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Event Report: 50 Years of the Cuban Revolution (London, sat 17 Jan)

Patricia O'Muerte | 24.01.2009 12:00 | Globalisation | Workers' Movements

On Saturday 17 January Rock around the Blockade held a celebration of 50 years of the Cuban Revolution, hosted by the Venezuelan Embassy at Bolivar Hall in London.






The all-day event was supported by the Movement of Ecuadorians in the UK and the Revolutionary communist Group. It included talks from academics and representatives from various campaign groups, as well as the Cuban, Venezuelan and Bolivian embassies.

The subjects covered were not just the success and progress Cuba has made in resisting imperialism and building their economy over the last five decades, but also on the links the island has with revolutionary movements throughout Latin America. Over 200 people attended over the whole day – highlighting that not all is lost when it comes to solidarity with a nation that holds human life high on the agenda.

The chair led the introduction with a heartfelt letter from Renẻ Gonzalez, one of the Cuban 5, political prisoners in the US, thanking RATB for their sustained support and pointing out the importance of each person's attendance and support, not just for Cuba, but in the face of the carnage that continues in Palestine.

Rafel Sardinas of the Cuban Embassy carried a strong message in line with Rene's letter. Speaking of a model for socialist living, having seen and felt it work, he carried a message of love for his country and its political ideals but also a realistic message of how those ideals can be taken on board and exercised in today's imperialist United Kingdom.

Williams Suarez from the Venezuelan Embassy spoke compassionately of the struggle socialists face, not just in Cuba but anywhere that there are people with ideals that surpass those of chasing material and excess wealth. It was both uplifting and devastating to consider how the struggle the Cubans face has in common with what the Palestinians are facing. His conclusion was that we should not just sit and bemoan our struggle, not just feel empathy for those in countries under constant political scrutiny, but act upon these feelings.

Neeva Shanti, representing the Revolutionary Communist Group, spoke coherently, engaging the audience with her knowledge and passion for the subject. She set the ball rolling by starting to dissect the baseless stories told countless times in the bourgois press since the Revolution was initiated.
Helen Yaffe spoke of the US blockade of Cuba, which has cost Cuba's economy $92 billion, through cuts in export and import trade. She illustrated the strength of the Cuban people, constantly at the forefront of environmental efficiency, even under the poverty line. In the face of financial vulnerability Cuba has managed to grow economically at a steady rate whilst not compromising human life.

Hannah Caller highlighted where Cuba are going right but also where the United Kingdom is going wrong. Cuban literacy rates have flourished due to class sizes as low as 15 students. Cuba has made a commitment to education and they are keeping it, having never shut down a school. A medical system that cannot be disputed, sending doctors to where they're needed across the globe as well as maintaining a universal free health service in Cuba. Infant mortality is at an all time low, countrywide. The real success of the socialism is here. The revolution has created a system that works, and a system that saves lives.

Patricia O'Muerte
- e-mail: office@ratb.org.uk
- Homepage: http://www.ratb.org.uk

Additions

Video of the event

24.01.2009 20:45

Victoria Siempre


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50 years of opression is nothing to celebrate!

24.01.2009 12:39

No freedom of movement
No freedom of speech
No free elections
No Indymedia Cuba
Spies on every corner

And thats just the obvious

@narchist


Nothing positive ....

24.01.2009 14:17

over the last 50 years then .

Get a grip mate and atleast be honest about your real agenda.

Apart from indymedia being the bastion of freedom for all mankind, your list could be any nation on earth.

By the way have you been?

@ntichrist


No I have not been.......

24.01.2009 16:25



........as I am not a fucking middle class hypocrite supporting a risk free cause to make myself feel better!

@narchist


Where do you get your information from?

25.01.2009 13:26

@narchist, what exactly are you referring to when you say there's no freedom of movement, speech, spies on every corner etc? I;ve been there, met people from all over, and they all moved freely, within limits of time, money etc. They all spoke freely, within the limits of the truth and, usually, social acceptability. In fact, they were a lot like people here. Where do you get your imformation from? The bourgois press?

Victoria Siempre


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Oh Victoria can you please explain.......

25.01.2009 14:06


...... what you mean by "they all moved freely, within limits of time, money etc". "They all spoke freely, within the limits of the truth and, usually, social acceptability."

You middle class are so full of shit its quite unbelievable. Anyone with an ounce of decency or integrity would not holiday in someone else's misery. But its fashionable for the middle classes to support causes they know so little about but sound hip and safe. Shame on you for your ignorance!

@narchist


ok, I'll explain, but will you?

25.01.2009 14:59

I mean that, like people in Britain, Cubans can move around if they have the time and the bus fare.

I mean that, like people in Britain, cubans talked freely to me about politics, the government, the weather. a lot of them complain about stuff, like people in Britain do, but most of them say that the Blockade is the principal cause of economic problems. As you know, in most workplaces in Britain, talking about politics or criticising the government is frowned upon. People 'self-censor'. I suppose the same thing happens in Cuba. That's what I meant by 'social acceptability'.

So, Ive explained. Are you going to explain what you mean by 'no freedom of movement', no freedom of speech', 'spies on every corner'? And how you know these things to be true? Is freedom of speech even possible in a world dominated by imperialism? How do you justify attacking Cuba when it puts you on the side of the US government, which has spent the last 50 years trying to destroy the Cuban revolution because, for them, it's an unacceptable example to the rest of the world?

And by the way, I'm not middle class. I have to work to feed, clothe, house myself etc. I have a higher standard of life than workers elsewhere because this is an imperialist country, which allows a higher standard of life for workers here. So what, what do you want me to do about it? Give up my job and get a lower-paid one? Why? The point is that we should both be fighting imperialism, and we can't do that by parroting the lies of the bourgois media.






Victoria Siempre


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