World intellectuals demand end to US ban on Cuba
19/9/2008 16:59
More than 1,000 intellectuals from Latin America, Europe, Africa and the
United States signed a support document to Cuba, demanding the United States
lift its ban imposed on Cuba nearly half a century ago, local press said
yesterday.
Intellectuals from 30 countries including Brazil, Argentina,
Chile,Venezuela, Italy, France, Greece, Australia, Britain and South
Africa,signed the document, whose text was published online by Cuban
intellectuals demanding the end to the US embargoes against Cuba.
The
document said Cuba has recently been whipped by two hurricanes and suffered
great losses because of that, and its people demand an immediate end to the US
ban, which "has been a siege imposed by successive US administrations."
The
document can be seen yesterday on website www.concubahoy.cult.cu. , and is open
to comments.
"We appeal to the sensitivity of the intellectuals and artists
from all the world to demand an immediately end to the criminal US ban (against
Cuba) and to promote support and aid for Cuba," the document said.
Alicia
Alonso, director of National Ballet of Cuba, said what Cuba is demanding "is a
human right, not charity."
The United States imposed sanctions on Cuba in
1962, seeking to keep the country from carrying out any foreign exchanges and
hasten the end to Communism. As a result, Cuba, whose then trade with the US
accounted for two-thirds its total foreign trade, was plunged into dire straits.
The situation deteriorated further when the US passed a bill in 1996 to punish
foreign companies dealing with Cuba.
The Cuban government has recently
rejected the United States' strings-attached offer to send hurricane aid
accompanied by experts to evaluate the damage.
Xinhua
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