Solidarity with the Cuban Five

Solidarity with the Cuban Five and demanding for the release and freedom of the remaining four of the Cuban Five

Address by Mr ML Filtane, MP in the National Assembly

Honourable Speaker and Members

The United Democratic Movement believes in productive engagement with all people of the world to improve the prospects for peace, cultural enrichment and economic well being of the people both here at home and anywhere in the globe.

Further, we strongly believe in the vital importance of the United Nations and its constituent bodies in the creation of a new world order and the aspiration of mankind. A new world order that recognises all member states equally not what is currently prevailing, where there are member states who enjoys more power than others.

In this regard, the UDM will enthusiastically support the United Nations and its agencies and will fully move for full cooperation with such bodies in pursuance of a regional and world peace and the elimination of social and economic inequalities and eradication of human rights violations which continue to degrade the quality of life of the majority of the world population.

Our international relations must foster for the respect for, and the promotion of, universal human rights, justice and democracy.

Accordingly, UDM supports and joins over 350 communities that have been established throughout the world demanding immediate freedom for Gerardo, Ramon, Antonio and Fernando. We hope Rene is really free and enjoying his freedom with his family and people of Cuba.

This is further made urgent by the decision of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions, whose five judges, ruled in May 2005 that there were irregularities in the five’s trial, effectively denying them a fair trial. The working group, in its only decision regarding a trial in the United States, calls for the United States government to remedy the injustice. The only way is to release the four Cubans who remain in custody.

We believe that their freedom will not depend only on the arduous work of their legal team in the legal front but just as importantly, on the public support including that of this house representing the citizens of our country. Our resolution here today will add to many other parliamentarians including those from Britain, Italy, Europe and Latin America.