it has refrained from imposing any draconian political or military measures against which Iran, would likely retaliate reducing or shutting-off its oil supply to some of the US allies.
What were the arguments invoked by the US to send its armed forces into the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Grenada or Panama, that are absent in Honduras for the past two months, while they debate or concoct theories, intended to allow time to run out on the dethroned president?
Is it not an apparent lack of leverage, that have allowed the US government to remain for over 100 years in the illegally occupied territory of Guantanamo Bay Cuba, now turned into a torture center similar to Abu Ghraib?
Cuba has too many highly educated people in and out of government, not to be able to extrapolate from these weak bargaining position and determine why this absurd position of the US government have remained entrenched, with no change in sight. As long as Cuba refrain from developing a well outlined strategic plan, capable of leveraging with the US self imposed embargo, nothing is going to change.
Few people in the world would dispute, that the main goal of the US government is to weaken, erode and encourage the collapse of the Cuban government, so that once again as in 1898, every valuable enterprise in Cuba, will be back in the hands of US transnationals. Unwittingly, Cuba's position over the years, have been based on the righteousness of its just and fair cause, which have unfortunately left in place, an outdated, non-changing approach, which the US can live with, while the Cuban people despair because of years of pain, suffering and stagnation, is wearing thin, causing a clear loss of support especially among the younger generation, whose only solution seems to lie with migration.
In lies squarely in the hands of the Cuban government, to do an in depth study of why after fifty years of denouncing this injustice, nothing have changed and come up with an alternative approach, eveh though it may or may not elicit a different result.
Many are convinced, that if the Cuban government would take a few basic steps, that would send a clear message to corporate America, indicating a real possibility of loosing it's hopes of reconquering Cuba financial world, they would, as many others who have claims of properties loss in Cuba, assume the position to let bygone be bygone.
Open bids to international corporations, for the creation of exclusive joint ventures with the Cuban government for the next 10 years, of a national food, medicine and medical supplies distribution chain.
Open bids to internationals corporations for the creation of 10 years exclusive joint ventures with the Cuban government for all air, land and sea transportation.
Open bids to internationals corporation for the creation of 10 years exclusive joint ventures with the Cuban government for the operation of mining, fisheries and environmental development.
Open bids to internationals corporations for the creation of 10 years exclusive joint ventures with the Cuban government for the hospitality industry.
Open bids for the promotion for of small business cooperatives between the Cuban government, Cuban nationals in and outside Cuba and with every solidarity solidarity organization.
Logic suggests that one year after the enactment of these and other simple principles, the embargo/blockade will no longer exists and become an integral part of our turbulent history.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The Handling of the Cuban Housing Crisis
"The Handling of the Cuban Housing Crisis"
Alberto N Jones
October 16, 2009
An article published in the Miami Herald on 10/15/09, "Cuba cracks down on unlicensed home improvents" cannot or should not be true, because that would be the be the most outrageous, counterproductive way of dealing with that country's most sensitive, painful, conflicting, unresolved social problem.
Among the multiple, crushing reasons presented by Fidel Castro in his dramatic self defense during the trials for the attack he lead against the Moncada garrison on 7/26/53, was the inhumane living conditions of 90% of our peasentry in primitive shacks, over 50% of the urban population living in beyond reach, overpriced rented homes and thousands of apartment buildings in the hands of a handful of rich homes moguls, which became a powerful argument justifying the need of changing the status quo.
Immidiately after the truimph of the revoltution, Pastora Nunez was given the near impossible task of solving the nation housing problem. She began aggressively substituting peasants shacks with comfortable cinder blocks homes. Thousands of modest, functional, beautiful homes were built in cities across the country applying a suburban concept, which up to this moment, was limited to the middle and upper class neighborhoods, turning this venerable woman overnight, into one of the best known faces of the revolution, leading the population to spontaneously name these communities Pastorita.
An enormous sense of pride filled these neighborhoods, in which most homes literally competed against each others in the upkeep of their gardens, planting of fruit or ornamental trees, creating vegetable gardens and raising chickens in their backyard.
Simultaneously with education, health, sports, job creation and the enormously popular Housing Reform Act enacted in 1959, which gave ownership to all renters, sent a clear message of what a triumphant revolution was all about. Mass euphoria blanketed our country with a thick pride that could be touched by all.
For unknown reasons to most, this wonderful Pastorita project ended in the mid sixties when this colorful, enthusiastic lady was transfered to other responsibilities in the agriculture ministry. I saw her for the last time during my residency at the National Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Havana, as her inquiring mind brought her in search of answers for some unknown pathology affecting a herd of cattle under her responsibility. We later learn about her passing.
The Pastorita type houses, were supplanted by similar looking, modal type, non functional, pre-fab, four story apartment buildings, that spread across the country like a wild fire and which were quickly renamed Pigeon Cubs by the population. In order to spead-up the output of aparments to address the growing needs of the population, Gran Panel, a Soviet type, similar pre-fab apartment buildig was introduced, creating thousands of look-alike, poorly ventilated apartments in Santiago de Cuba, the warmest section of Cuba.
This new style of living created by dense concentrations of multiple apartments buildings, brought with it, many unforseen, negative transformational changes to our 500 year old block-style neighborhood culture, in which everyone was seen as neighbor, their names was known, their children, activities, personal relations and friendship became a village, was suddenly frayed, as people in a same building or across the streets, were transformed into strangers.
Another important missing component of the conglomerate living leading to its failure, was the supression in the name of savings, of the Super or building supervisor, who historically had taken care of all the building needs. Some housing genius presumed that a neighborhood collective administrative board, would be able to sweep stairs, fix leaks, cut lawn, forbid hanging laundry on the balcony or the maximum decibels tolerable on individual boom box.
With all the negative results outlined above and many more which would extend unnecessary these arguments, the Cuban government have stubornly adjudicated itself the sole responsibility of solving the huge housing demands. In a population that have gone from 6 to 12 millions inhabitants, construction of new buildings are far from addressing the needs of 10% of this growth, to which we must add, a unbelievable lack of maintenance of all structures during the past 30 years, which have created a pathetic scene of crumbling, hazardous buildings nationwide.
For years, the Cuban government have made its most serious miscalculation, by not assigning 1-2 of its 5-6 cement factory production to satisfy the needs of its population. Ten years ago, while touring Cuba's largest cement factory in Cienfuegos, at the end of the presentation the manager proudly told us about how his upcoming trip abroad in search of markets for his product.
Stunned, speechless, I could barely bring myself to ask him, what was wrong with our internal high-demand, unsatisfied, overpriced cement market, for which Cubans have been willing to pay 200% more for his product exported to neighboring countries.
Increasing overnight the output of sand, stone and other basic construction material, should be easy. Importing lumber, plumbing, electrical, paint and other building supplies from countries with which Cuba has a friendly relation, should not be a problem, having a monopoly of the sales prices, which could additionally, create thousands of jobs and contribute large sums of hard currency to the economy.
Yes, everyone knows, that in order for every individual to solve their otherwise intractable housing crisis, every Cuban have had to bend the rules, find shortcuts, pay bribes, purchase stolen goods, as the only existing way for dealing with the monstrous overcrowding in places such a Centro Habana and across the country. Obtaining a housing renovation permit is near impossible, if an ordinary person do not have an inside connection, is willing to pay a hefty bribe or sexual favor. Why should we pretend this is not happening and are now willing to kill an ants with a sledgehammer?
Although no mistake, abuse, crime committed by any citizen in the past, as the sole way of addressing their family desperate living condition, should never be punitive or retroactive. I plead with everyone, to draw the line today, make all of these material readily available to everyone at large for a price, encourage everyone to build a new home or repair or expand an existing one and stop a failed paternalistic idea of giving away homes, household goods.
Solving this social calamity in Cuba is within reach. Venezuela, our closest friend produce infinite amount of petroleum derivate plastic homes. Rather than the present thinking, why not import a few millions of these structures, put them on sales with a 10% interest payable in 20 years, adress our citizens needs and incorporate millions of hard currency to our public funds, instead of silly discussions taking place within the housing department, if these houses should have two or one bathroom.
Cubans will never grow up, as long as they hold to the false notion that government is there to solve their personal problems, not to pave the way for them to solve their needs with the sweat of their foreheads.
For those who wish our country the best, those who believes that Cuba must survive for the wellbeing of the developing world, can no longer pretend that everything is OK and pretend to keep them in the cellar or assume an opportunistic, super revolutionary attitude, denouncing as anti-government activity, by anyone daring to make public these unpleasant family stories.
Doing otherwise is a prescription for disaster.
Our love for our country must express itself in our critical denounciations of what is wrong. From the clerk who overcharges, the bus conductor pocketing the public fares, the office receptionist not picking up the phone, the pizza parlor cook stealing the tomatto sauce or the baker stealing the lard, should and must be our daily work in defense of our beliefs.
Still, if this and many similar pleas to the highest level of the Cuban government from us, from tens of friendly nations around the globe and from millions of our loyal friends in every city, country and continent would go unheard, we would not only have repudiated one of the most important pillars of the revolution, we maybe unwittingly inviting everyone to the wake and death of 50 years of the most honorable, unparallel, desproportionately uneven struggle in defense of justice, dignity and values of humankind.
