The government of the Republic of Cuba has received, with sadness and
grief, the news about the violent and unexpected attacks that took place
this morning against civil and official facilities in New York and
Washington cities, which have brought about a great number of casualties.
It is known the position that Cuba holds against any terrorist action.
There is no possibility in which our people can forget that they have been
victim of such actions for more than 40 years, which have been promoted
from the very territory of the United States. Due to historical reasons,
as well as for ethical principles, our Government strongly rejects and
condemns the attacks made on the aforementioned facilities and gives its
most sincere sympathies to the American people because of the painful and
unjustifiable human losses that such attacks have caused. On this painful
moment, our people join in solidarity with the American people and
expresses its total disposal for cooperation, with its modest
possibilities, with sanitary institutions or institutions of other medical
or humanitarian kind of that country, for the care, assistance and
rehabilitation of the victims that have arisen from the attacks that
occurred this morning.

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A CALL FOR REFLECTION, RESTRAINT AND RESPONSIBILITY.

Radio Havana Cuba

There is no joy here in Cuba at the events of Tuesday. No one is cheering
or holding impromptu block parties to celebrate the most astonishing act
of terrorism in history against what has been for Cuba an implacable enemy
for 40 years. There is, instead, a profound feeling of shock, revulsion
and compassion and very real apprehension about the cries for vengeance
that emanate from every corner of the White House and the US Congress.

The most powerful nation on earth has been put on a war footing and
history has taught us all what to expect when Washington starts waving the
cudgel self-righteously. The families of almost a million Japanese, four
million Koreans, three million Vietnamese, and thousands of Iraqis and
Yugoslavians can all attest to what occurs when the Oval Office scrambles
its bombers.

It is hard to avoid the obvious accusation that an editorial such as this
will be viewed as a cheap shot against a weakened United States, but there
is an urgent need to respond to staggering and inconceivable statements
from US politicians and people calling for the use of nuclear, biological
and chemical weapons in an almost triumphal assertion that this is their
first war of the 21st century. The sabre rattling is deafening and very
frightening to us all.

US mainstream media is stirring the hatred by airing statements from
people "on the street" calling for an immediate strike, an immediate
all-out war against the "enemy."

But who is the "enemy?" The enemy are successive Washington
administrations that have for more than five decades promoted terrorism on
an enormous scale across the globe. Administrations that have trained
international military personnel in techniques of torture and terrorism in
its meek-sounding School of the Americas. Administrations that have for 40
years permitted and supported terrorist attacks against its island
neighbor whose only crime was to advocate a different socio-political
system. Administrations that introduced the world to nuclear holocaust, to
carpet bombing, to horrendous use of phosphorous and napalm bombs.
Administrations that maintain an economic blockade that is directly
responsible for the loss of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children's
lives. Administrations that support one of the most repressive, brutal and
racist regimes on earth with massive flows of money and weapons to use
against the Palestinian people. Administrations that financed the Latin
American dictatorships of the eighties and then later "apologized" for
some of the unspeakable crimes they committed in the name of "democracy."

Tuesday was the anniversary of the US sponsored coup in Chile in which a
legitimately elected government was brought down with extreme violence.
The man behind this event and the covert wars within Cambodia and
Argentina, Henry Kissinger, is one of those that today clamour for a
"tough and decisive" response to the attacks in New York and Washington,
who clamours for a blind war against an invisible enemy.

Few doubt that Washington has just suffered the consequences of its
actions across the globe. Even if Osama Bin Laden is found to be
responsible, the people of the US should know that he was previously
trained and used by the CIA in its war against the former government of
Afghanistan. George W. Bush will seek to take the war to another part of
the globe where more civilians can pay for the death of US civilians
without their blood and disfigured bodies being shown on CNN.

No solution will be forthcoming in the destruction of those deemed
responsible. The enemy will still be there because the enemy comes from
within. The CIA supported Noriega, Marcos, Sukarno, the Shah, Idi Amin,
Mobuto, the Contra, Pinochet, the Argentinian generals, d'Aubuison,
Somoza, Batista, Stroessner et al - the list is long and represents the
obliteration of hundreds of thousands of civilian lives. In Panama 2,000,
in Nicaragua 30,000, in El Salvador 75,000, in Guatemala over 150,000, in
Indonesia 300,000.

