Expressing Sense of House of Representatives Regarding July 2005 Measures of Extreme Repression on Part of Cuban Government
EXPRESSING SENSE OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REGARDING JULY 2005 MEASURES OF EXTREME REPRESSION ON PART OF CUBAN GOVERNMENT -- (House of Representatives - September 28, 2005)
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Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to just first commend the two individuals who have brought this resolution forward, two individuals who have a history of fighting for human rights around the world. I thank the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman) for his leadership. Once again, those who are oppressed can always count on the gentleman from Arkansas, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), a person who is, again, a hero to so many around the world, particularly to those who cannot speak up, cannot speak out, like we are able to do here. I thank him for his leadership. It is a privilege to serve with him.
A lot has been said about why this resolution is needed. My colleague from Florida just mentioned the response that the European Union has had to this latest crackdown. A deplorable response, a response which is the definition of appeasement, if there ever was one.
It is wonderful to see, though, Mr. Speaker, that this Congress, once again, stands up with those who are seeking freedom, but who do not have it. This Congress once again is saying, no, we are not going to stay silent, we are going to speak up for those who cannot speak up, we are going to speak up for those who are in prison.
We do not forget that just 90 miles away from the shores of the United States there is a dictatorship, a tyranny that is not only corrupt, that is not only on the list of terrorist nations, those nations that sponsor terrorism, that is not only a dictatorship who sponsors narco trafficking, which also is a dictatorship who practices apartheid against its own people, and who murders not only its own people, but also has over the years murdered numerous Americans. We recall, we recall as one of the many examples that I can talk about today, when that dictatorship shot down two American airplanes.
So how appropriate then that this Congress, this symbol of freedom around the world is, once again, speaking out for those who cannot, is once again remembering those who are being tortured in prison and, I think, also shows that once again, yes, this is the beacon of freedom. We understand that others are suffering. We do not forget. And, we know that one day the Cuban people will be able to speak up, though they are not able to do it right now, they will be able to speak for themselves, because they will not be imprisoned forever.
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