Alberto N Jones
October 16, 2009
An article published in the Miami Herald on 10/15/09, "Cuba cracks down on unlicensed home improvents" cannot or should not be true, because that would be the be the most outrageous, counterproductive way of dealing with that country's most sensitive, painful, conflicting, unresolved social problem.
Among the multiple, crushing reasons presented by Fidel Castro in his dramatic self defense during the trials for the attack he lead against the Moncada garrison on 7/26/53, was the inhumane living conditions of 90% of our peasentry in primitive shacks, over 50% of the urban population living in beyond reach, overpriced rented homes and thousands of apartment buildings in the hands of a handful of rich homes moguls, which became a powerful argument justifying the need of changing the status quo.
Immidiately after the truimph of the revoltution, Pastora Nunez was given the near impossible task of solving the nation housing problem. She began aggressively substituting peasants shacks with comfortable cinder blocks homes. Thousands of modest, functional, beautiful homes were built in cities across the country applying a suburban concept, which up to this moment, was limited to the middle and upper class neighborhoods, turning this venerable woman overnight, into one of the best known faces of the revolution, leading the population to spontaneously name these communities Pastorita.
An enormous sense of pride filled these neighborhoods, in which most homes literally competed against each others in the upkeep of their gardens, planting of fruit or ornamental trees, creating vegetable gardens and raising chickens in their backyard.
Simultaneously with education, health, sports, job creation and the enormously popular Housing Reform Act enacted in 1959, which gave ownership to all renters, sent a clear message of what a triumphant revolution was all about. Mass euphoria blanketed our country with a thick pride that could be touched by all.
For unknown reasons to most, this wonderful Pastorita project ended in the mid sixties when this colorful, enthusiastic lady was transfered to other responsibilities in the agriculture ministry. I saw her for the last time during my residency at the National Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Havana, as her inquiring mind brought her in search of answers for some unknown pathology affecting a herd of cattle under her responsibility. We later learn about her passing.
The Pastorita type houses, were supplanted by similar looking, modal type, non functional, pre-fab, four story apartment buildings, that spread across the country like a wild fire and which were quickly renamed Pigeon Cubs by the population. In order to spead-up the output of aparments to address the growing needs of the population, Gran Panel, a Soviet type, similar pre-fab apartment buildig was introduced, creating thousands of look-alike, poorly ventilated apartments in Santiago de Cuba, the warmest section of Cuba.
This new style of living created by dense concentrations of multiple apartments buildings, brought with it, many unforseen, negative transformational changes to our 500 year old block-style neighborhood culture, in which everyone was seen as neighbor, their names was known, their children, activities, personal relations and friendship became a village, was suddenly frayed, as people in a same building or across the streets, were transformed into strangers.
Another important missing component of the conglomerate living leading to its failure, was the supression in the name of savings, of the Super or building supervisor, who historically had taken care of all the building needs. Some housing genius presumed that a neighborhood collective administrative board, would be able to sweep stairs, fix leaks, cut lawn, forbid hanging laundry on the balcony or the maximum decibels tolerable on individual boom box.
With all the negative results outlined above and many more which would extend unnecessary these arguments, the Cuban government have stubornly adjudicated itself the sole responsibility of solving the huge housing demands. In a population that have gone from 6 to 12 millions inhabitants, construction of new buildings are far from addressing the needs of 10% of this growth, to which we must add, a unbelievable lack of maintenance of all structures during the past 30 years, which have created a pathetic scene of crumbling, hazardous buildings nationwide.
For years, the Cuban government have made its most serious miscalculation, by not assigning 1-2 of its 5-6 cement factory production to satisfy the needs of its population. Ten years ago, while touring Cuba's largest cement factory in Cienfuegos, at the end of the presentation the manager proudly told us about how his upcoming trip abroad in search of markets for his product.
Stunned, speechless, I could barely bring myself to ask him, what was wrong with our internal high-demand, unsatisfied, overpriced cement market, for which Cubans have been willing to pay 200% more for his product exported to neighboring countries.
Increasing overnight the output of sand, stone and other basic construction material, should be easy. Importing lumber, plumbing, electrical, paint and other building supplies from countries with which Cuba has a friendly relation, should not be a problem, having a monopoly of the sales prices, which could additionally, create thousands of jobs and contribute large sums of hard currency to the economy.
Yes, everyone knows, that in order for every individual to solve their otherwise intractable housing crisis, every Cuban have had to bend the rules, find shortcuts, pay bribes, purchase stolen goods, as the only existing way for dealing with the monstrous overcrowding in places such a Centro Habana and across the country. Obtaining a housing renovation permit is near impossible, if an ordinary person do not have an inside connection, is willing to pay a hefty bribe or sexual favor. Why should we pretend this is not happening and are now willing to kill an ants with a sledgehammer?
Although no mistake, abuse, crime committed by any citizen in the past, as the sole way of addressing their family desperate living condition, should never be punitive or retroactive. I plead with everyone, to draw the line today, make all of these material readily available to everyone at large for a price, encourage everyone to build a new home or repair or expand an existing one and stop a failed paternalistic idea of giving away homes, household goods.
Solving this social calamity in Cuba is within reach. Venezuela, our closest friend produce infinite amount of petroleum derivate plastic homes. Rather than the present thinking, why not import a few millions of these structures, put them on sales with a 10% interest payable in 20 years, adress our citizens needs and incorporate millions of hard currency to our public funds, instead of silly discussions taking place within the housing department, if these houses should have two or one bathroom.
Cubans will never grow up, as long as they hold to the false notion that government is there to solve their personal problems, not to pave the way for them to solve their needs with the sweat of their foreheads.
For those who wish our country the best, those who believes that Cuba must survive for the wellbeing of the developing world, can no longer pretend that everything is OK and pretend to keep them in the cellar or assume an opportunistic, super revolutionary attitude, denouncing as anti-government activity, by anyone daring to make public these unpleasant family stories.
Doing otherwise is a prescription for disaster.
Our love for our country must express itself in our critical denounciations of what is wrong. From the clerk who overcharges, the bus conductor pocketing the public fares, the office receptionist not picking up the phone, the pizza parlor cook stealing the tomatto sauce or the baker stealing the lard, should and must be our daily work in defense of our beliefs.
Still, if this and many similar pleas to the highest level of the Cuban government from us, from tens of friendly nations around the globe and from millions of our loyal friends in every city, country and continent would go unheard, we would not only have repudiated one of the most important pillars of the revolution, we maybe unwittingly inviting everyone to the wake and death of 50 years of the most honorable, unparallel, desproportionately uneven struggle in defense of justice, dignity and values of humankind.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Ignoring History Has Cost Us 50 Precious Years of Our Lives
"Ignoring History Has Cost Us Fifty Precious Years of Our Lives"
Alberto N Jones
April 18, 2009
In an ironic twist of history, the V Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago will come to a successful or irrelevant closure on Sunday, April 19th, the same day, forty eight years ago when the United States suffered its most resounding political, moral and military defeat in the swamps of the Bay of Pigs.
Prior to this transformative milestone, the United States political/military thinking was formulated around a self-proclaimed invincibility, which emerged from the three months military skirmish in Santiago de Cuba, euphemistically known around the world as the Spanish-American War in 1898.
This tragic event, effectively deprived the Cuban people of the fruits of their long and hard fought struggle for independence and sovereignty, which began with the uprising of Chief Hatuey and Guarina in the 1490‘s. Thousands of Cuba’s best sons and daughters were deported, imprisoned, wounded, maimed or killed on behalf of this goal.
Tens of slave uprisings across the island attempting to free themselves from their inhumane captivity, were put down with unspeakable brutality. The infamous Ladder Conspiracy earned its name from two parallel logs with other horizontally spaced logs upon which slaves accused of plotting to escape or recaptured run-away slaves were tied to and beaten into a pulp or killed with blows from another log, reminiscent to a primitive baseball bat.
On October 10th 1868, Carlos Manuel de Cespedes a wealthy sugar baron, who later became the father of the Cuban nation, freed his slaves and encouraged them to join the war of independence, which they did in droves, contributing the bulk of the casualties during the next 10 years vicious war, which ended in an armistice. This tragic outcome was salvaged by another son of Africa, General Antonio Maceo who opposed this decision with his heroic Protest of Baragua and his commitment to continue the struggle to its last consequence.
The final war of independence was re-started in 1895 under the leadership of Jose Marti, the greatest Cuban political leader in its history. By 1898 victory was within reach of the Cuban Army, when alleging protection of life and property, the USS Maine entered the port of Havana where it later exploded under questionable circumstances, laying the groundwork for the United States to unleash the Spanish-American war, which defeated in three months, an exhausted Spanish occupying forces.
This simple, unsolicited, unilateral decision by the United States, derailed 400 years of struggle for Cuba’s independence, when they denied the Cuban Army the right to be present at the Spanish Army surrendering ceremony or at the subsequent peace talks in Paris. The dismantling of a fully integrated Army of Independence, replacing it with an all white police force and with a Rural Guard where blacks could not rise above the rank of lieutenant, opened deep and bitter wounds between the US and Cuba.