The people of the US can surely no longer remain immune from the terrorism
their governments provoke, promote and tolerate in their name.

After the rage, the hatred, and the clamouring for vengeance have
subsided, the time for reflection must come. War should be declared on the
real threats to humanity: AIDS, racism, neo-colonialism, ruthless free
market profiteering and Washington's "democracy" of domination. That way
the poverty and desperation that creates the kind of hatred of the US that
leads to such unspeakable acts of terrorism will be avoided.

The security and welfare of the United States clearly depends on social
justice for all. There must be a change in this US psyche of isolation and
pre-eminence or we shall all be brought to the brink of disaster once
more.

The people of Cuba indeed share in the pain and distress of their
neighbors, but at the same time they are reminded of the fact that five of
their own were recently found guilty in a Florida court for combating this
very same kind of despicable terrorism that has so stupefied the world
after its use against the US.

The chickens have come home to roost and there is no smugness or
satisfaction in saying it -- just very sincere anxiety for what may
follow.

Source: Radio Havana Cuba

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SALVADOR ALLENDE REMEMBERED IN CUBA

Dear friends,

A reminder that before this latest atrocity September 11th was already an
important historic date. The very day when, 28 years ago, other planes
destroyed other public buildings which also led to the deaths of
thousands. These were the planes of the Chilean military machine which, on
the orders from the war criminal Kissinger in Washington, destroyed the
Presidential La Moneda Palace in Santiago de Chile.

The US media still reports that President Salvador Allende took his own
life. This is a vile lie created by Pinochet to paint Allende, who died
gun in hand, a coward. Would that Allende had lived to confront the
usurpers and terrorists. Would that they had taken him to court - or he,
them. But like Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, Allende had to die.

Colin Powell is right to say that "this is war." But this war has already
been carried out by the US for decades, in the Middle East, Latin America,
Africa, the Pacific, the Far East and today in Europe too. Only now when
casualties are inflicted in such numbers on US soil, the innocent domestic
victims of the US foreign policy paradigm, when the war come back to haunt
its initiators, do they finally admit it, as a corrupt father is forced to
admit his illegitimate offspring - PD
 

SALVADOR ALLENDE REMEMBERED IN CUBA 28 YEARS AFTER HIS
DEATH

Havana, September 11 (RHC)--The Salvador Allende School for primary school
teachers, founded in Havana in 1974, today honored the memory of Chilean
President Salvador Allende, who died 28 years ago in a coup staged by
General Augusto Pinochet with CIA backing.

The school, which trains 3,500 teachers, has recently been restored and
was reinaugurated today on the anniversary of Allende's death. Wreaths
were also laid at the statue of Allende that can be found in the Vedado
section of the city along the Avenida de los Presidentes. A major city
artery is also named after the Chilean socialist.

Salvador Allende was democratically elected president of Chile in 1970 and
was forcibly removed in a coup staged by Pinochet with US backing three
years later. He died in the fighting defending the presidential residence
in Santiago de Chile, La Moneda Palace. A subsequent purge of his
supporters resulted in the deaths of thousands -- many of them tortured
beforehand. Pinochet is currently under investigation having been charged
with overseeing the so-called Caravan of Death in which a squad of his
troops toured prisons in Chile summarily executing political prisoners.

Salvador Allende was well liked by Cuban President Fidel Castro and his
death defending the freedom of his people was received with consternation
in Cuba.
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Editorial from Radio Havana Cuba

DOUBLE STANDARD: FOUR DECADES OF US SPONSORED TERRORISM

Well, it took a little over a week but as expected the anti-Cuba right
wingers in Miami have weighed against Cuba by accusing the island of
maintaining contact with today's most hated man in the world, Osama Bin
Laden. The accusation is so ridiculous that it's not worth addressing as
such, but it leads us here at Radio Havana Cuba to remind our listeners of
the terrible terrorist attacks suffered by this country over the four
decades of its Revolution. And in our case it wasn't one individual's
maniacal crusade in opposition to the foreign intervention policies of the
world's biggest power, but the world's biggest power in opposition to the
internal socio-political system of a small island neighbor.

The list of attacks against Cuba is so long that we had to turn to Jane
Franklin's chronological history of the Cuban Revolution for dates and to
place things into proper context.

