MESSAGE OF SUPPORT TO THE FRIENDS OF CUBA ON THE OCCASION OF THE MARCH FOR THE RELEASE OF THE CUBAN FIVE TO BE HELD ON THE 23^RD OCTOBER 2009 AT US EMBASSY IN PRETORIA.

DELIVERED BY LEMIAS MASHILE (DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SANCO)

The Friends of Cuba;

Progressive organisations in support of this march;

Progressive organisations of the world who support the plight of the Cuban Five;

The South African National Civic Organisation, representing the civil society of this country, pledge its support for the unconditional release of the Cuban Five held by the United States of America. SANCO took note of ;

• the more than a decade spent by these comrades in American prisons.

• America claiming to be democratic among the countries of the world.

• The difficult struggle by the progressive Americans to help dismantle apartheid in South Africa.

• The current President Barack Obama having won the Nobel Prize.

Therefore calls upon ;

• The people of the world to put pressure on the American administration of President Obama to release the Cuban nationals unconditionally.

• The people of America to put pressure on their President Barack Obama to live up to the spirit of the Nobel prize by releasing the Cuban Five and subsequently lift the illegal and unjust sanctions on Cuba.

• The President of United States of America to live up to the expectations of the people of the world that he is for peace with other countries of the world.

• The President of the United States to break the tyrannical and oppression of the harmless Cuban people by his predecessors.

It is only the peoples’ power that will bring sanity to the Obama administration that their unjust continued detention of the Cuban nationals for over a decade smacks violation of universal human rights and shows blackmailing, patronage and terrorist tendencies to smaller countries.

The continuous detention of these comrades should not be further tolerated by progressive and democratic countries of the world.

The faith based communities of the world are also called upon to condemn this ungodly and unjust perpetual incarceration of the Cuban Five in the American prisons. Men and women of cloth around the world should unite, rise and pray for divine powers to reign over the Obama administration.

The South African National Civic Organisation will therefore mobilise the people of this country and the SADC countries in our engagement to use their peoples power to concientise their governments to pressurise America from all directions to come to it senses on good international relations. Cuba has a right to be free in the midst of the countries of the world. The world order as administered by the United Nations should be respected and upheld by all countries.

Arise people’s power arise!!!!!!

Freedom to the Cuban Five Freedom!!!!!

Freedom to Cuba Freedom!!!!!

Alutta!!!!!!

I thank you all.