Nitheesh Narayanan
The ninth Asia-Pacific Regional Conference in Solidarity with Cuba, was held in Kathmandu, Nepal on July 25-27, 2019. This time, the delegates representing different progressive forces in Asia Pacific region gathered together in solidarity with Cuba while the world is preparing to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the heroic Cuban revolution. Therefore, the ideas the revolution stood for, the societal and world order it fought to achieve and the progressive, socialist and humanitarian initiatives it later on engaged both inside Cuba and in international level, were emphasised time and again throughout the conference. 154 delegates, including the 35 delegates from India, from 15 countries participated in this conference. It was for the first time that Nepal hosted the conference. Dinit Denta, All India joint secretary, Nitheesh Narayanan, Central Secretariat member and Saagar Sharma, West Bengal state committee member participated in the conference representing SFI.
The opening ceremony of the conference was chaired by Pashupai Chaulagain, chief coordinator of the organising committee. Inaugural speech was delivered by Pushpa Kumar Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Chairman of Nepal Communist party and the former prime minister of the country. In his speech, Prachanda highlighted the contributions of Cuba for the cause of progressive ideals and building of socialism. He pointed out that the international system has not been fully democratised and international institutions are not immune from power politics. Prachanda emphasised on the need for all progressive forces around the world to work together to achieve a fair and democratic world order. “Solidarity, unity and understanding among us is very important to advance our common agenda for peace, security and development in our countries and other parts of the world”, he said. Prachanda also articulated the Nepal’s journey to build a socialist society and the fundamental values upon which they are taking this project ahead.
Fernando Gonzalez Liort, president of ICAP and one of the Cuban five who was heading the Cuban delegation delivered a speech in the opening ceremony in which he explained the war of economic embargo unleashed by the US on Cuba and the unparalleled crisis this pulled down the country into. He elucidated on how the US government’s offensive against Cuba is getting stronger and the measures of the blockade against the country are intensifying, affecting the Cuban people and violating their legitimate right of development, despite the rejection almost unanimously, year after year, the United Nations manifested in front of this crime, in which the Trump Administration strives to prevail the old Monroe doctrine that establishes that Latin America belongs to the United States and intends to turn the region into its backyard. Fernando, who is also a member in the Cuban parliament, still expressed his hope on the progressive forces across the globe to join in resistance of the US onslaught on the sovereignty of the country. He reiterated that Cuba will continue fighting till the defeat of imperialism and the final victory will lay with those who work to build a world of equality and justice. While speaking in the opening session, Iraklis Tsavadaridis – executive secretary of world peace council, stated that the example of Cuba shows that the changes, transformations and revolutions are possible if the people united and coordinated are aiming at the root cause of the misery, exploitation, wars and occupation, against the system which is bearing the social injustice and the profits of the big capital.
Leaders of each participating delegation addressed the conference in the first session following the opening ceremony. Nilotpal Basu, Coordinator of the National Committee of Solidarity with Cuba in India, spoke on behalf of Indian delegation. He pointed out that the campaigns in solidarity with Cuba is not merely an act of expressing camaraderie with a country but an opportunity to sensitise our own Indian people the importance of fighting imperialism. He praised on Cuba’s keenness in sending the educators and doctors to the counties in distress, not the soldiers, thereby creating a counter narrative.
Two parallel sessions were held on the first day of the conference around the topics of ‘Intensification of solidarity with Cuba through regional and national media: working experiences with social networks’ and ‘The resilience of the Cuban people after 60 year of revolution: Time to stop the blockade’. Delegates from India actively participated in the discussions in both the sessions and contributed immensely to prepare the working commission papers which was presented before the conference on the next day. Nepal’s tourism board introduced the region’s geographical and cultural diversities and peculiarities to the delegates with a presentation, following the discussion in parallel sessions concluded.