>From the outset of the Revolution barely days after Washington recognized
the new government of Fidel Castro in January of 1959, the CIA began a
campaign to overthrow Cuba's new leader. It is a campaign that has lasted
through to today and is replete with anecdotes and tragedy. From as early
as March 10th the US National Security Council met in secret to discuss
ways to replace the new Cuban government by any means necessary. In August
two Cuban planes were destroyed in Miami in an attack against air travel
to Cuba. Fortunately, no-one was hurt. A small plane that originated in
the US was intercepted by Cuban authorities with a US citizen on board
intending to assassinate Fidel Castro.  In October the first of a wave of
attacks on sugar mills by planes flying in from the US began; a plane from
Miami bombed Havana; and a train was machine gunned in Las Villas - again
from a light aircraft that had originated in the United States. All this
happened in the first year of the Revolution. The message from Washington
was clear and Cuban lives had already been lost in the process.

The following year the Belgian ship, Le Coubre, blew up in Havana's harbor
killing some 100 sailors and dock workers. Although sabotage was never
proved it was very likely. In March of 1960 US President Eisenhower
ordered CIA director Allen Dulles to organize and train Cuban exiles for
an invasion of Cuba. By August of the same year the CIA was recruiting
members of US organized crime, including Santos Traficante and Sam
Giancana, to assassinate Fidel Castro who was then Prime Minister. The FBI
under Hoover was fully aware of the plots and provided logistic support.
The assassination attempts were later published in a damning report by the
House Select Committee on Assassinations in the late seventies.

By the end of 1960, 17 former Cuban police/army members under the Batista
dictatorship were arrested for throwing sticks of dynamite into stores and
theatres, and the year was seen out with a fire that destroyed a famous
Havana department store - all done with money and support from terrorist
groups operating openly in Florida as they do to this day.

By this time Cuba had obviously got the message and was aware of the plans
to invade the island. However, although the island presented ample
evidence of Washington's intention to the United Nations, the General
Assembly rejected a debate on the issue. Clearly Cuba was on its own. The
year 1961 brought on further bombings as well as the despicable torture
killings of a number of 17 and 18 year olds teaching Cubans in the
provinces how to read. They were murdered by groups funded by the CIA in
an attempt to destabilize the government in Havana and destroy a massive
literacy campaign underway across the nation. By April and the fatal
blowing up of another Havana department store, the pending invasion was
obvious to Cuban authorities. It began on the 15th April with B-26 bombers
attacking the island's defenses, killing a number of civilians.  Two days
later the Bay of Pigs invasion began. Cuba defeated the US backed forces
with the loss of yet more Cuban life: 176 people.

The attacks, the bombings, the assassination attempts went on. Over 600
plans or attempts on Fidel Castro's life alone are known to authorities:
from exploding cigars, to his wet suit lined with poison, to a pistol
hidden in a camera. Two of the most recent have been the snipers arrested
before attempting to kill the president on Venezuela's Margarita Island in
1997, and the bombing plot in Panama City in 1999 which netted
international terrorist Luis Posada Carriles who awaits trial in a
Panamanian jail.. Things got to the point where the US allowed ships at
sea to openly shell residential districts in Havana, as on 24th August
1962.

Who outside Cuba knows of the slaughter of half a million pigs after
African swine fever was introduced into the island by the CIA in 1971? Who
knows of the deaths of 81 children after their deliberate infection with
dengue fever ten years later in 1981? Both instances were proven to be as
a result of CIA operations in later declassified documents. And who can
forget the bombing of a Cubana flight in 1976 with the loss of all 76
passengers and crew and the subsequent freeing of Orlando Bosch in 1990 by
a US court, after he was found to be the principal terrorist responsible
for the crime?

More recently, in 1997, came the bombings of tourist hotels in an attempt
to destroy the tourist industry in Cuba. An Italian tourist was killed in
one of the explosions. Subsequent investigation uncovered the hand of
Posada Carriles with the financing of US government sponsored
organizations based in Miami.

These Cuban exile terrorists have been allowed to operate openly within
the United States, where they are presented as heroes who are to be
emulated. When Cuba legitimately attempts to defend itself by infiltrating
these organizations to prevent further terrorist acts against it, the
United States government punishes those they catch with long prison
sentences for combating the very same kind of despicable terrorism that
has so stupefied the world after its use against the World Trade Center.

