Cuba remains set in its ways

Cuba remains set in its ways
04/04/2015 3:00 PM 04/03/2015 8:49 PM

Less than four months after it was announced that the United States
would begin thawing relations with Cuba, the two sides are moving
quickly to reestablish full diplomatic relations. But when it comes to
human rights, Havana's regime still appears frozen in time.

As 34 leaders of Latin American countries, including Raúl Castro,
prepare to meet at next weekend's Summit of the Americas in Panama,
there is pressure to finish the negotiations, but the deadline should
not be an excuse to give short shrift to the topic of human rights.

The latest round of talks dealt with considering Cuba's removal from the
U.S. list of countries that sponsor terrorism, a key stumbling block.
Explaining the official argument in favor of the move last week fell on
Stefan M. Selig, undersecretary of Commerce for international trade, who
said: "The world has changed."

Of course, the world has changed, but the dictatorial nature of the
Cuban state has not. After a handful of meetings with U.S. diplomats,
led by Roberta Jacobson, assistant secretary of State for Western
Hemisphere affairs, there appear to be few concessions from Cuba.

Internally, the Cuban regime maintains the repressive attitude that has
allowed it to stay in power for many decades. That includes harassment
of peaceful groups like the famed Ladies in White. The daily arrests,
acts of repudiation and censorship of any person or group that questions
the official line remain as enduring signs that Cuba is not surrendering
its hardline ways.

Ms. Jacobson recently explained that Cuba's removal from the list of
terrorist countries still depends on Havana's behavior and that control
of the decision-making process remains in the hands of very few.
Clearly, the world has evolved, but the concentration of power in Cuba
not so much.

Ms. Jacobson summarizes the state of the negotiations this way: "I know
it appears as if we haven't achieved anything, but after 50 years of
distrust, we've made a lot of progress. Publicly, much movement won't be
seen until we open an embassy."

Meanwhile, Cuba hopes to find an escape route from financial disaster
with the lifting of travel restrictions and the arrival of more U.S.
tourists, who are expected to pump millions of new dollars into the
island's economy.

Ms. Jacobson said a sticking point for the Cubans in regards to
reopening the U.S. embassy in Havana is the level of access that should
be given to Cubans on the island as well as American citizens. "An
embassy is an embassy," she said.

We urge U.S. negotiators to insist that the rules governing visits to
the embassy in Havana by local citizens be the same as the rules that
apply at any American embassy in the world, no matter how much Cuba's
government objects.

Human-rights abuses should be of paramount interest as U.S. diplomats
try to fashion a new relationship with Cuba. "Cuba thinks that it's
meddling on our part, but we believe those are international
obligations," Ms. Jacobson rightly observed.

At meetings, Cuba often criticizes U.S. affairs, with tirades the our
diplomats must tolerate, but that should not influence the U.S.
commitment to pursue human rights objectives. When President Obama
attends the meeting of hemispheric leaders, he should make it clear that
though his administration wants better relations with Cuba, this will
not come at the expense of the rights and civil liberties of the Cuban
people.

Source: Cuba remains set in its ways | Miami Herald Miami Herald -
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/article17358410.html