Indianapolis Peace & Justice Center Journal, v. 11, no. 01, 1993-01

              INDIANAPOLIS
PEACE & JUSTICE
JANUARY, 1993
Peace is not merely the absence of war, it is the presence of justice.
VOLUME XI NO.1
Cuba, Si! Bloqueo, No! Pastors for Peace Delivers
Goods to Cuba
by Kim Mosel and Bernie Whitton
Unswerving belief in the right of all people to self-determination, to health care, education, housing, and food brought
104 ethnically, spiritually, and politically diverse individuals
together in the U.S .-Cuba Friendshipment. This recent humanitarian aid caravan was fiercely committed to ending the unjust,
anachronistic U.S. blockade against our Latin
American neighbor, Cuba.
On November 20,1992 that embargo was
indeed broken, as powdered milk, bicycles,
school supplies, medicine and Bibles were
carried across the U.S.-Mexico border with
the loud declaration that these materials were
being delivered to Cuba as humanitarian aid.
The licensing procedure required by the U.S.
government for such a shipment to Cuba was
rejected, for caravan members unanimously
agreed that acceptance would have been a de
facto recognition and validation of the embargo.
Following a standoff of several hours between
Friendshipment activists and federal and local officials, which
involved the arrest of four caravanistas (charges will now be
dropped on three of the four) and detainment of others, the U.S.
government did bow down, allowing the caravan and most of
its material aid to cross the border unlicensed. This lack of
enforcement can easily be interpreted as a less-than-confident
government position on the legality and morality of the
embargo.
The hostile, 30-year-old U.S. blockade/embargo of Cuba,
which became even more threatening with the passage of the
"Cuban Democracy Act," continues to attempt to starve Cuba
into submission. When a so-called "developing" country such
as Cuba so successfully meets the needs of its people, to the
extent that it often resembles and sometimes even out-performs
"developed" countries, its growth deserves nurturing. Such
support would come from warmer relations between the U.S.
IPJC members Kim
Mosel and Bernie
Whitton were drivers on
the Pastors for Peace
Friendshipment to Cuba
in November, 1992.
and Cuba and is particularly important at this point in Cuba's
development.
Cuba currently identifies itself as being in a "special period" of
great economic difficulty. Cuba suffered from the debt/interest-
rate crisis of the mid-1980's, as did the rest of the developing
countries, but its problems have been compounded by the economic confusion in the
former U.S.S.R. Until now, Cuba has relied
greatly on the Soviet Union for necessities
such as foodstuffs, petroleum, and medicine.
Even without the hard currency to trade
extensively elsewhere, and in the face of dire
consequences should this dismal situation
continue, the Revolution survives.
This survival is not without struggle, but
 S    Fidel Castro's strong commitment to maintaining those elements which have always defined
the Revolution is thus far keeping Cuba afloat. Free education
through the university level, one such element, continues despite
serious shortages of books and school supplies. Free health care
for each individual remains top priority, although cost to the
government is increasingly prohibiting the availability of
medicine and medical supplies/equipment Also, construction and
other infrastructure development are still visible, but progressing
much more slowly due to severe material shortages. And though
food supplies have been cut drastically, sufficient amounts are
still being distributed throughout Cuba.
The scene here does not resemble many other developing and
developed countries, where impoverished, hungry individuals
wander the streets in rags, wondering from where the next meal
will come, begging from passers-by, often sleeping on the
pavement with their collection cups and fellow indigents as
companions. Cuba truly is a model for a system which meets
people's needs, and perhaps a threatening example to those
continued on page 4
This
Month...
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An Update from Jason Berry
page 3
"Tresnjevka"
page 9
Somalia: Points to Consider
page 5
IICHE Elects New President
page 14