DATE=3/16/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42873
TITLE=CUBA DISSIDENTS / REACT
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=MIAMI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO: ON MONDAY, CUBA SENTENCED FOUR HIGH-PROFILE DISSIDENTS TO 
JAIL TERMS RANGING FROM THREE AND A HALF TO FIVE YEARS.  MUCH OF 
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT AND, IN 
SOME CASES, OUTRIGHT CONDEMNATION.  MIAMI'S CUBAN-AMERICAN 
COMMUNITY CLOSELY FOLLOWED MONDAY'S COURT ACTIONS IN HAVANA.  AS 
V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN REPORTS, MOST CUBAN EXILES VIEW THE 
DISSIDENTS' SENTENCING AS ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF THE REPRESSION THAT
THEY THEMSELVES FLED IN YEARS PAST.

TEXT: SIXTY-FOUR YEAR OLD CUBAN EXILE GUSTAVO PEREZ SITS IN A 
COFFEE SHOP WITH HIS WIFE, GABRIELA.  MR. PEREZ LEFT CUBA IN 1970
AND NOW OPERATES A SMALL BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI.  HE SAYS ALL
CUBANS WHO HAVE THIRSTED FOR DEMOCRACY CAN SYMPATHIZE WITH THE 
DISSIDENTS WHO WERE SENTENCED MONDAY.

          // PEREZ ACT IN SPANISH - ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER TEXT
//

MR. PEREZ SAYS IT IS LAMENTABLE TO SEE THE JAILING OF PEOPLE WHO 
SPEAK OUT FOR FREEDOM.  HE SAYS CUBAN LEADER FIDEL CASTRO HAS 
ALWAYS TRIED TO ELIMINATE HIS OPPONENTS AND HIS PERCEIVED ENEMIES
- INCLUDING MANY OF THOSE WHO HELPED BRING HIM TO POWER AND WHO 
FELL OUT OF FAVOR AFTER CUBA'S (1959) REVOLUTION.

//OPT/// LIKE MANY CUBAN EXILES, MR. PEREZ IS BAFFLED BY THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S SENSE OF DISAPPOINTMENT REGARDING THE 
CUBAN GOVERNMENT'S CRACKDOWN ON INTERNAL DISSENT.  HE SAYS THE 
WORLD SHOULD KNOW BY NOW THAT PRESIDENT CASTRO WILL NEVER ABANDON
HIS AUTHORITARIAN PRACTICES.

          // PEREZ ACT IN SPANISH - ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER TEXT
//

MR. PEREZ SAYS THE OUTCOME OF THE DISSIDENTS' TRIAL SHOULD NOT 
SURPRISE ANYONE.  //END OPT//

MARIELA FERRETTI IS A SPOKESPERSON FOR MIAMI'S LARGEST CUBAN 
EXILE GROUP, THE CUBAN-AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION.  MS. 
FERRETTI SAYS THE DISSIDENTS' SENTENCING SERVES AS DEFINITIVE 
PROOF THAT THE MESSAGE OF OPENNESS AND TOLERANCE POPE JOHN PAUL 
BROUGHT TO CUBA LAST YEAR HAS FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.

                       // FERRETTI ACT //

         IT'S TIME, REALLY, FOR THE CIVILIZED WORLD TO LOOK UPON 
         THE CUBAN NATION, SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE, AND MAKE 
         A DECISION (ABOUT) WHAT SIDE THEY ARE GOING TO BE 
         STANDING ON - WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE SIDE OF 
         THE CUBAN PEOPLE WHO WANT AND DESERVE FREEDOM AND 
         DEMOCRACY, OR STANDING SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH A DICTATOR.

                           // END ACT //

THE DISSIDENTS SENTENCED MONDAY ANGERED CUBAN AUTHORITIES IN 
1997, WHEN THEY PRINTED A DOCUMENT - TITLED 'THE MOTHERLAND 
BELONGS TO ALL' - CRITICIZING ONE-PARTY RULE AND CALLING FOR 
POLITICAL REFORM.  THEY ALSO URGED FOREIGN COMPANIES NOT TO 
INVEST IN CUBA.  THEY WERE TRIED MARCH FIRST ON CHARGES OF 
SEDITION.  IN ANNOUNCING THE SENTENCES ON STATE-RUN MEDIA, THE 
CUBAN GOVERNMENT SAID THE DEFENDANTS' CRIMES HAD BEEN IRREFUTABLY
PROVEN - AND ADDED THAT THE SENTENCES HANDED DOWN COULD HAVE BEEN
STIFFER.

THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT DESCRIBES THE DISSIDENTS AS 'SERVANTS' OF 
THE UNITED STATES, WHO SEEK TO UNDERMINE THE COUNTRY -- AND 
THEREFORE CANNOT BE CONSIDERED LEGITIMATE POLITICAL PRISONERS.  
CUBA RECENTLY ENACTED LEGISLATION MANDATING LONG JAIL SENTENCES 
FOR THOSE CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTING TO DESTABILIZE THE GOVERNMENT 
OR COLLABORATING WITH CUBA'S ENEMIES ABROAD.  IN DEFENDING THE 
MEASURE, PRESIDENT CASTRO SAID CUBA MUST PROTECT ITSELF FROM 
THOSE WHO WOULD JEOPARDIZE ITS INDEPENDENCE OR SEEK TO REVERSE 
ITS COMMUNIST REVOLUTION.

IN MIAMI, CUBAN EXILES APPLAUD MONDAY'S DECISION BY CANADIAN 
PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRETIEN TO REVIEW BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH 
CUBA IN LIGHT OF THE CARIBBEAN NATION'S TREATMENT OF THE 
DISSIDENTS.  MOST CUBAN-AMERICANS HAVE LONG VIEWED ANY POLICY OF 
ENGAGEMENT WITH HAVANA AS NAIVE - AND BELIEVE MONDAY'S SENTENCING
BOLSTERS THEIR CONTENTION.  (SIGNED)

NEB/MCB/LTD/WFR

16-Mar-99 5:03 PM EST (2203 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.