10 March 2010

EU Parliament condemns Cuba dictatorship

So the European Parliament issued a strong condemnation against the Cuban tyrants today, basically due to the state-sponsored violation of human rights in the prison island. Last week, Spain's highest court issued an indictment against the Venezuelan caudillo, owing to his relationship with ETA and FARC, both considered terrorist organisations by civilised nations. Seriously though, what do these condemnations / indictments achieve on the ground? Do these measures in any way ameliorate the otherwise destitute life of Cubans or Venezuelans? Do the Cuban or the Venezuelan regimes in any way change policy, or cease in their dictatorial behaviour? Are institutions, in Cuba and Venezuela, any more than just appendixes of Castro and Chavez after such pronouncements are announced? More importantly, do these resolutions impede European governments and businesses to actively seek, and get, lucrative deals, in Cuba and Venezuela, while conveniently brushing aside the human suffering they are contributing to, and fostering?

No, to all of the above, and no, to any hope that dictators will heed calls for moderation, restraint, and respect for human rights. No, to any hope that EU governments and businesses will pull the plug on tyrants. No, to any hope that multilaterals will shun dictatorships, and its very effective diplomatic representatives. No, to any change in foreign policy. No, to any hope that the world's media will start referring to Castro and Chavez, as dictators, instead of presidents, under whose watch untold crimes take place, and barbarism reigns supreme. No, to any hope that the world's most powerful human rights NGOs will admit that the conditions in Guantanamo Bay prison are a luxury beyond the wildest dreams of inmates of Cuban and Venezuelan prisons. No, to any hope that the Church will demand to be granted access to Cuban prisons. No, to any hope that the Red Cross will demand to be granted access to Cuban prisons. So I'd say, is high time these so called defenders of human rights stop posturing, for they're nothing more than a barking dog that never, ever, bites.

1 comment:

Kepler said...

Very good. We should create a Facebook group asking Sean Penn to go and live in Venezuela - without working for the government, just as a fully independent person.