By emasculating Cuba sovereignty with the Platt Amendment, forceful occupation of prime lands for naval bases, engulfing thousands of acres of fertile agriculture lands for pennies, taking over every important industry, utilities, commerce, banking, perpetuating illiteracy, segregation, corruption, political violence etc., they sowed the seeds of discord that have survived to this day.
These and other social ills were compounded with the brutal assault on the “democratically” elected, corrupt presidency of Carlos Prio Socarras in 1952, which lead the Generation of the Century headed by Fidel Castro, to accuse General Batista before the Supreme Court for overthrowing the government and later leading a failed insurrection, imprisonment, emigration, return with an 82 man strong invading forces in 1956, which defeated Batista’s powerful, US backed military machine on January 1, 1959.
Attempting to correct years of abuse, corruption, a worldwide image of Cuba being a playground for the rich, famous and the mafia, the new government clamped down hard and confiscated most ill gotten wealth of these individuals, irritating the US government, unleashing a tit for tat and the breaking-off of diplomatic relations.
The infamous Bay of Pigs, is nothing more than a traumatic abortion of an ill-conceived, well funded, abundantly equipped, vertically CIA managed 2000 man-strong mercenary force, charged with overthrowing the newly formed, poorly equipped Cuban army.
Having failed to take into account these irrefutable historical facts, have left a legacy of distrust, billions of dollars in misguided projects and unnecessary destruction, wounded and dead.
And today, as a highly educated, visionary, courageous president of the United States is working tirelessly to reverse decades of absurd, confrontational, hate spewing, retrograde policies that have created millions of enemies around the world, many continue to undermine every idea, policy or bridge building effort the White House may develop.
Let us join hands and stave off those backward forces that revel in wars, death and destruction. Let’s express in a clear, strong, unison voice, enough is enough!
If for millions of people around the world, April 19, 1961 is remembered as the Day of Infamy, it is incumbent upon us to transform this day in the year 2009, into the Day of Rediscovering America, Goodness, Brotherhood, Love and Hope.
Alberto N Jones
April 18, 2009
In an ironic twist of history, the V Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago will come to a successful or irrelevant closure on Sunday, April 19th, the same day, forty eight years ago when the United States suffered its most resounding political, moral and military defeat in the swamps of the Bay of Pigs.
Prior to this transformative milestone, the United States political/military thinking was formulated around a self-proclaimed invincibility, which emerged from the three months military skirmish in Santiago de Cuba, euphemistically known around the world as the Spanish-American War in 1898.
This tragic event, effectively deprived the Cuban people of the fruits of their long and hard fought struggle for independence and sovereignty, which began with the uprising of Chief Hatuey and Guarina in the 1490‘s. Thousands of Cuba’s best sons and daughters were deported, imprisoned, wounded, maimed or killed on behalf of this goal.
Tens of slave uprisings across the island attempting to free themselves from their inhumane captivity, were put down with unspeakable brutality. The infamous Ladder Conspiracy earned its name from two parallel logs with other horizontally spaced logs upon which slaves accused of plotting to escape or recaptured run-away slaves were tied to and beaten into a pulp or killed with blows from another log, reminiscent to a primitive baseball bat.
On October 10th 1868, Carlos Manuel de Cespedes a wealthy sugar baron, who later became the father of the Cuban nation, freed his slaves and encouraged them to join the war of independence, which they did in droves, contributing the bulk of the casualties during the next 10 years vicious war, which ended in an armistice. This tragic outcome was salvaged by another son of Africa, General Antonio Maceo who opposed this decision with his heroic Protest of Baragua and his commitment to continue the struggle to its last consequence.
The final war of independence was re-started in 1895 under the leadership of Jose Marti, the greatest Cuban political leader in its history. By 1898 victory was within reach of the Cuban Army, when alleging protection of life and property, the USS Maine entered the port of Havana where it later exploded under questionable circumstances, laying the groundwork for the United States to unleash the Spanish-American war, which defeated in three months, an exhausted Spanish occupying forces.
This simple, unsolicited, unilateral decision by the United States, derailed 400 years of struggle for Cuba’s independence, when they denied the Cuban Army the right to be present at the Spanish Army surrendering ceremony or at the subsequent peace talks in Paris. The dismantling of a fully integrated Army of Independence, replacing it with an all white police force and with a Rural Guard where blacks could not rise above the rank of lieutenant, opened deep and bitter wounds between the US and Cuba.
By emasculating Cuba sovereignty with the Platt Amendment, forceful occupation of prime lands for naval bases, engulfing thousands of acres of fertile agriculture lands for pennies, taking over every important industry, utilities, commerce, banking, perpetuating illiteracy, segregation, corruption, political violence etc., they sowed the seeds of discord that have survived to this day.
These and other social ills were compounded with the brutal assault on the “democratically” elected, corrupt presidency of Carlos Prio Socarras in 1952, which lead the Generation of the Century headed by Fidel Castro, to accuse General Batista before the Supreme Court for overthrowing the government and later leading a failed insurrection, imprisonment, emigration, return with an 82 man strong invading forces in 1956, which defeated Batista’s powerful, US backed military machine on January 1, 1959.
Attempting to correct years of abuse, corruption, a worldwide image of Cuba being a playground for the rich, famous and the mafia, the new government clamped down hard and confiscated most ill gotten wealth of these individuals, irritating the US government, unleashing a tit for tat and the breaking-off of diplomatic relations.
The infamous Bay of Pigs, is nothing more than a traumatic abortion of an ill-conceived, well funded, abundantly equipped, vertically CIA managed 2000 man-strong mercenary force, charged with overthrowing the newly formed, poorly equipped Cuban army.
Having failed to take into account these irrefutable historical facts, have left a legacy of distrust, billions of dollars in misguided projects and unnecessary destruction, wounded and dead.
And today, as a highly educated, visionary, courageous president of the United States is working tirelessly to reverse decades of absurd, confrontational, hate spewing, retrograde policies that have created millions of enemies around the world, many continue to undermine every idea, policy or bridge building effort the White House may develop.
Let us join hands and stave off those backward forces that revel in wars, death and destruction. Let’s express in a clear, strong, unison voice, enough is enough!
If for millions of people around the world, April 19, 1961 is remembered as the Day of Infamy, it is incumbent upon us to transform this day in the year 2009, into the Day of Rediscovering America, Goodness, Brotherhood, Love and Hope.
Friday, January 16, 2009
I was Wrong, I am Sorry & I Apologize.
The brutal assault on the high seas of a humanitarian vessel heading to Gaza, lead me to re-read my views 18 months ago. Please evaluate and consider publishing. Thanks very much.
"I was Wrong, I am Sorry and I Apologize"
by Alberto N Jones
January 16, 2009
When I first saw in 1965 what Nazi Germany had done to the Jewish businesses and their communities in Leipzig, Dresden or Berlin, I was outraged.
When my female friend told me about the day after Kristalnackt, when her Jewish schoolmate and her entire family vanished, never to be seen again, I was angry.
When I read and saw pictures of how Jews were rounded-up, labeled and herded off into the unknown, which later turned out to be any of those infamousconcentration camps, I was sickened.
When we were taken to Buchenwald and our tour guides, who were survivors of this human monstrosity described the bestiality that took place in this encampment, ranging from hunger, forced labor, disease, mass murder, sadism, gas chamber, furnaces to broil humans or soap factory using human fat, was too revolting to believe it to be true.
When we were exposed to horrible films of box cars filled with humans as we would not do to animals, or bony bodies covered with skin being bulldozed into trenches, or children wearing horrible camp uniforms behind barbed wire, we despaired and fully supported the tragic end and the horrible human cost thatGermany paid for its barbaric actions.
Equating the tragic Jewish experience with that of my ancestors, who were ripped away from their homeland, chained to the hull of slow moving slave schooners undergoing weeks of grueling pain, sickness or death, thrown overboard and those genetically fit who survived such brutal voyage, were rewarded with hundreds of years of slavery, whippings, hunger, pseudo-freedom, illiteracy, racism, lynching, segregation etc., made it easy for me to be in solidarity and a strong supporter of these victims, concentrated in Israel.
My first indication that something was not quite kosher occurred when I was first exposed to Gamal Abdel Nasser articulating the nationalistic views of the Non-Aligned nations and Israel subsequent siding with colonial England, France and others against Egypt, for legitimately claiming back its canal.
When the seven days war erupted, I did not have most of the basic understanding to determine who was right and who was wrong. Like most other uninformed citizens, we saw and shared the mass-media perception, of a small nation “defending” itself against its large, aggressive neighbors.
The massacre of hundreds of innocents refugees in Sabra and Shatila at the hands of Ariel Sharon, butchered in the middle of the night by his henchmen with the support of most western powers, became the first full size picture of a morally compromised society with a decaying supremacist philosophy, that will eventually bury a nation that was created upon a victim syndrome and world sympathy.
Encouraged, tolerated and supported by every United States administration, the Zionist regime in Israel became bolder and bolder. They were no longer subjected to world opinion or international condemnation, knowing their prime supporter held a financial stranglehold that was capable of blackmailing most poor nations and veto power in every international organization.
