People's Democracy

 Delhi Meet Observes Cuban National Day

“CUBA is a symbol of courage and resistance against the most powerful imperialist force in the world” This was the central theme of most speakers at a meeting organised to celebrate Cuban National Day in the capital on July 26 by the National Committee for Solidarity with Cuba. There was a unanimous chant : “Another World  Is Possible”.

A wide galaxy of speakers from the Left parties praised the heroic people of Cuba for resisting frequent US machinations against its government headed by Fidel Castro and serving as a model of inspiration worldwide. Among the speakers included CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, Solidarity Committee convenor A Vijaya Raghavan, D Raja (CPI) Manoj Bhattacharya (RSP) and Devarajan  (Forward Bloc).

Prakash Karat recalled the historic links between Cuba and the Venezuela and recalled his recent visit to Venezuela where doctors from Cuba were helping people in large numbers.

Speaking on behalf of the Cuban Mission in India, Abelardo R.Cueto Sosa said that July 26 is a special day for the Cubans. On this  day in 1953, the Commandant in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, leading a small group of heroic youths assaulted the Moncada Barracks, the second citadel of the Cuban Dictator's Fulgencio Batista. 

From the military point of view, the action was a failure. Politically, it was a success, because, it marked the beginning of the last stage of our war for independence that took us to the victory of January 1, 1959”, he said.

Dwelling on the impact of the revolution for the people, Sosa said that after more than 50 years of republic, the land in Cuba was for the peasants, the workers were the owners of the factories. “All the Cubans were now the same before the law, the Cuban woman were no longer a beautiful toy and the easy prey for the soldiers of our powerful neighbour. The white and black people together demolished the artificial barriers of hate that separated them for centuries. For the first time we became an independent nation from being a banana republic and owner of our own destinations.

Detailing the kind of uninterrupted aggressions on their country by the USA for the last 46 years, Sosa said “Our cane fields were burnt, our cities were bombarded, our citizens have suffered the longest criminal blockade in the history, the blockade which denies food and medicines. The Cuban mothers have seen their sons dying in terrible terrorist attacks, as the explosion of the Cuban airplane and the bomb attacks on our embassies in Peru and Portugal. Cuban diplomats were murdered in the streets of New York and Merida and two of them who became victims of the Operation Condor, disappeared in the streets of Buenos Aires and their relatives are still unaware of their whereabouts.”  He appreciated the Solidarity Committee for organising this meeting and said Cubans cherish the freindship of Indian people very much.  (INN)