If there's to be a serious effort made to bring and end to terrorism, it
needs to be based on broad ethical and moral principles. Many in the world
today ask how can the US government complain of Afghanistan harboring
terrorists when this very same government allows terrorists to operate
openly on it's own soil?

For further details: Franklin, Jane, The Cuban Revolution and the United
States: A Chronological History. Ocean Press, 1992 and 2000

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STATEMENT BY THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA, H.E.
AMBASSADOR BRUNO RODRIGUEZ PARRILLA, BEFORE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY UNDER
ITEM: "MEASURES TO ELIMINATE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM". NEW YORK,  OCTOBER
1, 2001

Mr. President,

In a speech delivered just two days ago before one hundred thousand
countrymen, President Fidel Castro stated:

"The unanimous shock suffered by all peoples of the world on September 11,
due to the insane terrorist attacks against the American people, has
created exceptional conditions for the eradication of terrorism without
the need to unleash a useless and perhaps endless war.

 "Terror has always been an instrument of the worst enemies of Mankind
 bent on suppressing and crushing the peoples' struggle for freedom. It
 can never be the instrument of a truly noble and just cause."

Later on, he went on to add:

"Many seem not to have realized yet that, on September 20, before the
United States Congress, the end of independence was decreed for every
other state --without exceptions-- as well as the end of the United
Nations' role.

"Cuba was the first country to speak of the need for an international
struggle against terrorism just a few hours after the tragedy brought on
the American people on September 11. We also said that: `None of the
present problems of the world can be solved by force. [...] The
international community should build a world conscience against terrorism.
[...] Only the intelligent policy of seeking strength through consensus
and the international public opinion can decidedly uproot this problem
[...] this unimaginable event should serve to launch an international
struggle against terrorism. ...] The world cannot be saved unless a path
of international peace and cooperation is pursued.

"I harbor no doubts that the Third World countries  --I dare say almost
everyone of them without exception, despite their political and religious
differences-- would be willing to go alongside the rest of the world in
this struggle against terrorism as an alternative to war.

"For these people, saving peace with dignity, with independence and
without a war is the cornerstone of the struggle that we should wage
together for a truly just world of free peoples."

Mr. President,

International cooperation should be arranged to launch effective global
actions, in accordance with International Law, the Charter of the United
Nations and the relevant international conventions, based on the
extraordinary power of consensus and the sovereign and combined will of
all States.

Cuba has expressed: "It would suffice to return to the United Nations
Organization the prerogatives that it has been deprived of and let the
General Assembly, its most universal and representative body, be the
center of that fight for peace  --regardless of its limitations due to the
arbitrary veto right of the Security Council Permanent Members, most of
them also a part of NATO-- and for the eradication of terrorism with total
and unanimous support from the world opinion. [.] It is indispensable to
return to the United Nations its role in the attainment of peace."

The United Nations Organization is precisely that universal coalition we
need to fight terrorism.  No amorphous and unpredictable coalition, NATO
or any other military organization, or group of States -regardless of its
power-- could replace the United Nations in a global and legitimate action
against terrorism.  The United Nations should not give up its functions or
prerogatives in favor of something imposed by any country, nor should it
indulgently serve hegemonic interests.

It befits the United Nations, and no one else, to address in a deep, calm,
resolute and forceful way, the serious challenges of a globalized world,
including terrorism as a matter of urgency.

The United Nations counts on the universal involvement of States. It has a
historical and moral authority, as well as principles and rules accepted
by all; and it is entitled to adopt and codify standards.  It can act on
all areas, and its numerous and diverse bodies have great potential.

We support the Secretary General's statement that:  "This Organization is
the natural forum in which to build such a universal coalition.  It alone
can give global legitimacy to the long-term struggle against terrorism."

The United Nations even has the prerogative to use force to defend the
principle of collective security.  However, this exceptional prerogative
must be used with utmost prudence and responsibility.

Mr. President,

The United Nations has made great efforts to fight terrorism, as reflected
in the existing Conventions and other recently adopted instruments, as
well as the many resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and other
bodies.

To move forward, we must address all forms and manifestations of terrorism
in every corner of the world with absolute honesty and avoiding hegemonic
interests or national ambition, and State terrorism cannot be the
exception.

The overwhelming political will of States to fully implement international
instruments must prevail without any double standards, or political
selectivity, without treating differently those who live in affluent
societies and without allowing States and their armed forces, especially
the most powerful, to act in disregard of legislation and International
Law.