Although the world was acutely aware of the vicious, inhuman and wanton deaths that Israel inflicted on a regular basis upon the Palestinian people, they had driven tens of thousands from their homes and turned into refugees across the middle east. Those left in Palestine, were forced into the world most dense, cramped human settlement in Gaza and the West Bank, over which the Zionist regime held absolute control over land, air, water and human movements.
As prisoners at the mercy of their master, willing to incarcerate the entire comunities at will, by closing its few crossing points, cut off all supplies, shut down financial remittances, control every individual movement through a pervasive infiltration of MOSSAD and an army of paid informants, keeping the entire population under total surveillance, terror and perennial poverty.
Wickedly controlling 80% of the water resources and subjecting the Palestinian to hunger through drought-scorched land, they openly brag about their racial superiority expressed in their greenery, agricultural production and Kibutz development, mostly dependent on semi-slave Palestinian migrant labor.
Not satisfied with controlling most of the land mass of this highly disputed region, President Ronald Regan strongly encouraged the creation of settlements or communities ripped away from Palestinians living on the West Bank, which was then given and guarded by thugs armed to the teeth, willing to shoot to kill any non-Jewish person, knowing they enjoyed complete immunity.
Tens of thousands of people purporting to be of Jewish background, desperately willing to emigrate from the Soviet Union, presented themselves to the world as innocent victims of a brutal communist system that deprived them of their right to practice their faith and culture, who were now emboldened and quick to shoot, killing Palestinian children like stray dogs.
Desperate, with no way out of such monstrous abuse, threatened by mercenaries brought from foreign lands, Palestinians youths were left with no other option than their heroic Intifada and the willingness of their children to be slaughtered by Israeli tanks, bulldozers and snipers.
Taking their desperation to its highest level, youngsters, females, elderly Palestinians were willing to assemble crude bombs, don explosive belts, walk into crowds of Israelis and pull the trigger, blowing themselves to bits with their oppressors.
Salaried journalists, mainstream media and others who have skillfully highlighted the scratches or minor destructions caused by primitive non-guidance rockets launched into Israel which seldom cause any human casualty, are mute in a concerted effort to hide or downplay, the massive destruction caused by their F-16, M-1, smart bombs and wide use of forbidden weapons, along with their undisguised threat of their nuclear arsenal.
Labeled as terrorists by those journalists willing to desecrate desperate people willing to go to such extreme, they never asked themselves, what have we done to these people to lead them to such drastic decisions? Is there anyone these journalists know, who are willing to blow up themselves for whatever amount of money they would be offered?
These are the simplistic, offensive tactics, geared to tarnish young men and women, robbed of their most basic human dignity, willing to give it all and pay the ultimate price on behalf of their people.
Although I do not condone these actions, I experienced first hand the tragic effects that massive abuse can inflict to the human physic. I clearly remember Batista’s murderers, armed to their teeth, pulling youngsters from their classroom, homes or off the streets, to be tortured, murdered, desecrated and their bodies left to rot by the side of highways.
What else were the Cuban people left with, except to learn how to make pipe bombs, Molotov cocktail and shoot any lone military or politician supporters of that rotten system and become part of a triumphant insurrection that wiped them forever out of that country?
Then came the most vicious onslaught on Lebanon with Israeli WW III weaponry in action, with the full complicity/support of President George W. Bush andSecretary of State Condoleezza Rice, they forcefully rejected any effort to stop this conflict in its early stage, confident, that Israel would reduce Hezbollah and south Lebanon to rubble, which to their consternation, turned out to be, a crushing defeat for the long time Middle East bully.
With the entire Knesset in turmoil, the military top brass pointing fingers at each other, their invading army retreating with their tail between their legs and a born-again peace-loving Condoleezza Rice shuttling back and forth to avoid a more embarrassing unraveling of their most powerful repressive forces in the region, she was now bent on penning a truce.
This embarrassing defeat of the Israeli Defense Forces in south Lebanon became a great lesson for the region, by teaching everyone, that a new, successfulmilitary strategy was capable of breaking the spine of the IDF and destroying its myth of invencibility.
Attempting to restore the Israeli Defense Forces morale, fear factor and invincibility , they actively sought an easy prey which they identified in Gaza, where Hamas had overwhelming won the past election. This political setback led them unleash a full scale blockade, encircle the region, cut off all basic supplies, shut off remittances, impose strict human mass incarceration and constant spying on the area with unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopter gunship, fighter jets, armed drones, willing to shell and send rocket into dense populated areas, assassinating with impunity, irrespective of being a child or an 80 year old paraplegic in a wheel chair.
Assuming Gaza had been sufficiently softened, they launched in December a full scale, murderous assault on a densely populated area, using their most sophisticated war machine and murderous live phosphorous, banned by international laws.
In a disproportionate killing of 120:1 Palestinians, mostly civilians, of which, three hundreds were children, was the trophy that Tipzi, Olmert, Barack or Perez and many more criminals, are attempting to add to their resume, as others before them, did in Germany during the 40’s.
Still, the only thing that is clear, is that the world have come to know them. No longer can they hoist the victim banner, sing the hymn of the abused, attempt to justify their wicked actions with anti-Semitism which have served them so well for the past 60 years. What they have shown the world over time, is no different to what the forefathers of today’s military and political leaders of the Israeli government endured in Germany, when they enjoyed the entire world sympathy.
My sentiments betrayed me, I extracted the wrong conclusion and I am sorry for having supported those who are willing to do worst to other defenseless individuals.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
A Critical Look at the Future of Cuba, III
"A Critical Look at the Future of Cuba, III"
Alberto N. Jones
March 13, 2008
Hoping to write the third and final chapter of this article, I rose-up around 3:00 am on Tuesday February 19. At 3: 18 CNN interrupted its normal programming with a breaking news that Fidel Castro, the President of Cuba had written a letter in which he stated “I will neither aspire nor accept the positions of president of the Council of State or Commander in Chief.”
This stunning news, after leading the Cuban government for 49 years and 49 days albeit expected, left me speechless, frozen in my chair, as thousands of life changing, vivid experiences crossed my mind at the speed of light. I must digress a bit from my original line of thinking.
How could I ever envision that I would live through this unprecedented, historic transformation of Cuba and its people? It all began on Saturday July 25th 1953, when my uncle Clifford invited me to join his friends, who were going to a carnival dance that took place every year at the Hatuey beer gardens in Santiago de Cuba.
Exhausted, after having a wonderful time around 3:00 am my Uncle decided to call it quits and go home. Because it was a large group and there was few if any taxi’s at such late hours of the night, we sang all the way as we walked to our friend’s home, who hosted us for the week-end.
In one of those inexplicable twists of life, our friends lived in Sueno neighborhood, only 4-5 blocks away from the Moncada barracks, Cuba’s second largest military garrison with its threatening looks as we strolled outside of its fortified walls. As we approached one of its many gates, we said Hi to a small number of soldiers guarding one of its entrance. Shortly after reaching home and in the process of getting in bed, we heard loud, relentless explosions that we thought initially were fire crackers.
Later, wild rumors went that a gun battle had ensued between the military stationed at the Moncada and members of the reinforcement brigade that came in from Havana. Around 9:00 am, a couple of B-26’s flew low overhead threatening to bomb, which fortunately did not happen. What we did witness from our vantage point, was military jeeps constantly speeding into the garrison, sometimes with someone laying on the floor of the jeep with their feet hanging out, which was followed by sporadic shots, suggesting someone had been executed.
On Monday, as life partially returned to normal, people were allowed to leave their homes and as we walked near the garrison, more than forty gaskets were spread-out on the sidewalk, exuding a nauseating odor and covered with swarms of flies, in a repugnant desecration of the dead.
How Fidel was captured days later and was miraculously saved by Lt Sarria who had instructions not to take prisoners, attempts to poison him in jail, the trial and his self defense “Condemn me, it doesn‘t matter; History will Absolve me” became a treatise in jurisprudence.
This was followed by jail time in Cuba’s most feared prison, paroled, migrate to Mexico, regroup, military training, launching of a maritime invading force of 82 men most of whom were ambushed and murdered upon landing and with the twelve surviving men, they organized a nation-wide movement that ousted Batista and his 80,000 men-strong army, less than three years later.
Out of this victorious revolution, came a wide-range, political-ideological third world solidarity movement, that spread across the world like a wildfire, supporting every liberation movement, providing its leaders with all necessary moral and material support, denouncing and weakening tens of neo-colonial institutions that had enslaved millions of people in Africa, Asia and Latin-America.
Today Cuba can proudly exhibit, thousands of people who were educated in its classrooms, a host of countries whose liberation and independence is closely tied to Cuba’s efforts and millions of people whose pain and suffering have been relieved and their lives preserved from certain death, because of Cuba’s unqualified, generous devotion to those in need.
These examples and many more may help us understand and counterbalance the difficult socio-economic conditions in Cuba today, that her enemies enjoy highlighting and portraying as a symbol of Cuba’s social failure. In fact, its low wages, crumbling housing, pathetic infrastructure, poor food and medicine supplies, insufficient personal and durable goods, etc., rather than an indictment of their system, it exemplifies their unparallel generosity, unselfishness and profound concerns for the wellbeing of those less fortunate, even at the expense of their own.
