FANTU Activists Ask Obama to “Save the Life” of Guillermo Farinas

FANTU Activists Ask Obama to "Save the Life" of Guillermo Farinas / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana, 21 August 2016 — A group of activists from the
Anti-Totalitarian Forum (FANTU) have sent an open letter to President
Barack Obama, asking him to "save the life of Guillermo Fariñas
Hernández" who, as of Sunday, has been on a hunger strike for 32 days.
The missive is addressed to the leader as "president of the country
which is a beacon of human rights in the world."

Seven members of the opposition organization which is led by Fariñas,
winner of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of
Thought, are asking Obama to "use his political wisdom to take any
action" that would avoid the death of the dissident. However, they
clarify that the letter is not asking the US president to do "something
tied to politics."

The opponents explain that "Fariñas Hernández's strike is against
violence, he has not called for the overthrow of the
government." Instead of them, with his prolonged fasting the activist
from Santa Clara is demanding "the end to the oppression by some against
others because of the way they think or how they choose to honestly
obtain their income."

Which, according to the signers, "is not to risk a life on a hunger
strike, because it is the very essence of the democratic governments of
all countries in the world."

Guillermo Fariñas has been very critical of the process of normalization
of relations between the governments of Cuba and the United States that
began during the administration of Barack Obama.

Since December 17, 2014, when the diplomatic thaw was publicly
announced, Fariñas has labeled the actions of the US president as a
betrayal of Cuban dissidents.

Source: FANTU Activists Ask Obama to "Save the Life" of Guillermo
Farinas / 14ymedio – Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/fantu-activists-ask-obama-to-save-the-life-of-guillermo-farinas-14ymedio/