Many dissident groups demonstrated in Cuba on International Human Rights Day but the majority of these faced fierce acts of repudiation and repression by the government, state security, and mobs of people that were organized by the government.  On December 9^th, the Ladies in White led a protest in front of the National Assembly of the People’s Power that sparked a strong verbal attack from defenders of Fidel Castro’s regime. Four individuals, apparently employees of the National Assembly impeded the Ladies in White from entering the building, where they were surrounded by a small group of Fidelistas who chanted “Down with the worms [derogatory term for the opposition].”

The Ladies in White marching (Source:Reuters)

The 45 women carried flowers and carried out a silent two kilometer march from the Church of Saint Rita (in the west of Havana) to the seat of government, the National Assembly. Before departing on their march, the Ladies in White were met with the support of 15 women that came from Spain, Peru, Sweden and Bosnia. The foreign women supported the march from in front of the church, where they held up posters that called for “Democracy” and “Peace and Liberty.” Later that same night the group of women from Spain, members of various Catalan parties, were told by the Cuban authorities that they would be expelled.

While these acts were taking place throughout Cuba, the Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque announced that Cuba will sign onto the United Nations Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and on Civil and Political Rights. He also declared that “Cuba celebrated International Human Rights Day with its head held high.” Representatives of the opposition reacted cautiously to the announcement. While they considered it to be “good news,” they also demanded for “action” to be taken, such as the release of the political prisoners and the cessation of acts of repudiation against the opposition.

Oswaldo Payá, leader of the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL), stated that “it is very good for Cuba to sign the two covenants on human rights with the United Nations or any other entity as long as it actually respects them, but it is also urgent that they release the peaceful political prisoners.” He also said that “what the government should do is recognize the rights of Cubans in law and in practice and for that there is no need to sign treaties.” (Sources: El Nuevo Herald, Reuters, Boston Globe, El Universal)