Like so many man-made projects, Cuba have had its own long list of mistakes, just as it had these incredible vision and perspective that have changed history, impacted the lives of millions and restored hope of a better world for present and future generations. These incontrovertible facts, are what have made Cuba under the leadership of Fidel Castro a unique, one in a century event that no government, historian or media can negate, tarnish or distort.
But after forty years of the Cuban people enduring all forms of deprivations, it is past due to have a thorough, profound re-evaluation of the country’s resources, its people’s need and ways of increasing its industrial and agricultural output, in order to begin satisfying the most pressing issues affecting that nation.
Contrary to what many Cuban-American scholars may assume, that in order to address the huge material need that have been accrued over the years, Cuba will have to dismantle its political system, beg its enemies for forgiveness, plead with the World Bank for financial help, apologize to the United States government for misbehaving and invite back into the country the Cuban-American bourgeoisie with their corrupting mentality and truckload of vices; rest assured, that will never happen.
To some extent, the success and failures of the Revolution are reflected in me and many others. Rescued from a clerical dead-end job on the United States Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay Cuba in 1962, the Cuban government spent thousands of dollars on my education to become a Veterinary Pathologist with additional training in counter epizoothiologic bio-terrorism education in Germany in 1966, when only a handful of professionals in this hemisphere knew about this specialty.
In 1970 I became Director and Pathologist of Oriente Provincial Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory , which encompassed at the time, a territorial responsibility of 1/3 of Cuba’s agriculture expanse. In addition to this impossible task, I was later put in charge of overseeing the technical and personal needs of our foreign professional support team, I founded and became President of the Provincial Veterinary Scientific Council and in 1972, instructor of Pathology at the University of Oriente.
As difficult and overwhelming as these multi tasks complex responsibilities were, my greatest and most challenging problems arouse from my constant battle against an incipient corruption -that have since swept the country- among some co-workers in administrative positions, who misused their authority to steal, divert or bribe others with all sorts of material resources assigned to or in possession of our laboratory. Stopping, challenging, denouncing and going as far as forbidden their entry onto our premises, spurred a formidable and rabid array of enemies, that were all too willing to join forces, plot and accuse me of the worst imaginable political crimes, landing me in jail for 8 years, of which I served 4 ½.
For many, this unspeakable and unjustifiable crime meant, destroying the pride and joy they felt over the professional achievement of their country boy from Guantanamo. For me, after many years of shame, pain and frustration, thanks to the help of friends and loved ones, I was able to do an in-depth, rigorous analysis of this event and identify the human frailty that cohabitate in many of us, causing my demise and the abominable end of my professional life.
But far more important than my personal grief, was the incredible opportunity that life had reserved for me, by making me the second member of my family to ever sit in a classroom of higher education, three hundred years after our forceful removal from Africa. That’s why, knowing what I know now and given the opportunity to do it all over again, I have no doubt, I would do exactly the same.
Now, in order for Cuba to confront and begin addressing the enormous backlog of urgent, intractable social problems that have severely affected the wellbeing of the Cuban population for decades, I will put forth some unsolicited ideas that I truly believe, once they are subjected to a thorough, critical, objective analysis and added all necessary modifications, corrections or rejections, we can anticipate a 360 degree socio-economic surge in Cuba by the year 2020, that will catapult this nation into her rightful place among nations in this hemisphere, without having to alter any of the structural foundations, that constitutes the moral pillars of the Revolution.
Sources of Income
Cuba’s massive educational system has made all of its émigré potentially more successful than those from other countries. This reality suggests, that every Cuban living abroad is indebted to our country and should therefore be willing to refund a portion of their education cost, which can be done, by signing a payment agreement at the closest consulate and remitting equal yearly payments for the next ten years, until his/her debt has been paid in full. Conservative estimates puts the gross income of this project on/or around $5,000,000,000.00
A rampant and uncontrollable violence that is ravaging the United States, Central America and some Caribbean islands, have left no workplace, school, healthcare facility, church, courthouse, daycare centers, congress or homes, immune to this plague. Millions of teenagers, especially minorities are confronted every day with life threatening challenges, which is expressed in the high homicide ratio, massive incarceration, and lack of basic education, drug addition and gang proliferation, placing them squarely among other endangered species.
Creating a network of boarding middle and high schools on the Isles of Youth in Cuba, could become a refuge for thousands of US, Caribbean and Latin America youths, where they could safely acquire a solid education and a technical or professional formation, which could prepare them for a creative and productive life. Conservative estimates for tuition, boarding, insurance and family visits for each 300/alumni school, could generate approximately $4,500.000.00 per year.
Forty seven million US citizens and presumably a large number in Latin America and the Caribbean are without a Health Insurance Policy. Creating an affordable policy that may oscillate between $25.00 and $50.00 per month, could possibly enroll between 3 and 5 million individuals, operating on a preventive medicine basis, with yearly physicals.
In support of this project, a 1000 bed Multi-Specialty Caribbean Medical Center could be built in Santiago de Cuba with a similar 500 bed satellite, specializing in certain pathologies, could be located in Holguin.
Additionally, a Regional, high-tech Caribbean Clinical Pathology Laboratory/Imaging Diagnostic Center with Pathologists strategically situated abroad to serve the area, would provide its top-notch diagnostic capabilities to a region with an anemic service in need of upgrading.
A 2000 bed Nursing Home/Assisted Living facilities distributed through Guantanamo, Santiago and Holguin, would satisfy a poorly developed service in this region. Conservative estimates sets the income that can be generated by these entities in billions.
Mental Health and illegal Drug Additions are rapidly becoming the most widespread pathology of the XXI Century. Cuba near-drug free environment, thousands of healthcare professionals in that field, its renowned track record with Spanish speaking patients and its highly competitive cost, can anticipate with an adequate promotion, registering tens of thousands of patients from our region, who have no where else to go in search of help. Income from this service may easily surpass any of the country’s main source of foreign income.
Tens of millions of people who have been the backbone of Cuba’s solidarity movement around the world, disseminating its reality, marching, holding vigils or collecting donations for its people, could be encouraged to join a new form of solidarity at this critical juncture, by participating in a Tri Party Joint Venture composed of solidarity members, Cuban retirees/unemployed organized in co-op’s and properties owned by the Cuban government, in the creation of tens of thousands of micro commercial, industrial, agriculture or hospitality ventures, expanding exponentially these activities, creating thousands of jobs and generating billions in profit, that will be disbursed equally among all three participating sectors.
Cuba’s excellent geographical location, its natural beauty, near perfect climate, educated population and having the safest social environment in the western hemisphere, seems to combine all the ingredients for the development of 200,000 home sites of 100x100 sq ft in the periphery of cities, lakes, beaches, mountain, valleys or secluded areas, upon which individuals with a longstanding friendly relation with Cuba, Cuban emigrants respectful of its sovereignty and others, retired or active, preferably those with higher education, willing to assume parcels in usufruct for 25 years for which, depending on the location of any specific lot, a users fee may range between $2,000.00, $5,000.00 or $10,000.00 per year.
Homes built on these home sites will reflect the taste and acceptable discretion of the home dwellers, who at the end of the 25 years usufruct or if death occur before, these properties in good maintenance conditions, will become part of the Cuban patrimony. In addition to the home value and yearly land payment, it is estimated that Cuba could earn millions in individuals living expense.
A worldwide demands for shorter delivery time of goods and services, have given rise to an enormous air cargo service and a constant search for establishing distribution centers closer to their marketplace. The city of Guantanamo situated on the southern tip of Cuba, have the longest airstrip in the country, a perfect year round aviation weather, abundant availability of water, electricity, good land, rail and sea conections, hundreds of thousands of underdeveloped acreage and its most attractive feature is being 2, 4 or more flying hours, closer to most of Latin America markets.
A project of this nature will require, hundreds of thousands sq ft of open air, covered and refrigerated storage facilities, thousands of employees, generating billions in rental, customs, air transport, fuel and landing fee, transforming this region into one of the most prosperous in the nation.
Funds Allocation:
If half of these funds were invested primarily in the former province of Oriente and in other specific projects around the country on a variety of social, agro-industrial development, job creation and scientific/technical development, the present unequal development gap existing between the east and the west of Cuba, could be narrowed dramatically by 2020 and wiped-out by 2050. Among the steps to be considered are:
* Assign 50 million to refurbish every middle and high school on the Isles of Youth and construct as many as necessary to reach a 20,000 capacity for middle and high school students from the Caribbean, Africa, America and Latin America.
* Assign 10 million to refurbish and expand the Frank Pais teacher’s school in Santiago de Cuba, to reach a capacity of 5000 students from Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.
* Assign $20 million to refurbish, upgrade and expand the School of Veterinary Sciences, the regional Diagnostic Laboratory and the Animal Research Center in Bayamo.
* Assign 60 million for the construction of a Solar, Wind and Environmental Sciences University for 2000 students, a Solar Research Center and an Energy Saving bulb factory in Guantanamo.
* Assign 15 million for the construction in Guantanamo of the National English, French and Creole Language Academy with a capacity of 5000 students, staffed with teachers from the English and French Speaking Caribbean islands.
