The Dictator in the Backyard

OBAMA’S U.N. OMISSION: THE DICTATOR IN THE BACKYARD

On September 21 we watched in shock as President’s Obama referred to a list of changes that had happened since his last visit to the U. N. “one year ago“, referring to the successful negotiations to give South Sudan self-determination; the new flag flying in Juba; the U.N. peacekeepers standing still in their post led be the United States while the people of Cote D’Ivoire participated in a landmark election; the hopes of the people of Tunisia now preparing for elections; Tahrir Square where the Egyptian people demanded their universal rights, and then topping his list referring to Qaddafi as “the longest-serving dictator in the world”.

The facts remain that when Mr. Qaddafi first came to power in l969, Fidel Castro had done so 10 year earlier, on January 1959, and he has successfully passed power to his brother Raul while remaining as the leader “de facto” of the longest dictatorship which has been in power for over 52 years.

As has been highly publicized, it was Qaddafi’s intention to pass the power to one of his sons who would continue the dictatorship. Luckily this did not happen as we must assume President Obama would have accepted Mr. Qaddafi’s son leadership as a peaceful democratic transition just as he has apparently accepted the cloning of Fidel in his brother Raul.
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Obama had good reasons to focus on the conflicts in the Middle East and Africa as well as the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, but he made a big mistake by omitting the dictatorship in his backyard. It is a human violation rights that, in addition to leaving a huge human toll, is becoming the biggest obstacle to economic growth and democracy in the Americas.

However, the mistake, or oversight should elicit an apology for the people of Cuban origin who certainly coming from a country only 90 miles away from our shore have contributed not only many citizens but also a few Senators and Representatives to the Congress of the United States.

How could you, Mr. President, ignore the cries of LIBERTAD of the Cuban people, and the time bombs of Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru? Either you, Mr. President, do not have a grasp on the world affairs when it comes to history and the facts in your own backyard or you couldn’t care less about other dictatorships in this side of the world which apparently is not as close to your world map as Africa and the Middle East.

Just in case no one has told you, Mr. Obama, one year ago. a group of Ladies in White took the streets of Havana demanding political prisoners in Cuban jails be freed; one year ago, an American citizen was, and still is, imprisoned for the grand crime of bringing cellular phones to Cuba; not one, but two years and five decades ago hundreds of political dissidents were and still are in jails for crimes not committed; not one, but two years and five decades ago, thousands of Cuban citizens were and still are fleeing the country looking for freedom; not one, but two years and five decades ago, Cubans rather faced sharks in feeble rafters than remain under the Castros brother’s regime, and still do; not one, but two years and five decades ago, humans rights have been constantly violated in Cuba every single day; not one, but two years and five decades ago, freedom of speech in Cuba ceased to exist; not one; but two years and five decades ago, Cuba has gone from a privileged economy among the countries in Latin-American to one where milk is rationed to children under seven years of age and having meat without a permit from the government is punished by jail; not one, but for two years and five decades ago, there have not been free and democratic elections in Cuba.

Not for one year, nor for two or even twenty years but for fifty-two years, eight months and twenty-four days ago, Mr. President, there has been a dictator in your backyard just 90 miles from our shore that went unnoticed by your words at the United Nations General Assembly.

President Obama, we are awaiting either for an apology or and explanation to your omission. Next year 2012 is just around the corner. It will be very unfortunate for you that the the next President of the United States speaking at the U.N General Assembly begins - “One year ago, I was not president of the United States, and here I am to announce that the longest dictatorship in the world that my predecessor did not recognize, has ended”.

Sincerely,


Marta Menor
President
Cultivamos Una Rosa Blanca
September 25, 2011