Final Declaration VII Holguín Colloquium

_ For the seventh time, friends in solidarity from all around the world are meeting at the Holguín Colloquium to discuss experiences and the work yet to be done in this tough battle for truth, justice and the release of the Five.

After 13 years of unfair incarceration, the situation of our Five Brothers continues to be extremely serious.   René González completed his sentence last October 7th, but instead of being returned to Cuba, he received new punishment: he is being forced to remain on US territory for 3 years under supervised liberty, without being able to receive visits by his wife Olga Salanueva who, until today, has been denied the right to visit him and at the risk that the terrorist groups who René and his four brothers in the cause denounced, might try to kill him. 

Gerardo Hernández’ situation continues being the most serious of the Five, with two life sentences plus 15 years of incarceration and systematically being denied visitation by his wife Adriana Pérez.

The sentences of Ramón, Antonio and Fernando collectively add up to 70 years in prison.  They are still awaiting the response from the Habeus Corpus Resources presented by the defence team of the Five, but we are aware of the fact that legal channels are running out.

While the Five remain unfairly imprisoned, Luís Posada Carriles who is responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent human beings went through a travesty of justice where he was not tried for being a terrorist and he receives public tributes celebrating his crimes and makes statements without the least hint of remorse.

The request for extradition of the criminal Posada Carriles to Venezuela presented by the government of the sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela six years ago has still not been answered.  The impunity granted by the various American administrations and the unfair incarceration of the Five strips bare the double standard of the US government in its false battle against terrorism.

Faced with the gravity of this situation it becomes vital to multiply our work and the need to create the necessary mechanisms for bringing together, coordinating and following up the actions we are doing in order to better make use of the enormous energy and arduous work of the committees all over the world.

We, the 300 delegates from 43 nations attending the VII International Colloquium for the release of the Five and against Terrorism, call out for:

1. Intensifying actions in the USA and from all countries, to organize a broad-based permanent denunciation and mobilization in cities where communications media are located.

Organizing conferences with American intellectuals and with the Network in Defence of Humanity.

Showing documentaries and videos on the case of the Five and terrorism against Cuba in open areas, parks and squares.  To put up posters and billboards on the five.  Organizing demonstrations in front of the White House, Department of Justice, Supreme Court and other areas where many people tend to congregate.

Visits to congressmen and representatives by their counterparts in other countries.  Those unable to travel to Washington will be requested to send their letters to their counterparts in the Capital. 

Organizing a mass letter-writing campaign from around the world. Mobilizing American and foreign religious organizations so that they join the activities.

Inviting other groups with similar causes - Boricuas, Mumia, Peltier, Lynne Steward, Jericó, etc- to join forces in the demand for the release of political prisoners and the denouncing of the American legal system as a whole.

We propose June 8th, anniversary of the unfair sentencing of the Five, as the date for starting these days of solidarity. 

2-Increasing the solidarity days for the Five on the 5th.  Having this day multiply actions all over the world, delivery of letters to US embassies in our countries that demand the release of the Five, sit-ins, telephone calls to the White House, messages to web pages, Faxes or telegrams to Obama.

3-Demanding respect for the visitation rights of Olga Salanueva and Adriana Pérez. To take up again the work done by the International Commission for Family Visitation Rights. 

4-Continuing work with parliamentarians, trade unionists, clergy, personalities and social movements, addressing their counterparts in the USA.

5-Calling on the youth of the world to organize concerts during the international solidarity days of September 12th (anniversary of their arrests), to October 6th, “Day of the Victims of Terrorism”.

6-Requesting well-known artists and intellectuals for their support in the making of documentaries and videos and public messages demanding the release of the Five..

7-Increasing use of social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs and the internet to distribute and denounce the case.  To take advantage of the possibilities provided us by alternative media. 

8-Continuing to appeal to creativity and culture in order to denounce the case, just as the Cuban children of La Colmenita have done so well with their play "Abracadabra". To sue digital media to reproduce the graphics made by the Five, the work of Tony and Gerardo’s cartoons, to do publicity material and set up exhibitions.

9-.Demanding the dismantling of terrorist organizations based in Miami, and the trial and punishment of the murderers of our peoples.

10- Continuing to distribute the series “The Reasons of Cuba” on terrorism and the destabilizing actions of the USA towards Cuba and our peoples. 

International solidarity and the united action of honest men and women throughout the world shall be the key to victory in this colossal injustice.

For René, Gerardo, Ramón, Antonio and Fernando
We demand: Freedom Now!

Holguín, Cuba
November 20, 2011
“Year 53 of the Revolution”