Diplomats deny egging on July 4th protests in Cuba

Diplomats deny egging on July 4th protests in Cuba
By Ray Sanchez | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
11:36 PM EDT, July 3, 2008

HAVANA - American diplomats denied instigating opposition demonstrations
to coincide with the July 4th holiday, a spokesman for the U.S. mission
here said Thursday.

More than a dozen dissidents, meanwhile, were briefly detained Thursday
before the monthly meeting of an opposition group, according to the
Cuban Commission on Human Rights and National Reconciliation. All but
three had been released, activists said late Thursday.

Cuba's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday accused U.S. diplomats in Havana of
"instigating the mercenaries in Cuba to realize provocative public
actions around July 4, U.S. Independence Day."

The statement did not describe what kind of protests were planned but
warned that the U.S. would be held responsible.

"If they are planning something, I don't have any advance knowledge,"
Greg Adams, a spokesman for the U.S. Interests Section, said of the
opposition.

"The government of Cuba is a dictatorship that oppresses its people,"
Adams told reporters. "The Cuban people do not need outside influence to
seek relief from this oppression."

Elizardo Sanchez, head of the human rights commission, said he had
confirmation that about 17 dissidents had been detained in the predawn
Thursday. Many opposition members were incommunicado because their home
and cell phones had been taken out of service, Sanchez said.

"These were arbitrary detentions and we hope they will be of short
duration," he said.

About two dozen dissidents had been scheduled to gather in Havana
Thursday morning for a meeting of a new umbrella group known as "Agenda
for Transition." The meeting was canceled, dissident leaders said.

Cuba considers the dissidents to be mercenaries in the pay of the United
States, which has a longstanding trade embargo aimed at toppling the
island's socialist government.

In its statement Wednesday, Cuba's Foreign Ministry repeated accusations
that U.S. diplomats in Havana provided direction and money to dissidents
in violation of international diplomatic agreements. Cuba has accused
Michael Parmly, the top American diplomat here, of ferrying cash from a
jailed anti-Castro exile to dissidents on the island. U.S. officials
said the interests sections works with dissidents and gives money to the
families of political prisoners.

In 2003, Cuba responded to similar allegations against the U.S. mission
with the arrests of 75 dissidents who were given long prison sentences.
More than 50 of them are still behind bars.

"A very similar thing happened in 2003 but I hope this will be
different," Sanchez said. "What happened in 2003 was costly for the
government."

The European Union last month voted to lift diplomatic sanctions imposed
against Cuba after the 2003 crackdown. The sanctions were suspended in 2005.

Some dissidents planned to attend the annual July Fourth reception at
Parmly's residence Friday evening.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/cuba/sfl-73cubafourth,0,6553880.story