Support religious freedom in Cuba

Posted on Thursday, 07.31.14

Support religious freedom in Cuba
BY KATRINA LANDOS SWETT AND MARY ANN GLENDON
MEDIA@USCIRF.GOV.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of Cuba's current government and
July 26 commemorated the 61st anniversary of the revolution which swept
it into power. After coming to power, the Castro government broke its
pro-democracy pledges and, despite recent improvements, maintains a
problematic record on human rights, including religious freedom.

This was confirmed by the State Department's international religious
freedom annual report, which was released this week. It also was
exhibited when the government recently detained more than 100 members of
the Ladies in White, relatives of imprisoned dissidents who draw
inspiration from their Catholic faith.

Religious freedom and other rights are spelled out in international
documents — including the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR) — which most nations, including Cuba, endorsed. It was a Cuban
diplomat, Guy Perez-Cisneros, who together with other Latin Americans
helped drive its drafting and passage. Thus, whenever Havana violates
human rights, it betrays not only its past promises, but Cuba's legacy
of liberty. The world should affirm this legacy by standing steadfastly
for Cuban religious freedom and related rights.

The seeds for that legacy already were being sown in early 1945, just
prior to the San Francisco conference that founded the United Nations,
when Latin American delegates meeting in Mexico adopted a resolution
supporting a human rights declaration for the U.N. Charter. They lobbied
for it vigorously once the conference opened.

The Charter mentioned human rights seven times, along with an agreement
to establish a Human Rights Commission. This commission prepared an
international bill of rights which became the UDHR and Perez-Cisneros
spoke eloquently for the pro-freedom coalition that made it possible.

As detailed by the independent U.S. Commission on International
Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a bipartisan federal body on which we serve,
the Castro government has yet to own this heritage. Instead, it controls
and monitors religious activities and requires an invasive registration
process.

What happens when a religious community refuses to register? It cannot
receive foreign visitors, import religious materials, meet in approved
places of worship, or apply for travel abroad for religious purposes.

What happens when it agrees to register? Local communist officials must
approve its activities and the government interferes with its leadership
and internal affairs. Havana often seeks to change church structure,
freeze church assets, close churches, and intimidate pastors of churches
such as the Western Baptist Convention.

Independent religious communities often suffer the most. The
fast-growing Apostolic Reformation faces government harassment,
including arrests of leaders; confiscation or destruction of property;
aggressive surveillance of church members and relatives; heavy fines;
and potential loss of job, housing, and educational opportunities.

It is not just religious communities that authorities often target. They
also interfere with human rights activists exercising religious freedom,
denying them access to religious services and pressuring church leaders
to do likewise. They regularly detain Ladies in White members on their
way to Sunday services, block their entry, and send others to harass and
intimidate them.

As in prior years, the past year saw signs of improvement.

The government eased some restrictions, allowed registered groups to
build or expand houses of worship, and permitted churches more
opportunities for charity work. But the question remains whether it
still views religious practices as privileges to be granted or withheld,
rather than inherent rights to be affirmed or protected. At stake is the
legacy of an entire generation, led by Guy Perez-Cisneros, who helped
bring the world the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It is time to honor this great gift that Cubans helped bestow on
humanity. While people disagree on how to deal with Cuba on various
fronts, including the U.S. embargo, all should agree that the United
States must press Havana to cease interfering with religious activities;
allow unregistered religious groups to operate freely and legally;
refrain from mistreating human rights activists and blocking them from
attending churches; and cease arresting and harassing religious leaders.

USCIRF would also welcome Cuba's allowing its members a visit. Other
countries, including Latin American and European nations, should weave
human rights, including religious freedom, into discussions with Cuba.
Cuba once stood for the world's freedom; the world should do likewise
for Cubans.

Katrina Lantos Swett serves as chair of the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom. Mary Ann Glendon serves as a USCIRF
Commissioner.

Source: Support religious freedom in Cuba - Other Views -
MiamiHerald.com -
http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/31/4265558/support-religious-freedom-in-cuba.html