Mr. President,

We share the calls for prudence and moderation coming from all regions.
One cannot respond to the September 11th terrorist attacks with vengeance
and war actions that would lead to a still unimaginable spiral of violence
and barbaric acts. The solution cannot be to pass legislation or decrees
that condone summary executions, that let States kill foreign citizens or
act covertly in other countries disrespecting laws and borders, or use
force within other States.  That would divert the world from its purpose
of eradicating terrorism, and would mean the end of collective security
mechanisms. It would mean the rule of force and the beginning of the end
of the so often proclaimed rule of law.

Terrorist acts are usually carried out by extremist groups, and even by
lone individuals.  Faced with an event of this nature -however grave-- the
right to self-defense must not be invoked by a powerful State to
unilaterally unleash a war that could go global and have unpredictable
consequences bringing the death of an unthinkable number of innocent
people.  Instead, that right must be exercised as the right of all to the
common defense of all.  The South countries would eventually be the
potential victims of actions of force if today we accept war under the
pretext of fighting terrorism.

Cuba supports the many ongoing initiatives and those under discussion,
which might contribute to UN actions, including those submitted by the
Non-Aligned Movement, such as the call for a high level conference on
international terrorism, the creation of an international cooperation
center, and the negotiation of a comprehensive convention on international
terrorism.  We are also willing to consider constructively other
initiatives that might contribute to the struggle against terrorism and
might have the legitimacy invoked by the Secretary General.

Mr. President,

While the Security Council has made specific efforts and adopted several
resolutions in the past, terrorism has been an area in which prudence has
prevailed.  In the few cases where specific acts of terrorism have been
addressed, this has been done to meet the specific interests of some of
its Permanent Members.

On the other hand, Cuba appealed to the Security Council to act in 1976
when Cubana Aircraft CU 455 was blown up in flight, killing 73 people on
board. However, draft resolution S/23990 submitted by Cuba was not even
considered.

I have just reviewed that draft resolution once again, comparing it to the
one the Security Council adopted last Friday night, and I have found that
although ours was more moderate, it proposed some of the concepts and
measures contained in the recent one.

In its preamble, the Cuban draft considered the suppression of
international acts of terrorism essential for the preservation of
international peace and security. It emphasized the need to deal
effectively with terrorism. It reaffirmed that it was every State's duty
to refrain from organizing, instigating, assisting, participating in and
consenting to terrorist acts within its territory.  Our text took note
that one Permanent Member of the Security Council had stated that it had
evidence in its possession relating to that act. It also took into account
the fact that the mastermind of the terrorist act, Orlando Bosch, resided
in the territory of that same State, where -by the way-- he still lives;
and that the co-author, Luis Posada Carriles, had been later employed by
the Government of that same State after the appalling crime.  The Cuban
draft resolution also urged the Council involvement in the struggle
against international terrorism, invoking Chapter VII of the Charter.

The Resolution did not ask for the use of force or sanctions, but simply
asked the Council to condemn the bombing of the passengers' aircraft in
flight; to indicate the obligation to clarify the crime and to punish the
guilty parties. It asked the State concerned to provide all the
information and evidence in its possession relating to the past and
current residence of the terrorists who were in its territory, and to
adopt effective measures to prevent its territory from being used to
prepare, organize and carry out terrorist acts against Cuba.  And it asked
the Council to keep that matter under consideration.

After Cuba spoke, the Permanent Member concerned took the floor for five
minutes only to state the following: "I frankly cannot help but wonder why
we are here . By meeting today . we lose our most valuable commodity:
time."  And that was the end of the meeting.

 However, after a quick and not particularly transparent negotiation, the
 Security Council has recently adopted a resolution that orders States to
 work on urgent legislative modifications, that demands immediate reports
 and creates a sort of antiterrorist general headquarter.

The Council has decided to fight terrorism in many different areas, from
economic and financial areas to illicit drug trafficking, border control,
money-laundering, forgery of documents, traffic in explosive materials,
nuclear, chemical, biological and other weapons.  It also deals with
issues relating to transnational organized crime, weapons of mass
destruction, communications technologies, and the exchange of intelligence
information on individuals and entities that practice terrorism.

The implementation of that resolution requires the previous identification
of those persons and a clear definition of what is to be considered a
terrorist act.  It is not difficult to guess where those interpretations
will come from.

