Cuban Black Spring marks 10th Anniversary of dissident movement
The
Ladies in White, a Cuban organization, gathered to commemorate the
10th anniversary of what is commonly known as the
Black Spring. In
2003,
Cuba's repressive regime ordered for 75 dissidents to be incarcerated. These
Cubans were sentenced to prison for terms ranging from six to 28 years. During the commemoration, facts behind the mass incarceration were made public.
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Title:
Tenth anniversary of the black spring
Date: March 17,
2013
Duration: 03:46"
Author:
Roberto Jesús Guerra Pérez
[00:00:04,
392]
Fifty-three ladies in white attended mass in the
Church of
Santa Rita of
Casia Miramar on Sunday, and after the religious ceremony, the women performed their customary march on
Fifth Avenue, this time dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the black spring. The ladies marched carrying a picture of the independent journalist and prisoner of conscience Calixto
Ramon Martinez Arias, who served six months of stoic incarceration on March sixteen in the prison
Combinado de
Este; and whom since March 6 is on a hunger strike.
[00:00:41,026]
For the freedom of the
Cuban people and so that the human rights of the Cuban will be respected. In 2003, the arrogance of the governing Cubans ordered a repressive wave against the pacifist opposition in Cuba, and condemned reason and decency when it incarcerated seventy-five innocents for exercising their right to express themselves freely. This sad time is known as the black spring of 2003.
[00:01:10,361]
They marked the beginning of the repressive campaign.
The State security forces also raided homes across the
Island. They confiscated computers and type writers, fax machines, and personal documents. From April three to April seven, in a string of summary trials which took place of a total of seventy-five people and received sentences of incarceration ranging between six and 28 years.
[00:01:37,173]
The time, and mothers and daughters of the incarcerated, united their pain, forming this physical and peaceful movement that opted for the name of The Ladies in White.
I have been a victim of acts of repudiation with physical assaults and forced obligations, detentions, threats and lies.
[00:01:56,328]
Our perseverance bore fruit.
At the end of the year
2010, the government announced through the
Catholic Church, a cancellation process for the detainees of the black spring.
Through our movement, a group of attention to human rights. Now, because in our country freedom of expression is respected, of movement, of opinion, of union and of association.
[00:02:18,
679]
We fight so that no one ever will be repressed for freely expressing themselves. We give this example of those who sacrificed their lives for this noble cause.
The light of hope is lit and the determination of all of us who are feeding that fire. Still, the freedoms are in mourning, and we have more than enough reasons to continue burning the flame of sacrifice, for our love for Cuba.
Freedom for the political prisoners!
[00:02:49,983]
Freedom! Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!
In
Santiago de Cuba, sixty Ladies in White were also able to attend mass on Sunday at the
Santuario del Cobre, and despite the strong police presence, no incidents were reported either. While in the province of
Granma, only two women were able to attend mass, and while there, they were detained.
[00:03:16,817]
In
Guantanamo, eight attended
. In the province of
Matanzas, eighteen were able to attend mass without any detentions. In
Ciego de Avila, two attended. There were no detentions in
Holguin Cinco.
[00:03:30,687]
They were able to attend, while ten were detained, and in the province of
Santa Clara, three were detained.
Director: Roberto Jesús Guerra Pérez