Pastors For Peace Complete Cuba Quest
In spite of strong U.S. governmental opposition and very limited media attention, a U.S. grassroots effort scored a recent victory, as Pastors for Peace successfully delivered 400 computers to the Cuban medical project, INFOMED-CUBA without applying for the license required by the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba. On October 11 , all the health facilities on the island were connected to the Internet on a full-time basis. With this island-wide electronic information network, Cuba' s 66,000 physicians, medical students and researchers can now access medical information within Cuba and around the world. Delivering the computers took eight months of work, including a 94-day fast by five members of Pastors for Peace.
It was another success for the group, which since 1992 has taken six caravans of humanitarian aid to Cuba without ever asking for a license. "We have not and will never apply for a license under the terms of the U.S. embargo," said founder of the group and Baptist Minister Lucius Walker. "The use of medical supplies as weapons against 11 million innocent Cubans is morally repugnant. Participation in the licensing process would be a defacto recognition of U.S. policy, and as Christians and people of conscience, we are unable to do this."
In 1960, the U.S. began trade sanctions against Cuba after the 1959 Cuban Revolution overthrew U.S.-supported dictator, Fulgencio Batista. The 36-year-old embargo is designed to destroy the Cuban Revolution. With the passage of the 1992 Torcelli and 1996 Helms-Burton laws, not even food and medicine can go to Cuba without a license from the U.S. government. At present, all other organizations which send aid to Cuba voluntarily submit to the licensing process. Absurdly, even U.S. citizens who travel to Cuba without permission can receive 10 years ín jail and a fine of S25O,OOO.
Project INFOMED-CUBA began three years ago when Cuba decided to update its medical information system. Funding from the U.N. and the Pan American Health Organization had bought 14 main servers, the backbone of the system, and Cuba was seeking user terminals in the form of used IBM-compatible personal computers to connect all hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities with the already established main servers.
In 1995, Californians Dr. Juan Reardon and engineer David Wald went to Cuba, met with the Ministry of Public Health, and were asked for these end-use computers. The two men formed INFOMED-USA, located the used computers and turned to Pastors for Peace for their expertise in delivering aid to Central America and Cuba. Pastors agreed to deliver the computers as the centerpiece of their sixth Cuba aid caravan.
On January 31,1996, Pastors for Peace was prevented from crossing the border into Mexico at San Diego. They were met by an army of 1,000 agents from the U.S. Customs Service, San Diego police, U.S. Treasury, San Diego Fire Department, and the FBI. There were two other attempted crossings in February, and all 400 computers were confiscated by the U.S. Treasury Department.
After unsuccessful attempts to negotiate with the government, five members of the group began a Fast for Life at the border site until the computers were released. The fasters were Rev. Lucius Walker, Seya Sangari, Jim Clifford, and Lisa Valanti, all from the U.S. and Canadian Brian Royhatyn. After 33 days, the Fast for Life moved to Washington, D.C. to better confront the govemment. Their only nourishment throughout the 94-day fast was a mixture of water, lemon juice, maple syrup and salt.
In spite of an almost total U.S. media blackout, staff and volunteers generated public support to pressure the U.S. government to negotiate with Pastors. The message was simple: Whatever the policies of U.S.-Cuba relations, it is immoral to withhold humanitarian aid from the people of Cuba, and we have put our lives at risk for this cause.
Unrelenting pressure from the international press, thousands of U.S. and foreign citizens and grassroots groups, 70 members of Congress, and nine U.S. religious organizations paid off. After 94 days, the Fast for Life ended May 24, when the U.S. government released the computers to the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church.
The Methodist Church honored Pastors request not to apply for a license, but did provide the government with paperwork proving the computers were going to Cuban hospitals and clinics. As in past caravans, the government issued a license.
Their first evening in Cuba, the group was met by President Fidel Castro who thanked each member individually at a special reception. Pastors personally delivered computers to hospitals in five Cuban provinces and the others were installed in emergency clinics, rural hospitals, pharmacies, and medical libraries.
President Castro also awarded the five fasters the Carlos Finlay medal, named in honor of the Cuban doctor who did pioneering research on the cause and eradication of yellow fever. In his acceptance remarks, Lucius Walker said, "If I had to choose one image of these past days here, I would choose the image of the Cuban children. We see healthy children filled with great self-confidence, who know they are loved, are special, and that they have a mission to create a new world. Because of those children, we know that in Cuba, the Revolution will never die. For them, we dedícate the next Caravan, in the spring of 1997, to the needs of the Cuban children."
INFOMED-CUBA is being expanded. It needs thousands more computerterminals and is continuing to collect Windows-capable 386 equipment and better.
For information and to particípate in the next caravan: Pastors for Peace, 331-17 Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 56414, (612) 870-7121, FAX 612-870-7109, Peacenet P4P. David Wald, (408)-243-4359 FAX 408243-1229 dwald@igc.apc.org. Juan Reardon, MD (510)-926-0917, jreard on@igc.apc.org. Cuba Solidarity/InfoMed USA WebSite:http:www.igc.apc.org cubasol. InfoMed-Cuba Web Site//http: www.cubaweb.cu/medicina/infomed imO.html.