Human Rights

Cuba paid close attention to the machinations of the USA around the destruction of the old UN Commission on Human Rights, and the creation of the new UN Human Rights Council. Therefore the Cuban Permanent Mission to the UN knows as much as about it as any other possible source. Although they voted for the new body, the Cubans took care to explain the unsatisfactory nature of what has happened. Therefore it is a privilege to be able to pass on the two brief attached documents (linked below) from that mission, so that the low base from which this new UN body must now move forward is well understood. The true position of the United States in relation to human rights is shown by their handling of the World Baseball Classic. The inaugural tournament played recently was the first in which all the baseball-playing countries had competed equally. The USA at first tried to prevent the Cubans from playing. They cited a US law that forbids trade with Cuba to say that it would be illegal for them to take part, since they were going to be paid. Sport in Cuba is still what used to be called “amateur” until mercenary, bourgeois “professionalism” corrupted all sport in capitalist countries in recent years. Cubans believe in playing sport for love. So the Cubans said, all right, we will donate all our fees and winnings to the victims of Hurricane Katrina (mainly in New Orleans and adjacent parts of the State of Louisiana). That’s how it was settled, and the Cubans played and went all the way to the final (the USA was knocked out early). Japan won the final but the Cuban winnings in cash terms were still considerable. Now the US officials can’t bear to accept the money! In effect, to save their pride, they are going to steal the money from its rightful owners, who are the Katrina victims. So much for the US attitude to human rights. Links: Explanation of Cuban vote for UN Human Rights Council (958 words) Cuban reply to USA in UN debate on Human Rights Council (618 words)