Dissidents Biscet, Payá suffer injustices in Cuba

Neri Martinez
The Beacon, January 26, 2004

Oscar Elias Biscet and Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas: Two exemplary activists arising from a civic movement that seeks a democratic Cuba with respect for human rights, They both share a common framework of values grounded in Christianity, non-violent struggle, and the power of speaking truth to power. Dr. Biscet is serving a 25-year prison sentence in a dark underground cell far from his home and Oswaldo has had his home assaulted and death threats painted onto the walls and door of his house.

A partial history of their actions speak for themselves:

In 1999, Biscet led dozens of members of the opposition and thousands of Cubans on a 40-day prayer fast. Biscet organized teach-ins on non-violent resistance, civil disobedience, and the writings and thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. He succeeded in creating activists by educating them in the philosophy and practices of nonviolent resistance and leading them to challenge the regime, all of which terrified Fidel Castro.

Biscet was arrested Nov. 3, 1999 for displaying three upside down flags, an international sign of distress, at a news conference just as 20 foreign leaders gathered in Havana for the Ibero-American summit. Fidel Castro had him arrested to prevent him from leading a demonstration that Biscet organized to mark the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to protest the death penalty in Cuba.

Upon his release on Oct. 31, 2002, he organized another press conference to denounce prison conditions and demanded that the International Red Cross be allowed access to Cuba's prisons (a right that the Americans have allowed to Al Qaeda prisoners in Guantanamo but that Castro's regime denies to all Cuban prisoners.)

In 1988, Payá, an opposition leader, founded the Christian Liberation Movement (Movimiento Cristiano Liberación, "MCL"), which would serve as a basis to enact the ground-breaking Varela Project. By 1990, State Security had detained, interrogated and threatened Payá with prison if he continued his defiance.

In 1995, Payá became one of five organizers of the Cuban Council (Concilio Cubano). In 1999, Payá drafted the manifesto titled "All Together" ("Todos Unidos"). In March of 2001, "Todos Unidos" summoned dozens of opposition groups to collect the 10,000 signatures necessary to make the Varela Project a Bill of Law.

Towards the end of 2002, Payá won the European Union's Sakharov Award, the highest honor in Europe given to a human rights activist. After state security trashed his house the very next day, and under pressure from Cuba's largest trading partner, the European Union, he was granted an exit visa by the regime to receive his award and return to Cuba in early 2003.

In response to the recognition of Paya's efforts on March 18, 2003 the regime engages in a nationwide crackdown of human rights activists, dissidents, and opposition leaders. Over 40 of the 75 are activists who have worked on Project Varela. In October of 2003, Payá and members of Todos Unidos delivered over 14,000 signatures supporting the Varela Project.

Payá has shed light on the hypocrisy of the Cuban government by using actions of socialist legality to expose the lawlessness of a regime that does not even respect its own rules. There is a great possibility that he could still be imprisoned or suffer an "accident" but because he is now a public figure, it would further expose the regime's hypocrisy. Other dissidents who are not public figures suffer the uncertainty of prison sentences.

Both Payá and Biscet have been influenced by Gandhi and even more so by the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Payá, in his address to the European Parliament upon receiving the Sahkarov Award declared, "The first victory we can claim is that our hearts are free of hatred. Hence we say to those who persecute us and who try to dominate us: 'You are my brother. I do not hate you, but you are not going to dominate me by fear. I do not wish to impose my truth, nor do I wish you to impose yours on me. We are going to seek the truth together'."

As Martin Luther King said:

"If a nation is capable of finding amongst its ranks of people 5 percent willing to go voluntarily to prison for a cause they consider just, then no obstacle will stand in their way."

The Free Cuba Foundation celebrate the example set by Oscar Elias Biscet and Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas because we share their principles: speaking the truth in order to empower defenders of human rights in challenging an unjust system using non-violent means. We invite you on Jan. 28, 2004, GL 100B at 8 p.m. to join us in remembering the values of the great teachers of non-violence: Jose Martí, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

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