DATE= MAY 20, 1996

TYPE= EDITORIAL

NUMBER= 0-06791

TITLE= CUBAN JOURNALIST BANISHED FROM CUBA

CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST

MAY 20, 1996.

ANNCR:

THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A

WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE

POLICIES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

A CUBAN JOURNALIST HAS BEEN SENT INTO EXILE. HIS NAME IS

RAFAEL SOLANO. HE IS THE FOUNDER OF AN INDEPENDENT NEWS AGENCY

KNOWN AS HAVANA PRESS.

MR. SOLANO WAS ARRESTED IN FEBRUARY SHORTLY AFTER THE

COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT OF FIDEL CASTRO LAUNCHED A CRACKDOWN AGAINST

THE UMBRELLA OPPOSITION GROUP KNOWN AS CONCILIO CUBANO, THE CUBAN

COUNCIL. HE WAS DETAINED IN A HAVANA PRISON FOR SIX WEEKS.

AFTER PRESSURE FROM THE UNITED STATES, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND

THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS, HE WAS RELEASED. BUT THE

FALSE CHARGE OF SUBVERSION REMAINED. LAST WEEK, MR. SOLANO WAS

FORCED INTO EXILE.

THE REASON FOR THE CRACKDOWN ON MR. SOLANO AND OTHER

INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS IS CLEAR: FIDEL CASTRO WILL USE EVERY

TOOL OF REPRESSION AT HIS DISPOSAL TO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH, WHICH

HE KNOWS IS THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON FOR CHANGE IN CUBA. THIS

REPRESSION INCLUDES ENSURING THAT THE COMMUNIST PARTY MAINTAINS

COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE CUBAN MEDIA. IT INCLUDES EFFORTS TO

SILENCE RADIO AND TELEVISION MARTI BY JAMMING. IT INCLUDES

BANNING HOME SATELLITE TELEVISION DISHES, WHICH CAN BE USED TO

RECEIVE U.S. AND OTHER FOREIGN BROADCASTS. BUT CASTRO'S EFFORTS

TO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH WILL NOT SUCCEED. AS RAFAEL SOLANO TOLD

THE NEW YORK TIMES NEWSPAPER, "EVEN IF I AM NOT [IN CUBA], I

WILL CONTINUE DEFENDING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND SUPPORTING

INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM IN CUBA."

MR. SOLANO WILL NOT BE ALONE; THE UNITED STATES WILL CONTINUE

TO SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT

CIVIL SOCIETY IN CUBA. THE U.S. CALLS ON THE CASTRO GOVERNMENT

TO CEASE ITS REPRESSION AND GIVE THE CUBAN PEOPLE BACK THEIR

FREEDOM.

ANNCR:

THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED

STATES GOVERNMENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE,

PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, VOICE OF AMERICA, WASHINGTON, D.C,

20547, U.S.A. YOU MAY ALSO SEND US A FAX AT (202) 619-1043.

YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE USED ON THE AIR.

17-May-96 11:08 AM EDT (1508 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America