BY ARGIRIS MALAPANIS
NEW YORK - Some 60 people representing 25 organizations attended a northeast regional meeting of affiliates of the National Network on Cuba (NNOC) and other groups involved in defense of Cuba August 13. The conference, which took place at Casa de las Americas, focused on building a regional demonstration here in October against U.S. policy toward Cuba and demanding an end to Washington's embargo of that country.
The National Network, a coalition of local and national groups that organizes activities in opposition to U.S. policy on Cuba, had earlier called for regional demonstrations in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco on October 14.
Leslie Cagan of the Cuba Information Project, who is one of the four national coordinators of the NNOC, reported that a coalition of New York City groups voted in early July to change the date for the action here to October 21.
Cagan said the reason for the change is that U.S. president Bill Clinton is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly October 22, on the occasion of the United Nations's 50th anniversary. Organizing a march that weekend, Cagan said, will help focus the fire of the protest on the U.S. government. A representative of the Cuban government may also address the UN General Assembly at that time, she stated. The New York Spanish-language daily El Diario/La Prensa reported August 15 that Cuban president Fidel Castro is scheduled to speak at the UN on October 22.
The demonstration will demand an end to the economic blockade of Cuba, normalizing relations between the two countries, lifting the U.S. travel ban to the Caribbean island, and respect for Cuba's self-determination.
Participants at the regional meeting agreed to the October 21 date. Tim Craine of the Greater Hartford Cuba Coalition said that national coordination with NNOC affiliates in other regions will be necessary to ensure that the demonstration here and actions in other cities are all successful. The Network will review the October actions at a national meeting scheduled for Miami September 9-10.
Several activists who had just returned from the Cuba Lives international youth festival, which concluded in Havana August 7, said reportbacks from their trip will help build the October action.
Brian Taylor and Nicole Manning from Washington, D.C., were two of the youth who attended the festival and participated in the regional NNOC meeting here. They reported that the D.C. Hands Off Cuba Coalition has set up a speakers bureau to organize such engagements at campuses, churches, community centers, union halls, and workplaces. "We'll tell the truth about the Cuban revolution and help recruit youth and others to actively build the October actions," Taylor said.
Many of the nearly 300 participants in the Cuba Lives festival from the United States traveled with credentials as journalists from newspapers, campus and community press, or radio and TV stations. The youth from Washington, D.C. and others at the meeting said that they'll be using their articles on the trip to publicize October 21.
Sharon Ayling of the New York-based International Peace for Cuba Appeal and Maceo Dixon of the July 26 Coalition in Boston reported that many participants at the August 12 demonstration in Philadelphia demanding freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal were interested in the October action on Cuba. Activists from the Philadelphia Cuba Support Coalition set up a table at the August 12 action. They signed up two dozen youth who expressed interest in organizing reports on the Cuba Lives festival and on the October march in their schools.
Members of the Committees of Correspondence and others at the meeting said that activists should also orient to businessmen and elected officials opposed to the embargo in seeking support and funding for the demonstration.
Organizers will produce a bilingual flyer and poster to publicize the action.
To endorse the demonstration or to get more information and publicity materials contact the NNOC, c/o Cuba Information Project, 198 Broadway Suite 800, New York, NY 10038. Tel: (212) 227-3422.