Cuban doctor attacked

Cuban doctor attacked

Monday, February 7, 2006

Dr Luis Luarca, a Cuban refugee who is still on a hunger strike to
protest the human rights violation in Cuba and the Cayman Islands, was
attacked and pelted with eggs while he slept during the early morning
hours of Friday 3 February.

The matter was reported to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS).

Dr Luarca who worked as a neurologist back in Cuba said that between
4:30 – 5:00 am he was asleep on a folded bed in front of the Glass
House, the Government Administration building where he is carrying out
his hunger strike protest, when something woke him.

He got up and saw a man throwing something at him while running to a
black sports car that was parked along the road. Another man was in the car.

“At the time I did not know what he was throwing so, I tried not to get
hit. It was after they left I investigated and found out that they were
throwing eggs,” said Dr Luarca.

Dr Luarca was hit at least once during the attack. He described the
thrower as being of light complexion and athletic build.

“I feel bad about it [what they did], but that will not stop me from
doing what I am doing. We are waiting for a reply from the Government on
the matter that I had outlined,” he said.

During the time that Cayman Net News was with Dr Luarca, several people
walked up to him and offered words of encouragement and bottles of water.

This attack is the second incident Dr Luarca has suffered: between
Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, he was robbed of his clothes. He
has been wearing a blue t-shirt and a short khaki pants since the robbery.

Dr Luarca who came to the Cayman Islands in 1994 went on hunger strike
last week on Monday 30 January demanding monetary compensation from the
Hon Anthony Eden, Minister of Health, as well as the position of
security officer at the Cayman Islands Government Hospital; a meeting
with Pope Benedict XVI, or at least a promise from Roman Catholic Church
that they will make arrangement s for such a meeting; and that there
will be an improvement in the human rights situation in the Cayman Islands.

The doctor has since struck off his second demand after the Catholic
Church promised him that they would write the pope on his behalf.

Fr Michael Molnar pastor of the St Ignatius Church told Cayman Net News
that he spoke with Dr Luarca on the matter.

“I spoke with him yesterday (Thursday 2 January) and promised him that
I’d write a letter to the pope,” he said.

Dr Luarca said that he is satisfied with the church’s promise but he
will be keeping up his protest until his other demands are met or he dies.

Meanwhile, Dr Luarca said that he has written a letter to the UN human
right council telling them that they should ask the Government of Cayman
Islands to respect his wish and not give him medical treatment if he
should fall ill and his demands are not met.

At the Government Press Briefing on Friday 3 February, the Hon Kurt
Tibbetts, Leader of Government Business, said that the Government would
fulfil their legal obligations and do whatever it takes to makes sure
that Dr Luarca does not die regardless of what he says.

http://www.caymannetnews.com/2006/02/1023/attacked.shtml