* Assign 20 million for the construction of the Planetarium, Aeronautical and Aerospace and Cosmonaut Museum in Guantanamo.
* Assign 50 million to transform the Avenida Michelsen in Santiago de Cuba, into the Developing World Cultural, Expo and Business Center, where every African, Latin America and Caribbean country can exhibit their arts, culture and heritage to promote economic agreements among nations.
* Assign 30 million for the construction of the Faculty of African, Caribbean and Latin American studies, with its museum and visual arts center in Santiago de Cuba.
* Assign 100 million to refurbish thousands of colonial homes and others of unique architectural value throughout Oriente, create co-op of employee/operators in partnership with the Tourist Industry, turning them into moderate cost Bed and Breakfast lodging.
* Assign 300 million for the environmental clean-up, dredging of the port and restoring Ciudamar, Cayo Granma and Punta Gorda in Santiago de Cuba to its original beauty.
Assign 500 million to construct waste water treatment facilities in Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Bayamo, Holguin and Las Tunas.
* Allocate 800 million for the Plan Salcines hydrology complex in Baracoa, to satisfy the drinking water needs of Santiago, Guantanamo and Palma Soriano.
* Establish a 25,000 family Guest Worker agreement with Haiti, Brazil and other Caribbean Islands and for every Cuban family interested in relocating from the inner city to the countryside and assign 50 acres of land in northern Oriente and Camaguey in usufruct for 25 years, in order to revitalize the sugar cane plantation and restore the production capacity of the sugar industry. A Sandino type home with windmill, septic tank, means of transportation and a $10,000 loan, will be part of this package.
* Establish a 20,000 family Guest Workers agreement with Haiti, Brazil, other Caribbean islands and every Cuban family wishing to relocate from any inner city to the mountain range of Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba , El Escambray and la Sierra de los Organos, and assign 50 acres of land and personal facilities as described above, for a massive revitalization of Coffee, Cocoa plantations, fruits and produce production.
* Establish a 10,000 family Guest Workers agreement with Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, relocate to southern Oriente and assign 50 acres per family of semi-arid lands for herding sheep, goats and growing nuts, cactus, olives and other typical middle eastern produce. As in previous examples, similar start-up kit is included.
* Establish a 10,000 family Guest Workers agreement with Viet Nam/China, allowing their relocation and assigning each family 50-75 acres of wet lands in the delta of the Cauto river, for the expansion of rice production. All other initial benefits are included.
* Assign 50 acres of land in usufruct for 25 years and a $10,000.00 loan, to every new and old farmer in the country, interested in revitalizing fruit production in Santiago de Cuba, Contramaestre, Ciego de Avila and the Isle of Youth. All other offer applies.
* Create a similar project with 50,000 inner city dwellers with agriculture background, interested in developing feed cattle production in Camaguey, Bayamo, and Sanctis Spiritus and the Havana/Matanzas corridor. All other offerings apply.
* Provide a $5,000.00 loan to every home owner interested in refurbishing their home and a $15,000.00 loan for every new home construction.
* Assign $20 million for the construction of a motorcycle (scooter) assembly plant in Santiago de Cuba, to provide basic means of transportation to every citizen and for export in the region.
These ideas, which may seem idyllic to some, are solely intended to improve the living standard and quality of life of the exceedingly generous and deserving Cuban people, who have done so much for those society deem unworthy and have left on their own to perish. Cuba must survive, strive and continue to extend its care around the world.
No philosophical, political, racial or social difference should ever be more important than the sanctity of life and its inalienable right of happiness.
If any or all of these suggestions were applied and they would achieve the anticipated economical development, the fossilized, cruel, inhuman embargo would implode as it happened with China, Viet Nam, Russia and everywhere else, where the enforcer recognizes they have become an irrelevant spectator.
Alberto N. Jones
March 13, 2008
Hoping to write the third and final chapter of this article, I rose-up around 3:00 am on Tuesday February 19. At 3: 18 CNN interrupted its normal programming with a breaking news that Fidel Castro, the President of Cuba had written a letter in which he stated “I will neither aspire nor accept the positions of president of the Council of State or Commander in Chief.”
This stunning news, after leading the Cuban government for 49 years and 49 days albeit expected, left me speechless, frozen in my chair, as thousands of life changing, vivid experiences crossed my mind at the speed of light. I must digress a bit from my original line of thinking.
How could I ever envision that I would live through this unprecedented, historic transformation of Cuba and its people? It all began on Saturday July 25th 1953, when my uncle Clifford invited me to join his friends, who were going to a carnival dance that took place every year at the Hatuey beer gardens in Santiago de Cuba.
Exhausted, after having a wonderful time around 3:00 am my Uncle decided to call it quits and go home. Because it was a large group and there was few if any taxi’s at such late hours of the night, we sang all the way as we walked to our friend’s home, who hosted us for the week-end.
In one of those inexplicable twists of life, our friends lived in Sueno neighborhood, only 4-5 blocks away from the Moncada barracks, Cuba’s second largest military garrison with its threatening looks as we strolled outside of its fortified walls. As we approached one of its many gates, we said Hi to a small number of soldiers guarding one of its entrance. Shortly after reaching home and in the process of getting in bed, we heard loud, relentless explosions that we thought initially were fire crackers.
Later, wild rumors went that a gun battle had ensued between the military stationed at the Moncada and members of the reinforcement brigade that came in from Havana. Around 9:00 am, a couple of B-26’s flew low overhead threatening to bomb, which fortunately did not happen. What we did witness from our vantage point, was military jeeps constantly speeding into the garrison, sometimes with someone laying on the floor of the jeep with their feet hanging out, which was followed by sporadic shots, suggesting someone had been executed.
On Monday, as life partially returned to normal, people were allowed to leave their homes and as we walked near the garrison, more than forty gaskets were spread-out on the sidewalk, exuding a nauseating odor and covered with swarms of flies, in a repugnant desecration of the dead.
How Fidel was captured days later and was miraculously saved by Lt Sarria who had instructions not to take prisoners, attempts to poison him in jail, the trial and his self defense “Condemn me, it doesn‘t matter; History will Absolve me” became a treatise in jurisprudence.
This was followed by jail time in Cuba’s most feared prison, paroled, migrate to Mexico, regroup, military training, launching of a maritime invading force of 82 men most of whom were ambushed and murdered upon landing and with the twelve surviving men, they organized a nation-wide movement that ousted Batista and his 80,000 men-strong army, less than three years later.
Out of this victorious revolution, came a wide-range, political-ideological third world solidarity movement, that spread across the world like a wildfire, supporting every liberation movement, providing its leaders with all necessary moral and material support, denouncing and weakening tens of neo-colonial institutions that had enslaved millions of people in Africa, Asia and Latin-America.
Today Cuba can proudly exhibit, thousands of people who were educated in its classrooms, a host of countries whose liberation and independence is closely tied to Cuba’s efforts and millions of people whose pain and suffering have been relieved and their lives preserved from certain death, because of Cuba’s unqualified, generous devotion to those in need.
These examples and many more may help us understand and counterbalance the difficult socio-economic conditions in Cuba today, that her enemies enjoy highlighting and portraying as a symbol of Cuba’s social failure. In fact, its low wages, crumbling housing, pathetic infrastructure, poor food and medicine supplies, insufficient personal and durable goods, etc., rather than an indictment of their system, it exemplifies their unparallel generosity, unselfishness and profound concerns for the wellbeing of those less fortunate, even at the expense of their own.
Like so many man-made projects, Cuba have had its own long list of mistakes, just as it had these incredible vision and perspective that have changed history, impacted the lives of millions and restored hope of a better world for present and future generations. These incontrovertible facts, are what have made Cuba under the leadership of Fidel Castro a unique, one in a century event that no government, historian or media can negate, tarnish or distort.
But after forty years of the Cuban people enduring all forms of deprivations, it is past due to have a thorough, profound re-evaluation of the country’s resources, its people’s need and ways of increasing its industrial and agricultural output, in order to begin satisfying the most pressing issues affecting that nation.
Contrary to what many Cuban-American scholars may assume, that in order to address the huge material need that have been accrued over the years, Cuba will have to dismantle its political system, beg its enemies for forgiveness, plead with the World Bank for financial help, apologize to the United States government for misbehaving and invite back into the country the Cuban-American bourgeoisie with their corrupting mentality and truckload of vices; rest assured, that will never happen.
To some extent, the success and failures of the Revolution are reflected in me and many others. Rescued from a clerical dead-end job on the United States Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay Cuba in 1962, the Cuban government spent thousands of dollars on my education to become a Veterinary Pathologist with additional training in counter epizoothiologic bio-terrorism education in Germany in 1966, when only a handful of professionals in this hemisphere knew about this specialty.
In 1970 I became Director and Pathologist of Oriente Provincial Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory , which encompassed at the time, a territorial responsibility of 1/3 of Cuba’s agriculture expanse. In addition to this impossible task, I was later put in charge of overseeing the technical and personal needs of our foreign professional support team, I founded and became President of the Provincial Veterinary Scientific Council and in 1972, instructor of Pathology at the University of Oriente.
