[lbo-talk] Cuba Policy Group (Working to Lift Embargo)

Michael Pugliese debsian at pacbell.net
Fri Apr 25 09:14:58 PDT 2003


The entire board of the Cuba Policy Foundation, a leading organization dedicated to normalizing realtions with Cuba, resigned on April 23 in protest of Cuba's repression. One comment from the statement is particularly interesting.

"The regime could not have failed to know that its actions would have a chilling effect on efforts here to ease the US sanctions. Indeed, the arrests of dissidents who had just days before met with members of the U.S. Congress can only be interpreted as intended to slow the initiative and to embarrass those who were behind it."

Brian Alexander, the executive director was interviewd on NPR's All Things Considered program on April 24.

http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=ATC&showDate=24-Apr-2003&segNum=17& mediaPref=RM

STATEMENT FROM

THE CUBA POLICY FOUNDATION

April 23, 2003

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the US-based Cuba Policy Foundation and its Board members, along with its Executive Director, resigned today to protest the recent waive of repression and executions in Cuba.

The Cuba Policy Foundation has been the premier US nonprofit organization dedicated to the study of the benefits of expanding trade and people-to-pe ople contact with Cuba. It has embraced the view that the enlarged economic and personal exchange with the Island would, in fact, be in the interests of both countries and ease the process of change in Cuba. CPF's Board has been a Who's-Who of Americans interested in Cuba and the normalization of relations with the island.

The resigning Board members and the Executive Director issued a Statement of Reasons for the mass resignation:

"All of us are appalled at the recent executions and jailings in Cuba. The regime's sudden, wholesale repression of human rights is incomprehensible as a matter of policy, and unacceptable as a matter of principle.

"We are firm in our view that engaging Cuba would advance both America's national interest and peaceful political and economic change in Cuba. Likewise, we will continue, in our individual capacities, to support those members of Congress, the business community, and the growing number of Cuban-Americans and citizens across the country who seek to advance these goals.

"The recent wave of repression adds to the urgency of the effort. But it also raises new obstacles. The regime could not have failed to know that its actions would have a chilling effect on efforts here to ease the US sanctions. Indeed, the arrests of dissidents who had just days before met with members of the U.S. Congress can only be interpreted as intended to slow the initiative and to embarrass those who were behind it.

"We organized, funded and supported the Foundation because we hoped, and had reason to believe, that its energetic efforts to modify the ban on Cuba trade, travel and investment might succeed over time. We can only conclude, however, that in spite of its claims to the contrary, Cuba does not share our enthusiasm for a more open relationship. For this reason we have tendered our resignations.

"Daily operations of the Foundation will cease as of this date. The corporation will technically remain in existence, and Mr. Alexander will maintain its website as a public resource."

Hon. William Rogers, Chairman of the Board

Darius Anderson

Hon. Diego Asencio

Hon. Sally Grooms Cowal

Jo Ivey Boufford

Eusebio Mujal-Leon

Martha Muse

Raimundo L. Ruga

Harry Schlaudeman

Paul Smyke

Hon. Thomas F. Stroock

Brian Alexander, Executive Director

For more information, contact Brian Alexander at 202-321-CUBA (2822) or <A HREF="mailto:alexander at cubafoundation.org"> alexander at cubafoundation.org</A>.



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