The Security Council has been pushed to give legal support to hegemonic
and arbitrary decisions made by the ruling Power, which violate the
Charter and International Law, and that trespass on the sovereignty of all
States.  To achieve that, it usurps once again the functions of the
General Assembly, the only body whose universal composition and democratic
method could legitimize such far-reaching decisions.  The Council uses the
unbelievable method of making it mandatory for all States to accept some
rules contained in conventions against terrorism, which are up to every
State to decide whether they want to be signatories or not.

The Security Council, a hostage of the veto right, could only exercise a
selective, capricious, arbitrary and ineffective dictatorship, instead of
the moral leadership required for a comprehensive struggle against
terrorism in a globalized world.

Terrorism cannot be eradicated if some terrorist acts are condemned while
others are silenced or justified.  It is an ethical imperative, for
example, to put an end to the use of veto to prevent international actions
from protecting the Palestinian people against the countless State
terrorism acts they are suffering.

It is Cuba's opinion that any use of force against terrorism should
require explicit and previous authorization of the Security Council, as
provided by the Charter.  Cuba also believes that neither of the two
resolutions adopted by the Council in the wake of the September 11 attacks
could be invoked to unleash unilateral military or force actions.

Despite some arbitrary methods and decisions by the Security Council, our
country will cooperate, as always, in good faith with the Council in
accordance with the Charter, and will enforce its own legislation
sovereignly adopted by our people according to international law, and
which strongly and firmly opposes any act of terrorism, whoever its
perpetrator might be, as well as other serious international crimes being
committed in the world.

This statement we can make with the full moral strength that emanates from
our straight behavior.  Our finances are transparent and our banks do not
treasure any laundered or illegitimate money. Our institutions are not
involved in illegal sales of information or technology nor do we tolerate
the traffic in arms or dangerous substances. Likewise, our borders do not
protect transnational crime.

The specific measures put forth in the resolution adopted by the Security
Council and that Cuba supports must be applied first of all to the large
banks where, as everyone knows, money is laundered.

I must categorically state that Cuba will never take part in any military
action.

Mr. President,

In my memory today are the 3478 Cubans who have died the victims of acts
of aggression and terrorism, and the claim for justice of 2099 people who
are disabled due to those same acts.

In my mind is also Felix García, a diplomat with the Cuban Mission to the
United Nations, who was murdered here in New York, exactly on September
11, 1980. His murderer was arrested last November in Panama, together with
Luis Posada Carriles, during an Ibero-American Summit. They had been
working on a plot to assassinate President Fidel Castro and to that end
they were to blow up a university auditorium where thousands of students
would be gathered. Posada Carriles and his group have neither been
extradited nor punished. There are reasons to fear their escape even
before they are taken to a court of law or with total impunity.

In the 1990's alone, a total of 68 terrorist acts were perpetrated against
Cuba, 33 of them in the last five years.

Our country speaks with full moral authority because it has never
committed any terrorist act, not even the attempt to eliminate -in an act
of legitimate self-defense-- the direct perpetrators and authors of such
abominable crimes, financed and carried out against our people by the
Cuban American National Foundation and other mob groups in Miami. However,
over the last few years, bombings, assassination attempts against Cuban
leaders and attacks against crucial facilities for our economy have been
organized with total impunity from abroad.

Only our people's consideration and respect for the victims of the
September 11 attacks, as well as the seriousness of the current situation
that brings us together to seek for constructive solutions, have inspired
me to contribute to the spirit of this debate by avoiding any mention of
the origins of terrorism against Cuba, by not making specific reference to
the real causes, the accomplices, the real culprits, the financial flows,
the venal courts that absolve criminals and the territories where
terrorist organizations acting against Cuba are based.

I share the hope that the September 11 tragedy will lead to reflection
and, in line with the desire of the American people, to changes in those
policies that encourage and basically justify terrorism against my people.
 Terrorism against Cuba must be brought to an end.

I must state that, in face of impunity, Cuba has every right to defend
itself against terrorism.  The five Cuban youth, who are unjustly
incarcerated and enduring a humiliating treatment in Florida, do not
repent of having saved heroically the lives of both Cubans and Americans.

