What Does The Wordceleteque

VII Forum Final Declaration of the Cuban Civil Society against the Blockade

Final Declaration

VII Forum of Cuban Civil Society against the Blockade

The 139 organizations of Cuban civil society and regional and international organizations based in Cuba, met in Havana on October 20, 2010, in the VII Forum against the economic, commercial and financial center of the United States against the Cuban people, to monitor the positions taken in previous Forums, , after discussion about the current state of the situation denounced in them, agree to expose what following:

1. On October 28, 2009 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted with 187 votes for the resolution "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba "in urging the government of the United States to unilaterally lift the embargo imposed by the authorities of that country to the Cuban people, the which extends almost 50 years.

2. The Forum VII hereby ratifies the Final Declaration of the Forum VI, when he says: "The blockade against Cuba is the longest, cruel and unjust ever known to human history and is a real economic war qualifies as an act genocide. Its main objective and has been declared the destruction of constitutional order in Cuba, depriving its people of the sovereignty and the exercise of their right to self determination. "

3. This policy will continue in the history of aggression the empire against the Cuban nation has failed in its objectives to starve the Cuban people and diseases. However, the United States government continues to devote the millions each year to ensure more rigorous enforcement of all laws and measures that make up the blockade against Cuba and organize internal subversion. Through the mass media and communication, which subsidize their agencies, unleashed a media war that presents a completely distorted picture of the Cuban reality, thus intervening in the internal affairs of our country, which constitutes a violation of the inalienable right the Cuban people to self-determination, independence and sovereignty, and to adopt the economic, political and social organization best suited to their interests, as reflected in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the major international instruments governing relations between nations.

4. The international opposition and within the United States of unilateral coercive measures against Cuba has continued to grow during the past year. However, President Barack Obama in early September 2010, renewed for another year the enforcement of sanctions against Cuba under the powers granted by the Law on Trade with the Enemy, which is the basis of other laws and regulations that form the block economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. Such action has been even further enhanced to include our country in 2010, the arbitrary "black list" of countries that support or promote terrorist activity. These actions contrast with the admissions by the U.S. president during his election campaign to introduce changes in relations with Cuba, and disregard the prerogatives U.S. President to introduce substantive changes to this policy even without being subject to congressional approval.

5. The extraterritorial nature of the blockade not only maintained but strengthened during the past year. These unilateral sanctions against Cuba, which have a widespread effect outside the U.S. on business and citizens of third countries, in violation of international law have intensified, especially as applied to banking and financial sector.

6. The blockade constitutes a blatant, massive and systematic violation of human rights continues to apply to our country with impunity. Viola:

• The right to development of our citizens, because the blockade has caused economic losses Cuba in the past 50 years by more than 750 billion dollars Americans to the current value of that currency. Without the blockade, these resources have been invested in sustainable development projects, economic and social development of our nation.

• The right to health, preventing the purchase of medicines and medical devices are only produced in the United States or subsidiaries of U.S. companies based in any country, and even other national companies that produce them under license, which put at risk the lives of Cuban citizens. Cuba has to buy medicines, reagents, spare parts for medical equipment, instruments and other supplies in distant markets, and in many cases, the use of intermediaries, which brings the price increase.

• The right to food, because they remain expensive and difficult conditions in Cuba under which purchases are made U.S. food companies. The U.S. government continues hindering such repurchase has not materialized any action to carry out such sales in line with the policies, practices and regular channels of international trade.

• The right to education and culture, which means, among other aspects that affect the daily shortages learning process, research and scientific work of students and teachers, in general at all levels of education, given the impossibility of acquiring means, materials and equipment in the U.S. market and to establish regulations that impede the academic and scientific exchange and access from Cuba to the Internet and new information technologies and communications.

7. The blockade not only affects the Cuban people but also violates the constitutional rights of American people, to undermine their freedom to travel to Cuba , and exposing those who choose to visit the island to heavy fines and imprisonment.

8. THE FORUM VII calls on Member States to support the United Nations once again in the General Assembly the draft resolution submitted by the Government Cuba as a show of concern and commitment in the battle for the lifting of the blockade. It urges them to take practical measures to prevent the application in their territories of U.S. laws and regulations, violate its own sovereignty and the principles of free trade.

9. THE FORUM VII also urges the President of the United States to use its broad powers to reduce or eliminate prohibitions imposed by the framework of laws and rules that make the illegal blockade against Cuba and to exclude Cuba from the list called state sponsors of international terrorism since this is not just an arbitrary and political absurdity, but involves an additional pretext for the blockade.

10. The organizations of Cuban civil society and regional and international organizations based in Cuba VII Forum participants recognize against the Blockade and appreciate the extensive and effective solidarity for our country of thousands of civil society organizations in the world, including the American people and we greatly appreciate your support and solidarity in the struggle to end the unjust and immoral policy applied by the government United States against our people. The urge to make public their support for the draft resolution submitted by the Cuban government that the October 26 General Assembly will consider the United Nations, for the nineteenth time, entitled "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by United States of America against Cuba "and to redouble their actions at national level international and sending letters to the President of the United States claiming that unilateral coercive measures are removed.

Signed in Havana on October 20, 2010