[Marxism] [Fwd: Help Cuba Recover from Its Worst Economic Disaster]

[michael a. lebowitz]

Cuba has suffered "the worst /economic disaster/ in its history," some 
news agencies have reported. Damage from hurricanes Gustav and Ike is 
estimated between $3 and $4 billion. 2.5 million persons (from a 
population of 11 million) were evacuated and many thousands will remain 
evacuated because they have lost their homes. The total number of houses 
damaged by the two storms was 320,000 (entire small towns and 70% of 
houses in the Western provinces). Gustav alone totally destroyed more 
than 30,000 houses. Thousands of schools, hospitals, factories and other 
buildings have been damaged. Most crops in the entire island have been 
lost due to the winds and/or flooding. Most of the electricity network 
was damaged. And the list of destruction can go on and on...

See some pictures of the destruction caused by hurricane Ike here: 
http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/cuba/2008-09-07/imagenes-de-los-estragos-de-ike-a-su-paso-por-territorio-cubano/
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2008/09/12/nacional/artic01.html
and this video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys2enWQnyxE

Cuba needs your help because (thanks to the US embargo/blockade) it does 
not have access to the international credit system, so it is short in 
cash to deal with immediate needs, especially food and construction 
materials.

There are seven organizations in the US that have licenses from the US 
government to send humanitarian aid to Cuba. If you can, please consider 
donating to one. Even five dollars would help. Here is the list:

 *1. _The Disarm Education Fund_*

Since 1994, the Disarm Cuban Medical Project has worked to combat the 
effects of the US embargo against Cuba on the health of the Cuban people 
and to advocate for a change in US policy, delivering more than $75 
million worth of desperately needed medicines and medical supplies to 
Cuba, benefiting more than 2 million people. They are committed to 
supplying 60 Cuban hospitals and community clinics – 20 in Havana and 40 
in the countryside – with supplies ranging from such desperately needed 
basics as aspirin, insulin, gauze pads, and syringes, to the most 
advanced treatments for pediatric cancer and AIDS. (www.disarm.org 
<http://www.disarm.org/>)

*2. _Global Links_*

Global Links' program of medical aid to Cuba began in 1994 at the 
request of The Pan American Health Organization/World Health 
Organization (PAHO/WHO). This program is a federally licensed 
humanitarian aid program. Aid sent is received and distributed to health 
institutions by the PAHO/WHO office in Havana and the Cuban Ministry of 
Health. Global Links has received a list of requested products from PAHO 
and is raising funds to purchase and send them to Cuba. 
(http://www.globallinks.org/where_we_work/cuba/)

*3. _Operation USA_*

Since its inception in September 1998, CMAP has delivered major 
shipments to pediatric hospitals and other health facilities. Supplies 
are donated by private companies, hospitals and physicians and are sent 
to Cuba under license from the U.S.-Departments of Commerce and 
Treasury. Operation USA is accepting cash contributions to pay for 
shipping medical supplies to Cuba. 
(http://www.opusa.org/wherewework/international/cuba/mainpage.html)

*4. _MEDICC_*
MEDICC—Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba, is a non-profit 
organization working to enhance cooperation among the US, Cuban and 
global health communities aimed at better health outcomes. MEDICC 
supports education and development of human resources in health 
committed to equitable access and quality care, providing the Cuban 
experience to inform global debate, practice, policies and cooperation 
in health.
MEDICC is seeking financial donations to replenish stocks of key medical 
reference books lost at the badly damaged Isle of Youth Medical School, 
where over 2,000 young Cubans study medicine and public health. 
(http://www.medicc.org/ns/index.php?s=3&p=3 
<http://www.medicc.org/ns/index.php?s=3&p=3>)

*5. _Catholic Relief Services_*

Catholic Relief Services has worked with Caritas Cubana, the Catholic 
Church's relief agency, to provide emergency, humanitarian assistance to 
the most vulnerable and needy people in Cuba since 1993. CRS delivers 
medicine, medical supplies, food and clothing to Cuba for distribution 
in hospitals, homes for the elderly, and to children with Down syndrome 
and other vulnerable groups. CRS is working with Caritas Cubana in the 
affected areas in infrastructure projects and assistance with access to 
food, hygiene products and water. (http://crs.org/Cuba/)

*6. _Jewish Solidarity_*

Since 1993, Jewish Solidarity has delivered over 35 tons of medicine, 
food and other supplies to Cuba's more than 1500 Jews in Havana and 
throughout this island nation. They have a humanitarian license that 
allows them to collect financial donations to then buy the necessary 
items that are most needed in Cuba. Jewish Solidarity is accepting 
financial donations to buy medicine, food and other supplies to be 
distributed in Cuba. *
7. _Daughters of Charity_ *

The Daughters of Charity, a non-profit organization based in Miami, 
Florida, that has been sending humanitarian goods to Cuba since 1994. 
You can send a check donation so they can buy needed food items and pay 
the cost of the containers they will be sending to Cuba.

*/All donations are tax deductible. Please include your name, address 
and phone number on any mailed donations in order to receive a donation 
confirmation letter. /*

*/Please write checks to one of the organizations listed above, and mail 
to: Cuba Hurricane AID, P.O. Box 53106, Washington, DC 20009./*

*Note: *you can also donate online directly to any of these 
organizations, or through the Cuba Central site at* 
*http://democracyinamericas.org/donate/


If you cannot donate, please demand that travel and trade restrictions 
are lifted, at least temporarily. Here are links to two online petitions 
that have been set up for this:

1)      "US assistance to Cuban hurricane victims" online petition to 
the president and Congressional Leadership put together by several US 
organizations:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Cubafloodaid/

2)      ANSWER's Online Petition to your Representatives, President Bush 
and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez: Lift the Blockade Now!

https://secure2.convio.net/pep/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr012=nrg5yknkz1.app13b&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=225 
<https://secure2.convio.net/pep/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr012=nrg5yknkz1.app13b&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=225>

* *

*
A quick note about why Cuba turned down US aid offer:*

Cuba turned down US aid offer because it was conditioned on accepting an 
inspection by a USAID team. Spain, Brazil, and many other countries have 
offered aid without any conditions, only the US plays politics with 
human suffering. And all the aid that the US had to offer is $100,000 
when much smaller countries like Timor Leste have offered $500,000 and 
without any conditions. The Cuban government rejected the aid as 
hypocritical and asked that Cuba is allowed to buy food and construction 
materials using credits offered by private business willing to do so, 
like any other country does (The Bush administration introduced a 
legislation that requires that Cuba buys from US business only with cash).

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