{news} (PRESS RELEASE) U.S. GREENS URGE BUSH TO ALLOW 1, 500 CUBAN DOCTORS

[Green Party-CT]

Press Release

 


Greens Urge Bush to Grant Visas to 1,500 Cuban Doctors Willing to Help Katrina Victims

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty at greens.org 
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, cell phone 916-995-3805, starlene at greens.org 

The Green Party urges reversal of Cold War policies against Cuba, deportation of a Cuban terrorist, and release of five Cubans imprisoned on specious charges.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders called on the Bush Administration to welcome Cuba's offer to send 1500 fully-equipped and experienced doctors into the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast region.

"It is unconscionable that the federal government would refuse this offer of assistance to thousands of victims of Katrina, many of whom are still suffering from lack of medical attention," said Tony Gronowicz, Green candidate for mayor of New York City and member of the Green Party's International Committee. "Before he was removed, FEMA chief Michael Brown claimed that he would not turn down any offer of assistance. Why is the White House denying entry visas to hundreds of trained doctors, all packed and ready to save lives in Louisiana and Mississippi?"

The Green Party has strongly opposed the U.S. government's Cold War policy against Cuba and has called for an end to the embargo and hostilities against the Castro government. Green leaders called the Katrina emergency an ideal opportunity to overhaul Cuba policy, normalize diplomatic relations, and repeal the ban on travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens.

"The anti-Cuba policy is absurd and hypocritical," said Michael Canney, Florida Green and member of Cuba Vive of Florida and the Gainesville Cuba Friendship Network. "While blocking the Cuban doctors, Bush's Homeland Security Department is coddling known terrorist Luis Posada Carriles. Furthermore, five young Cubans, whose only crime was to gather information about terrorists in Miami, remain confined in federal prisons even after their wrongful convictions were overturned by the 11th District Court of Appeals."

Greens, in accord with the Organization of American States (OAS), have demanded Luis Posada Carriles' deportation or extradition to Venezuela to stand trial for his involvement in the 1976 mid-air bombing of a Cuban passenger plane that killed all 73 people aboard, and have called for the immediate release of the Cuban Five from federal prisons pending a new trial.

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org 
1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

"Castro: U.S. hasn't responded to Katrina offer"
CNN.com, September 5, 2005 
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/09/05/katrina.cuba/index.html 
National Committee to Free the Cuban Five 
http://www.freethefive.org/ 
Message to the American People from Cuban prisoners 
http://www.granma.cu/miami5/ingles/042.htm  









Office: PO Box 57065 Washington, D.C. 20037  
Email: office at gp.org 202-319-7191 or toll-free (US): 866-41GREEN









===========================================================
      THE GREEN PARTY OF CONNECTICUT is the third largest political party in CT. The Greens are also the third largest political party in the US, with 220 Greens officeholders in 27 states. Over 80 countries in world have Green Parties. Wangari Maathai, the 2004 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is Kenya's assistant minister for environment and an elected Green Party member.
===========================================================
National Committee member from Connecticut: Tim McKee (860) 324-1684

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://pairlist10.pair.net/mailman/private/ctgp-news/attachments/20050913/bb573577/attachment.html>