As difficult and overwhelming as these multi tasks complex responsibilities were, my greatest and most challenging problems arouse from my constant battle against an incipient corruption -that have since swept the country- among some co-workers in administrative positions, who misused their authority to steal, divert or bribe others with all sorts of material resources assigned to or in possession of our laboratory. Stopping, challenging, denouncing and going as far as forbidden their entry onto our premises, spurred a formidable and rabid array of enemies, that were all too willing to join forces, plot and accuse me of the worst imaginable political crimes, landing me in jail for 8 years, of which I served 4 ½.
For many, this unspeakable and unjustifiable crime meant, destroying the pride and joy they felt over the professional achievement of their country boy from Guantanamo. For me, after many years of shame, pain and frustration, thanks to the help of friends and loved ones, I was able to do an in-depth, rigorous analysis of this event and identify the human frailty that cohabitate in many of us, causing my demise and the abominable end of my professional life.
But far more important than my personal grief, was the incredible opportunity that life had reserved for me, by making me the second member of my family to ever sit in a classroom of higher education, three hundred years after our forceful removal from Africa. That’s why, knowing what I know now and given the opportunity to do it all over again, I have no doubt, I would do exactly the same.
Now, in order for Cuba to confront and begin addressing the enormous backlog of urgent, intractable social problems that have severely affected the wellbeing of the Cuban population for decades, I will put forth some unsolicited ideas that I truly believe, once they are subjected to a thorough, critical, objective analysis and added all necessary modifications, corrections or rejections, we can anticipate a 360 degree socio-economic surge in Cuba by the year 2020, that will catapult this nation into her rightful place among nations in this hemisphere, without having to alter any of the structural foundations, that constitutes the moral pillars of the Revolution.
Sources of Income
Cuba’s massive educational system has made all of its émigré potentially more successful than those from other countries. This reality suggests, that every Cuban living abroad is indebted to our country and should therefore be willing to refund a portion of their education cost, which can be done, by signing a payment agreement at the closest consulate and remitting equal yearly payments for the next ten years, until his/her debt has been paid in full. Conservative estimates puts the gross income of this project on/or around $5,000,000,000.00
A rampant and uncontrollable violence that is ravaging the United States, Central America and some Caribbean islands, have left no workplace, school, healthcare facility, church, courthouse, daycare centers, congress or homes, immune to this plague. Millions of teenagers, especially minorities are confronted every day with life threatening challenges, which is expressed in the high homicide ratio, massive incarceration, and lack of basic education, drug addition and gang proliferation, placing them squarely among other endangered species.
Creating a network of boarding middle and high schools on the Isles of Youth in Cuba, could become a refuge for thousands of US, Caribbean and Latin America youths, where they could safely acquire a solid education and a technical or professional formation, which could prepare them for a creative and productive life. Conservative estimates for tuition, boarding, insurance and family visits for each 300/alumni school, could generate approximately $4,500.000.00 per year.
Forty seven million US citizens and presumably a large number in Latin America and the Caribbean are without a Health Insurance Policy. Creating an affordable policy that may oscillate between $25.00 and $50.00 per month, could possibly enroll between 3 and 5 million individuals, operating on a preventive medicine basis, with yearly physicals.
In support of this project, a 1000 bed Multi-Specialty Caribbean Medical Center could be built in Santiago de Cuba with a similar 500 bed satellite, specializing in certain pathologies, could be located in Holguin.
Additionally, a Regional, high-tech Caribbean Clinical Pathology Laboratory/Imaging Diagnostic Center with Pathologists strategically situated abroad to serve the area, would provide its top-notch diagnostic capabilities to a region with an anemic service in need of upgrading.
A 2000 bed Nursing Home/Assisted Living facilities distributed through Guantanamo, Santiago and Holguin, would satisfy a poorly developed service in this region. Conservative estimates sets the income that can be generated by these entities in billions.
Mental Health and illegal Drug Additions are rapidly becoming the most widespread pathology of the XXI Century. Cuba near-drug free environment, thousands of healthcare professionals in that field, its renowned track record with Spanish speaking patients and its highly competitive cost, can anticipate with an adequate promotion, registering tens of thousands of patients from our region, who have no where else to go in search of help. Income from this service may easily surpass any of the country’s main source of foreign income.
Tens of millions of people who have been the backbone of Cuba’s solidarity movement around the world, disseminating its reality, marching, holding vigils or collecting donations for its people, could be encouraged to join a new form of solidarity at this critical juncture, by participating in a Tri Party Joint Venture composed of solidarity members, Cuban retirees/unemployed organized in co-op’s and properties owned by the Cuban government, in the creation of tens of thousands of micro commercial, industrial, agriculture or hospitality ventures, expanding exponentially these activities, creating thousands of jobs and generating billions in profit, that will be disbursed equally among all three participating sectors.
Cuba’s excellent geographical location, its natural beauty, near perfect climate, educated population and having the safest social environment in the western hemisphere, seems to combine all the ingredients for the development of 200,000 home sites of 100x100 sq ft in the periphery of cities, lakes, beaches, mountain, valleys or secluded areas, upon which individuals with a longstanding friendly relation with Cuba, Cuban emigrants respectful of its sovereignty and others, retired or active, preferably those with higher education, willing to assume parcels in usufruct for 25 years for which, depending on the location of any specific lot, a users fee may range between $2,000.00, $5,000.00 or $10,000.00 per year.
Homes built on these home sites will reflect the taste and acceptable discretion of the home dwellers, who at the end of the 25 years usufruct or if death occur before, these properties in good maintenance conditions, will become part of the Cuban patrimony. In addition to the home value and yearly land payment, it is estimated that Cuba could earn millions in individuals living expense.
A worldwide demands for shorter delivery time of goods and services, have given rise to an enormous air cargo service and a constant search for establishing distribution centers closer to their marketplace. The city of Guantanamo situated on the southern tip of Cuba, have the longest airstrip in the country, a perfect year round aviation weather, abundant availability of water, electricity, good land, rail and sea conections, hundreds of thousands of underdeveloped acreage and its most attractive feature is being 2, 4 or more flying hours, closer to most of Latin America markets.
A project of this nature will require, hundreds of thousands sq ft of open air, covered and refrigerated storage facilities, thousands of employees, generating billions in rental, customs, air transport, fuel and landing fee, transforming this region into one of the most prosperous in the nation.
Funds Allocation:
If half of these funds were invested primarily in the former province of Oriente and in other specific projects around the country on a variety of social, agro-industrial development, job creation and scientific/technical development, the present unequal development gap existing between the east and the west of Cuba, could be narrowed dramatically by 2020 and wiped-out by 2050. Among the steps to be considered are:
* Assign 50 million to refurbish every middle and high school on the Isles of Youth and construct as many as necessary to reach a 20,000 capacity for middle and high school students from the Caribbean, Africa, America and Latin America.
* Assign 10 million to refurbish and expand the Frank Pais teacher’s school in Santiago de Cuba, to reach a capacity of 5000 students from Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.
* Assign $20 million to refurbish, upgrade and expand the School of Veterinary Sciences, the regional Diagnostic Laboratory and the Animal Research Center in Bayamo.
* Assign 60 million for the construction of a Solar, Wind and Environmental Sciences University for 2000 students, a Solar Research Center and an Energy Saving bulb factory in Guantanamo.
* Assign 15 million for the construction in Guantanamo of the National English, French and Creole Language Academy with a capacity of 5000 students, staffed with teachers from the English and French Speaking Caribbean islands.
* Assign 20 million for the construction of the Planetarium, Aeronautical and Aerospace and Cosmonaut Museum in Guantanamo.
* Assign 50 million to transform the Avenida Michelsen in Santiago de Cuba, into the Developing World Cultural, Expo and Business Center, where every African, Latin America and Caribbean country can exhibit their arts, culture and heritage to promote economic agreements among nations.
* Assign 30 million for the construction of the Faculty of African, Caribbean and Latin American studies, with its museum and visual arts center in Santiago de Cuba.
* Assign 100 million to refurbish thousands of colonial homes and others of unique architectural value throughout Oriente, create co-op of employee/operators in partnership with the Tourist Industry, turning them into moderate cost Bed and Breakfast lodging.
* Assign 300 million for the environmental clean-up, dredging of the port and restoring Ciudamar, Cayo Granma and Punta Gorda in Santiago de Cuba to its original beauty.
Assign 500 million to construct waste water treatment facilities in Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Bayamo, Holguin and Las Tunas.
* Allocate 800 million for the Plan Salcines hydrology complex in Baracoa, to satisfy the drinking water needs of Santiago, Guantanamo and Palma Soriano.
* Establish a 25,000 family Guest Worker agreement with Haiti, Brazil and other Caribbean Islands and for every Cuban family interested in relocating from the inner city to the countryside and assign 50 acres of land in northern Oriente and Camaguey in usufruct for 25 years, in order to revitalize the sugar cane plantation and restore the production capacity of the sugar industry. A Sandino type home with windmill, septic tank, means of transportation and a $10,000 loan, will be part of this package.
