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Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 22:31:22 -0600 (CST)
From: rich@pencil.math.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Organization: PACH
Subject: CAQ: Assata Shakur in Cuba. Where are US Human Rights? (3/3)
Article: 47470
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Message-ID: <bulk.20911.19981111181642@chumbly.math.missouri.edu>
/** reg.carib: 217.0 **/
** Topic: Final Assata Shakur in Cuba. Where **
** Written 5:36 PM Oct 28, 1998 by jclancy@pop.pegasus.com.au in cdp:reg.carib **
from: jclancy@peg.apc.org
subject: Final- Assata Shakur in Cuba. Where US HUMAN RIGHTS?
Exclusive interview of Assata Shakur with Elombe Brath and Rosemari Mealy
In Black World Today <www.tbwt.com> 21 January 1997
Rosemari Mealy: Many individuals who have been most hostile toward
the Cuban Revolution have also been some of the first to criticize
the Vatican's visit to Havana. Curiously, some other groups purporting
to represent the New Jersey (NJ) police have attempted to have you
extradited back to the U.S. Is your open letter in response to those
news reports which were circulated last month to this effect?
Assata Shakur: This open letter is a response to that specific event,
but it is a response to a large issue, which is the issue of police
brutality; of repression. I have nothing whatsoever to say to the NJ
State Police. I don't believe that they deserve a response since they
sneakily wrote a letter to the Pope and refused to publish it or to
assert publicly what their inntentions were. I felt that I had to
tell the Pope about my reality, and to talk about the reality in
which I grew up, and in which my people are still living.
RM: I assume then that you found yourself in a unique situation.
While as an internationalist, living in a country where the Pope is
visiting, you also had access to having your letter delivered direct-
ly to him. This was something that most of us would never dream
possible.
AS: That's absolutely correct. When I was in prison they would say
and accuse me of all kinds of things, I was not able to answer. I was
not able to defend myself. I felt that since I could answer, and I
could speak to the Pope, that I needed to do that. Again, I want to
reiterate, I don't feel that I am talking for myself, but I think
that there are many sisters and brothers who are in my same condition
whether it's in exile, whether it's in prison. Therefore, I think I
have done a duty to them to try to do all that I can. This goes
especially to the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, who is facing death. We
must work and do everything possible to ensure Mumia's release and to
bring him back into the community where he is so desperately needed...
RM: With the Pope's arrival, the news in this country is inundated
by perspectives from exiles and others who are ignorant of Cuba's
revolutionary achievements. Having lived and visited there myself, I
see how the airwaves and TV cameras have attempted to present Cuba as
an island without hope or soul. From your perspective, and from the
observations made within your own community, what are the sentiments
as you see them expressed?
AS: I think people are certainly very interested in hearing what the
Pope has to say. I think that people in Cuba, in general, are intere-
sted in spirituality, and spirituality as it relates to social
justice. The Pope has made many statements recently which have dealt
very much with the current issues that people are facing around the
world..I think that the Pope has turned over a new leaf or gown, and
that the whole so-called Cold War Era is coming to an end. I think
that people are seeing that the construction of socialism and the
practicing of religion has become more and more interactive.
These two things are not contradictory by any means. The construction
of socialism and the practicing of religion are more complementary
than contradictory. People in Havana seem to be chilling out
and enjoying the day,and feeling hopeful, because the people in Miami
who have been so critical of the Revolution, who have been doing
everything to promote counterrevolution are certainly not popular
here. People do not see them as the bearers of religion, and they can
no longer use religion to hide their counterrevolutionary activities.
Elombe Brath: One of the things being projected here relates to
the big media spin regarding religion in Cuba. Yet you would think
that with the Pope visiting, they would have to admit that it's not
just Catholicism that exists in Cuba. A variety of denominations
exist such as the Assemblies of God, the Protestants, and the
Pentecostals, the Baptists and also Santeria. Gloria Rolando's recent
film, "Eyes on the Rainbow" in which you are subject, presented a
very personal side of you showing that you have become more orientated
toward our traditional African religion. What could you say about
religion in Cuba?
AS: In the early 1990's, the Cuban Communist Party changed its
position on religion, even though Cuba never discriminated against
those who practiced religion. Inside of the party, people who had
religious beliefs were not admitted. The party admitted that this was
an error and began admitting people with religious beliefs and others
who were already in the party and had practiced their beliefs clan-
destinely came out of the closet so to speak. This made for a healthy
situation. I believe that the spirituality is one of the things which
has helped the religion to survive.
During all of the political struggles of Cuba going back to the
struggles against Spanish colonialism, religion has been a very
important factor, especially the African religions. Africans who
practiced those religious beliefs during the war for independence in
those tightly knit religious houses, where they worked secretly to
preserve the African rituals were able to secretly and clandestinely
move to plot the war for independence against Spain. And the same
things happened with the revolution that triumphed in 1959. Religion
has been a very important part in my opinion of the Cuban revolutionary
spirit. These times are very crucial in terms of religion and are
more and more being divided along the lines of whether you are on the
side of the oppressed or oppressor ...whether you are on the side of
pomp and circumstance or whether you are on the side of those who
have nothing.
EB: Assata, how would you directly address how the people in the
United States can respond to your particular situation?
AS: I think the first thing that people need to do is to become
involved. I believe that the only way that people like myself and
others who are in prison or exiled will ever be "safe" is for people
to build a strong movement around the issue of political repression.
We must build a strong movement to free political prisoners. In conjunction,
we must build a strong movement for amnesty for all of
those people -those political activists -who were victimized by
COINTELPRO...We must demand freedom and amnesty for our political
prisoners.
Taken from Covert Action Quarterly -CAQ magazine. Email-
<caq@igc.org> Subscription US$22 per year of 4 issues. Address 1500
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 2005. "Assata Shakur: The Life
of a Revolutionary" was Edited by Rosemari Mealy who is a radio-
producer-activist and host on WBAI-FM in New York City and on its
Pacific Network. She is the author of "Fidel and Malcolm X: "Memor-
ies of a Meeting" (Melbourne: Ocean Press, 1993). she has lived and
worked in Cuba.
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