Aleida Guevara, daughter of revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara and a vibrant carrier of the legacy of Cuban revolution participated the conference throughout. Homage was paid to Che Guevara and 60 years of his visit to different countries in Asia was honoured. Aleida spoke to the delegates about her father’s two time visit to Asian countries and the notes he prepared about different experiences during the visit along with the political analysis of each country. Making a presentation with the photos captured during Che’s visits, many of which Che himself took, Aleida described how enthusiastically he was a true internationalist lived for the betterment of the whole humanity.
While presenting the working commission reports based on the discussions held in two parallel sessions on the first day, the representatives from each session emphasised how important to take the ideas of Cuban revolution and socialist building with much vigour and strength fighting the right-wing onslaught, be it in the form of economic and political sanctions or spreading of false propaganda. The commission report on media and social networking cites insisted that one of the core ideas of Cuban socialist experiment, the battle of ideas, to be taken forward to encounter the large scale of misinformation spreading around the world against Cuba. The reports stressed on the need to highlight, with regular and wide scale campaigns amongst the people, the achievements of Cuban society, specifically in the sectors of health care, education, social security and building of an alternative to the capitalist system, therefore the contribution of Cuba in developing a better democracy. The reports which also contributed in the making of the final declaration of the conference expressed the requirement to continue working for the widening the strengthening of the movement of solidarity with Cuba by involving the younger generations in each country, fighting for truth and keeping unity as the most important value of the actions.
Dr. Rajan Battarai, foreign affairs advisor of prime minister of Nepal described the fundamental principles on which Nepal is forming its foreign policy. He elaborated on how sovereignty of independent nations, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence are being the pillars of Nepal’s foreign policy. He also asserted the need to strengthen the solidarity between the socialist countries and progressive forces, in international level, to present an alternative world order countering to imperialism.
The final declaration of the ninth Asia Pacific regional conference in solidarity with Cuba was adopted on the second day, prior to the concluding session. The conference gave a call to celebrate the 66th anniversary of the assault to the Moncada barracks by revolutionary people led by Fidel Castro, as it was the action that ignited the engine of the revolution in Cuba and also to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Cuban revolution. The declaration congratulated the Cuban people and the new leaders of the revolution for the national referendum undergone and approved to update their constitution preserving the socialist ideas. It also reiterated the support to Cuba in process of updating their economic model aimed at developing the country by securing the social achievements of the revolution. The conference declared its complete support for the heroic government and the people of Cuba who have weathered many acts of aggression from successive US administrations for almost six decades now. Defending socialist Cuba is important part of keeping alive the hopes and dreams of building a truly human world- with freedom and resources in the hands of the people. It is also integral part of the struggle of the people of Asia Pacific region against the US imperialism that threatens peace and stability in the area by using regional and local conflicts and disputes. The conference thanked Cuba for their selfless solidarity with many people in the Asia Pacific region and their continuing assistance in education, health and sport. The conference denounced the hostile and aggressive policies of the US and demanded the end of unjust, illegal and criminal blockade imposed on Cuba causing damages to their population and affecting the interests and relations of Cuba with third world countries. The declaration opposed the implementation of Chapter III of the Helms Burton Act as it violates the international law and it is aimed to asphyxiate the Cuban economy. The conference also expressed its commitment to continue supporting the people across the world suffering the attacks by imperialist forces. It voiced solidarity with the Latin American and Middle east countries, especially Venezuela and Palestine, that are subjected to an intensification of the right wing forces in order to stop the advances achieved by the progressive countries.
The closing ceremony was chaired by Rajendra Prasad Pandey, Chief patron of the organising committee and the former minister of Nepal. Closing remarks were delivered by Madhav Kumar Nepal, senior leader of Nepal communist party and the former prime minister of the country. The delegates, reached at Kathmandu from various countries of Asia Pacific region ended the conference with receiving a token of love from the organising committee and enjoying a city tour organised by the same, and more importantly with a stronger political commitment for the cause of socialism and Cuban revolution.