Cuba asks the UN to investigate USA in Guantanamo
Ivan Terrero A few hours after the UN vote against Cuba in the Human Rights Commission (HRC), the island's government called on the same agency to investigate the situation of the prisoners detained by the United States on the Guantanamo naval base. "The international community has a right to know what is happening there", stated Foreign Minister Felipe Pirez Roque during a press conference at the Havana Ministry. Around 600 persons suspected of belonging to the al-Qaida network or the Taliban have been detained on the Guantanamo base without formal charges or access to legal representation. The resolution presented by Cuba is aimed at an investigation and report on the prison conditions of the detainees and the cessation of all violations of their rights. Moreover, Cuba has asked for a special rapporteur on issues of torture to pronounce on the situation at the US base, and a follow-up discussion on the issue at the next HRC session in 2005. The Cuban Foreign Minister explained that the text only asks for the creation of control and investigation mechanisms and presented all the participating journalists with a copy of the document. Pirez Roque announced that he is to ask the 22 nations who voted against Cuba yesterday to co-sponsor the resolution. "We likewise hope for sponsorship from the European nations whose parliament has mandated them to give priority attention to prisoners on the base." The HRC passed the anti-Cuban resolution presented by Honduras with the minimal difference of one vote: 22 in favour, 21 against and 10 abstentions. The Minister qualified the result of the vote as ridiculous and affirmed that the document could never be presented as a condemnation of Cuba. "This confirms once again the decline and discredit into which the anti-Cuban manoeuvre organised by the United States at the HRC has fallen", he stated. The anti-Cuba resolution The loud applause given Juan Antonio Fernandez, head of the Cuban delegation; and the solid position of China, Russia and the overwhelming majority of the African nations that are members of the HCR, swayed votes. This was the vote on the anti-Cuba resolution presented by Honduras, at Washington's behest, as Fernandez eloquently explained, to condemn the island on human rights issues. On behalf of the European Union, Ireland did not surprise the auditorium by reiterating its criticisms of Havana. Far less so was the case of the United States which, in passing, congratulated its new pawn, Honduras, for presenting the text. Other nations explaining their vote included Chile, unsurprisingly, as subsequently was clear in the voting; Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, members of the choir following Washington's tune. In the case of Mexico, its decision was relayed by a White House spokesperson after a brief telephone conversation between Mexican President Vicente Fox and George Bush. The US President took it upon himself to contact various Latin American Presidents to pressure them into backing the anti-Cuban resolution. However, not all of them bowed to the White House will. Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay (finally) decided to abstain. On the other hand, China gave a solid defence of Cuba, by affirming, "In 45 years of Revolution its valiant people have achieved exceptional advances in all spheres, despite the blockade and pressure from the United States." The Chinese delegate noted that it was very sad to see the HRC allowing itself to be manipulated by the hegemony that the White House is attempting to impose on the world and condemned outright the fact that a little island should be the preferred target of US governments. Russia, Zimbabwe, Togo, Congo and Sudan stayed firm to their stand of not supporting a document condemning Cuba, and attested during the session to the island's solidarity with the peoples of the world, its successes in education, health care and culture, and its adherence to human rights.* * * Granma (abridged)