Palm Sunday is the day that Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Folks on the street spread their coats on the road and waved palm branches and called out, “Hosanna.” Hosanna is the Hebrew exclamation of praise but is also a plea for salvation. The Jews were rejoicing that their Savior has arrived to deliver them from the oppressive Roman government.
Today on March 20, 2016 in Havana, Cuba, groups of people are calling out “¡Libertad!” while waiting President Obama’s arrival to his history-making trip to the island. These people; however, are not looking at Obama as their savior. They are begging for Obama not to back the dictatorship.
The Damas de Blanco (Ladies in White) are a dissident group who faithfully and silently protest every Sunday after Mass demanding the freedom of their sons, husbands, and brothers who are currently imprisoned because of fighting against the Castro regime. Today, they waved palm branches in honor of Palm Sunday as the police and paramilitary violently hauled them off out of the public square. The women were joined with other protestors also wearing white carrying posters with the social media campaign #TodosMarchamos.
Today on March 20, 2016 in Havana, Cuba, groups of people are calling out “¡Libertad!” while waiting President Obama’s arrival to his history-making trip to the island. These people; however, are not looking at Obama as their savior. They are begging for Obama not to back the dictatorship.
The Damas de Blanco (Ladies in White) are a dissident group who faithfully and silently protest every Sunday after Mass demanding the freedom of their sons, husbands, and brothers who are currently imprisoned because of fighting against the Castro regime. Today, they waved palm branches in honor of Palm Sunday as the police and paramilitary violently hauled them off out of the public square. The women were joined with other protestors also wearing white carrying posters with the social media campaign #TodosMarchamos.
President Obama initially said that he would not visit Cuba if the human rights abuses continued. Over the course of the weekend before he arrived on the island, more than 200 activists were arrested for crying out for liberty. Pastor Mario Felix Lleonart, 17-year political prisoner Jorge Luis “Antunez” Garcia Perez, and his wife Yris are some of the people who will not be freed until the president leaves the island.
The president said he would meet with the dissident community as a part of his travel agenda but at the same time, those same people are the ones being silenced as he makes his visit for the next two days.
The president said he would meet with the dissident community as a part of his travel agenda but at the same time, those same people are the ones being silenced as he makes his visit for the next two days.
The president’s normalization of relations with the Castros fuels fire to the dictatorship. The president wants to make peace with a country that has arbitrarily arrested, murdered, and silenced the brave voices who cry out for freedom. His visit is standing on the backs of people who are either locked away or on the cusp of death.
Making peace with a government isn’t complete until the citizens of the country can live without fearing for their lives for speaking their minds. The most media coverage over the dissidents’ protests is happening through Twitter. Rosa Maria Paya, daughter of the late dissident Oswaldo Paya, wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post back in December 2014 after the president announced his willingness to open up relations with Cuba.
“We want changes in the law that will guarantee freedom of expression and association, the release of political prisoners, the right to own private enterprises, and free and plural elections,” Paya wrote in her op-ed. “I take you at your word, Mr. President. The answer to you and all to the world’s democratic government is: support the implementation of a plebiscite for free and pluralistic elections in Cuba; and support citizen participation in the democratic process. The only thing that will guarantee the end of totalitarianism in Cuba.”
To read the full letter that Rosa Maria Paya wrote, go here https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/heres-what-cuba-really-needs-mr-obama/2014/12/19/89aefa06-8790-11e4-b9b7-b8632ae73d25_story.html?postshare=3561458374798554&tid=ss_tw.
Making peace with a government isn’t complete until the citizens of the country can live without fearing for their lives for speaking their minds. The most media coverage over the dissidents’ protests is happening through Twitter. Rosa Maria Paya, daughter of the late dissident Oswaldo Paya, wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post back in December 2014 after the president announced his willingness to open up relations with Cuba.
“We want changes in the law that will guarantee freedom of expression and association, the release of political prisoners, the right to own private enterprises, and free and plural elections,” Paya wrote in her op-ed. “I take you at your word, Mr. President. The answer to you and all to the world’s democratic government is: support the implementation of a plebiscite for free and pluralistic elections in Cuba; and support citizen participation in the democratic process. The only thing that will guarantee the end of totalitarianism in Cuba.”
To read the full letter that Rosa Maria Paya wrote, go here https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/heres-what-cuba-really-needs-mr-obama/2014/12/19/89aefa06-8790-11e4-b9b7-b8632ae73d25_story.html?postshare=3561458374798554&tid=ss_tw.