As President Fidel Castro has indicated: "Cuba, with the moral authority
of being the country that has suffered the most and the longest from
terrorist actions, the one whose people are not afraid of anything because
there is no threat or power in the world that can intimidate it, claims
that it is opposed to terrorism and opposed to war. Although the
possibilities are now remote, Cuba reaffirms the need to avert a war of
unpredictable consequences whose very authors have admitted not to have
the least idea of how the events will unfold. Likewise, Cuba reiterates
its willingness to cooperate with every country in the total eradication
of terrorism.

"Whatever happens, the territory of Cuba will never be used for terrorist
actions against the American people and we will do everything within our
reach to prevent such actions against that people. Today we are expressing
our solidarity while appealing to peace and calmness.

Finally, the President of our country, expressing the unanimous sentiment
of our people, stated:

Our independence, our principles and our social achievements we will be
defend with honor to the last drop of blood, if we are attacked!

Thank you very much

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Editorial from Granma Daily October 8th 2001

THE WAR HAS BEGUN

Yesterday, at 9:00pm Afghanistan time, the war began, or rather
themilitary attack against Afghanistan began. The word "war" suggests a
conflict between more or less similar parties, where the weaker has, at
least, a minimum of technical, financial and economic resources todefend
itself. However, in this case, one of the parties has absolutely nothing.
Still, let us call it a war. That is what he who ordered the beginning of
the military operations called it. This is really a sui generis war. An
entire country is being turned into a testing ground for the most
sophisticated weaponry ever invented. The experts and specialists at the
research centers and military workshops, who have invested tens of
billions of US dollars in the creation of deadly devices, will attentively
follow every detail of their products' performance. Whatever the pretexts,
this is a war, in which the most sophisticated technology will be used
against people who cannot read or write. A country whose Gross Domestic
Product is $20 billion a year will be fighting another with approximately
one thousand less. Therefore, for economic, cultural and religious reasons
this will be a war of previous colonizers against the formerly colonized;
of the most developed against the least developed; of the richest against
the poorest; of those who call themselves civilized against those they
consider to be ignorant and barbaric. It is not a war against terrorism,
which should and could have been defeated by truly efficient, swift and
enduring means. It is a war in favor of terrorism, since the military
operations will make it more complicated and difficult to eradicate. It is
a cure worse than the disease.From now on, there will be an avalanche of
news about bombs, missiles, air strikes, advances of armored vehicles with
troops of ethnic groups allied with the invaders, the dropping of
paratroopers or the ground advances of elite forces of the attacking
countries.There will be news about occupied cities, including the capital,
and TV images of whatever the censors will permit. The fight will be
against the people of that country and not the terrorists. There are no
battalions or armies of terrorists. This is a sinister concept and an
insidious method of struggle against a ghost.These events will be
compounded by triumphant statements,chauvinistic exaltation, boasting and
other manifestations of arrogance and of a spirit of racial and cultural
superiority.Then there will be the big question: will resistance stop and
every contradiction disappear or will the true war begin, that which was
defined as long and open-ended? This is certainly the main question in the
minds of those who are now taking pride in having launched this dangerous
war. Millions of refugees are already spreading everywhere and
undoubtedly,  greater difficulties are still to come. Let us wait for
events to unfold. Our people will be informed with the utmost objectivity
of every occurrence, providing more or less space in the press, radio and
television depending on their importance. At the same time, we shall avoid
major disruptions of our everyday activities and the usual programs. We
shall remain focused on the enormous efforts being made in matters related
to our social and cultural development. We will be particularly watchful
and mindful of production and services, which are today more important
than ever, given all the problems that the on-going events will bring to
the already deteriorated world economy,whose effects no country will be
able to escape. However, no other country is bettered prepared and
organized, or more aware than ours, to face whatever difficulties may
arise. Likewise, we shall continue to concentrate on our defense as we
have always done. Once again, there will be hesitation and panic in the
world. Later, as the foreseeable problems begin to arise, there will be a
growing awareness and a universal repudiation of the war that has just
begun. Even the American people, who are today so shocked by the horrible
tragedy, will sooner or later understand. The opposition and condemnation
of terrorism and war, which have been the basis of our stance, today
shared by many people in the world, has sustained an unexpected blow with
the beginning of military operations. But we shall persist in struggling
with all our capabilities for the only possible solution; the end of the
military operations and the eradication of terrorism through the
cooperation and support of all countries, and through the unaninous
repudiationand condemnation of international public opinion under the
leadership of the United Nations.

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