* Establish a 20,000 family Guest Workers agreement with Haiti, Brazil, other Caribbean islands and every Cuban family wishing to relocate from any inner city to the mountain range of Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba , El Escambray and la Sierra de los Organos, and assign 50 acres of land and personal facilities as described above, for a massive revitalization of Coffee, Cocoa plantations, fruits and produce production.
* Establish a 10,000 family Guest Workers agreement with Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, relocate to southern Oriente and assign 50 acres per family of semi-arid lands for herding sheep, goats and growing nuts, cactus, olives and other typical middle eastern produce. As in previous examples, similar start-up kit is included.
* Establish a 10,000 family Guest Workers agreement with Viet Nam/China, allowing their relocation and assigning each family 50-75 acres of wet lands in the delta of the Cauto river, for the expansion of rice production. All other initial benefits are included.
* Assign 50 acres of land in usufruct for 25 years and a $10,000.00 loan, to every new and old farmer in the country, interested in revitalizing fruit production in Santiago de Cuba, Contramaestre, Ciego de Avila and the Isle of Youth. All other offer applies.
* Create a similar project with 50,000 inner city dwellers with agriculture background, interested in developing feed cattle production in Camaguey, Bayamo, and Sanctis Spiritus and the Havana/Matanzas corridor. All other offerings apply.
* Provide a $5,000.00 loan to every home owner interested in refurbishing their home and a $15,000.00 loan for every new home construction.
* Assign $20 million for the construction of a motorcycle (scooter) assembly plant in Santiago de Cuba, to provide basic means of transportation to every citizen and for export in the region.
These ideas, which may seem idyllic to some, are solely intended to improve the living standard and quality of life of the exceedingly generous and deserving Cuban people, who have done so much for those society deem unworthy and have left on their own to perish. Cuba must survive, strive and continue to extend its care around the world.
No philosophical, political, racial or social difference should ever be more important than the sanctity of life and its inalienable right of happiness.
If any or all of these suggestions were applied and they would achieve the anticipated economical development, the fossilized, cruel, inhuman embargo would implode as it happened with China, Viet Nam, Russia and everywhere else, where the enforcer recognizes they have become an irrelevant spectator.
Sunday, January 23, 2000
Elián's Tragedy and the Traiterous Behavior of El Duke
"Elián's Tragedy and the Traiterous Behavior of El Duke"
This individual, through his irresponsible action, has tried to obscure or ignore the horrendous racism, ignorance, poverty, hunger and the deaths of thousands of children through preventible causes inflicted on our people by these criminals when they owned the lives and property in Cuba.
These Miami Cuban-Americans, rightfully driven out of Cuba FOREVER, were the enforcers and perpetrators of our 29% illiteracy rate, 24% infant mortality, segregated neighborhoods, beaches, clubs. They forced us to live in huts without electricity, running water, sewer, no jobs, and openly prohibited us to work in department stores, banks, office settings or even drive a provincial bus.
por Alberto Jones
January 23, 2000
*originally posted on afrocubaweb.com
During the summer of 1966, as a student in Germany, I went through my life most revolting experience, when I visited Buchenwald, one of Nazi Germany best known concentration camp. Without ever being there, seeing the ovens, the human skin lamp shades, the films, it would not be possible to fully capture the bestiality in many of us.
But most difficult to understand was that this extermination complex was located a few miles from Weimer, the highly educated, cultural center of Germany, where the cream of that society, took part regularly in music or arts festivals, pretending nothing was wrong or intentionally remaining silent, sanctifying such heinous deed.
Millions of people paid the ultimate price, because of our complacency, lack of courage or complicity. Sixty years after, it appears we have learned very little from this tragedy or as it was then, we are too busy, too selfish to care about the suffering of others.
The tragic events surrounding 6 year old Elian Gonzalez, who was found Thanksgiving Day clinging to an inner tube off the shores of South Florida after the drowning death of his mother and 9 others involved in an ill-fated, alien smuggling attempt, have shocked the conscience of millions of people around the world.
This child, who may have suffered permanent psychological trauma and more physical pain than most of us in our lifetime, continues to be forcibly retained in a foreign environment, surrounded by people he has never seen before, turned into a celebrity and plunged into a media frenzy by the heartless, vengeful, ultra-right-wing Cuban American pseudo-politicians in Miami and New Jersey.
In order to explain their absurd position, they are presenting the most bizarre, baseless arguments; as they perceive the well being of the child in direct relation with the availability of Nintendo, Tommy's or McDonalds, creating an artificial "Dream World" around him, which incidentally, does not apply to hundreds of other Cubans, Haitians, Afro-Americans or poor Anglo children in Miami and every other city in this country.
But what makes this action more despicable, is that they are knowingly, systematically applying against this innocent child, well established and universally accepted theories of "Conditioned Reflexes," which was demonstrated many years ago by Pavlov and others.
By showering this child with an ample variety of foods, garments, toys, Disney World etc., they are imprinting in his young brain a world he will no longer have, as soon as he is returned to his father, creating a vacuum that will be replaced by withdrawal, anxiety, depression, or a socially unfit time bomb, capable of going off any time.
Having been in this world for much longer than I would like to accept, I have experienced first hand, the brutality, cruelty, visciousness that humans are capable of exhibiting. But for the most time, we expect to see these subhuman behavior associated with civil unrest or other types of deranged environment, that may explain in part, such actions.
But to do that in cold blood to a fragile, timid, scarred child, is beyond all humanoid classification of these barbarians disguised as teachers, mothers, politicians, pediatricians, psychologists, sociologists and even clergy!
As an Afro-Cuban, I am deeply troubled by the casual reporting or limited coverage of this horrendous human experience in the Black media. With few exceptions, prominent leaders with the moral standing capable of expressing their disgust, have been conspicuously silent.
But above and beyond the morality of this issue, no other racial/ethnic group in the world, should be more sensitive to any perception of forcefully restraining and separating family members, based upon our own tragic experience in which family members were separated and dispersed throughout this hemisphere.
It must be emphasized also that what is being done to this defenseless child by the Cuban-American community in Miami, is nothing more than a rehash of what they did to the native community in Latin America as of 1492, to the African slaves as of 1512, to the Afro-Cuban community until 1959 in Cuba and to the Afro-American community in South Florida since 1960, which they have subjugated and made hopelessly dependent, inflicting a massive influx of drugs and other social ills.
But if all of the above is nauseating and repugnant, even more so was the spectacle of watching the Three Kings Parade in Miami, in which New York Yankee Afro-Cuban pitcher "El Duke" Hernandez was the Grand Marshall of this event, thereby sanctioning and giving approval to the past behavior of this group of right wing Cuban-Americans.
This individual, through his irresponsible action, has tried to obscure or ignore the horrendous racism, ignorance, poverty, hunger and the deaths of thousands of children through preventible causes inflicted on our people by these criminals when they owned the lives and property in Cuba.
This traitor cannot deny that if he did not feel it himself, he heard from his parents, neighbors, how it was and what these people did to us.
These Miami Cuban-Americans, rightfully driven out of Cuba FOREVER, were the enforcers and perpetrators of our 29% illiteracy rate, 24% infant mortality, segregated neighborhoods, beaches, clubs. They forced us to live in huts without electricity, running water, sewer, no jobs, and openly prohibited us to work in department stores, banks, office settings or even drive a provincial bus.
These are the same individuals that forced Nat King Cole, Josephine Baker and other luminaries, to use the kitchen door in order to enter the night club where they were to perform. These are the same individuals that bragged that their puppet President Batista, was denied entry in the Havana Yatch Club.
These are the same individuals, that when beaches and clubs were integrated in Cuba in 1960,
they UNANIMOUSLY refused to enter to these places and renamed them SOLOVANNICHE. Later, we were able to unscramble this as SOLO VAN NICHE or ONLY WHERE NIGGERS GO!
But what makes more blatant, offensive and painful the irresponsible behavior of "El Duque" is the extensive and proud history of Black Cubans, who since the Ladder Conspiracy against slavery have crafted one of the most dignified, honorable and heroic history in this hemisphere.
No Afro-Cuban can ever forgive the affront to the memory of Antonio Maceo, Guillermon Moncada or Quintin Banderas. Mariana Grajales, the Black mother of the Cuban Nation, who gave the lives of 9 members of her family in the war of independence, may have cried for the first time in her life, to know, that such a THING, could be one of us!
But his indignity has no parallel. Made drunk by the few millions paid to him by his team owners, he feels compelled to be on his knees, to accept his self-inflicted inferiority, to forgive and forget our history.
Jesus Menendez, the sugar industry union leader, with approximately the same or less level of education than this other Personality, but with an absolute sense of dignity, self respect and love for his nation, was called to the White House, -not for the 6 million that is paid to "El Duque"- he was handed a blank, signed, federal check for him to fill out and stop the strike in Cuba. He refused the check, returned to Cuba and under orders "from above" was shot as he detrained in the station in Mazanillo.
Jesus Menendez is another of the endless list of Afro-Cubans heros who Cubans respect, admire and imitates on a daily basis. "El Duque" will be remembered by the Cubans for opposite reasons!
I am forced to admit, that the actions of "El Duque" Hernandez, have created in me the same revolting experience as the one I experienced in Buchenwald 35 years ago and never thought I would ever have to relive!
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