IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 5 ENGLISH | Page 42

and stimulate the development of independent institutions committed to the
subject, as the UN Committee for the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination
(CERD) has demanded. Despite the
enormous danger our increasing social
polarization represents for Cuba’s present and future, our leaders show a lack
of political will or sense of responsibility to activate mechanisms for rescuing
and acknowledging the vales and historical contributions of Cuba’s Afrodescendants in academic, educational
and media spaces. Much less does it
want to promote models of empowerment to attenuate Cuba’s enormous and
persistent inequalities?

and peaceful demonstration—even
though Cuba is a signatory.
The Cuban crisis also becomes deeper
and more complicated due to Cuban
population’s lack of civic and legal culture after a half century of totalitarianism, induced fear, censorship and repression. This makes it very difficult for
the growing discontent and rejection of
the system to become open and wellarticulated demands for the changes we
need in Cuba. It is not enough for us to
describe, criticize, or denounce the
traumas and setbacks our nation endures. Our shared commitment has
brought us to use the international prestige, recognition, and ties we have
achieved to take the testimonies and
feelings of those in Cuba with no voice
to new latitudes and interlocutors.

The Cuban authorities keep up their
dual rhetoric. They demand justice and
equality on the global, geopolitical scene, actively participate with international organizations whose initiatives and
resolutions promote multi-polarity, balance, and the rights of citizenries, but
also reinforce discriminatory and repressive environments inside Cuba.
They keep society totally alienated from
the collaborative work of nations committed, at least nominally, to universally
recognized rights.

In addition, we have embraced with
great conviction the notion that real
change in Cuba, which should reconstruct a nation while totally acknowledging universal values, will be possible
only if the civic culture and self-esteem
of our citizens is rescued. Cuba really
needs a kind of citizen empowerment
that turns citizens into true sovereigns.
They must know their place in a modern
society, what their relationship to power
is, be capable of knowing, exercising,
and fighting for their rights, and be
ready to take on the responsibilities that
come with freedom. If that change in
mentality does not come about, what we
might see, as has been seen at other
times in our history, a change of government, power, or rhetoric, but the exclusionary, caste of supremacist who for
more than a century have negatively
impacted our socio-political relations

The government systematically shirks
its responsibility for educating and informing its citizens about international
legal instruments and voluntary mechanisms that protect and promote respect
for basic rights. Cuban people are unaware of the analyses, critiques, and recommendations that UN treaties have
crafted regarding issues as delicate as
racial discrimination, violence against
women and children, children’s rights,
or freedom of association, assembly,

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