Religious Liberty Prayer List – No. 173 – Wed 19 Jun 2002

—————————————- CUBA: CASTRO MOVES TO ENTRENCH COMMUNISM —————————————-

The Church in Cuba has grown in spite of suffering under Communist oppression. Government regulations make it virtually impossible for churches to get building permits, so house-churches have mushroomed and blossomed. For several years, the government has generally been increasingly tolerant of these illegal house-churches. One pastor reports that 1176 once illegal congregations have been legalised in recent years as the government has shifted from open hostility to a wary forbearance of religious bodies. He said another 600 were pending. In some house-churches, pastors preach to around 100 people in their apartment living-rooms. Many Cubans are coming to Christ.

The Christian Liberation Movement (CLM), headed by Osvaldo Paya, is a secular political-civil movement inspired by Christian principles. Through its Varela Project, it aims for freedom of expression and association, amnesty for political prisoners, the right to private enterprise and free elections to be made the law. So for over a year now, CLM members have been gathering signatures on a petition for a referendum, which Cuba’s constitution will permit if 10,000 are collected. Despite government efforts to discourage citizens from signing or even knowing about the project, more than 11,000 signatures have been obtained. In March, Vicki Huddleston, a US diplomat in Cuba, said she believes that Cubans are ready for change.

On 20 May 2002, Cuba’s President Castro reacted with fury to US President George W Bush’s declaration that the US embargo against Cuba will remain until Cuba has ‘a new government that is fully democratic’. Castro’s response has been to appeal to Cuban pride and anger against the US embargo, and ignite a pro-Castro, Cuban nationalism based on Cuban socialism and a commitment to the revolution, in defiance of the USA.

On 12 June, President Castro held a ‘giant march’ of one million Cubans in support of Cuban socialism. On 15 June, he opened 130,000 petition stations across the island to collect signatures for a constitutional amendment that would unchangeably entrench the nation’s one party communist system, effectively making reform impossible. Some 7.6 million Cubans – more than 90% of the voting population – have signed. With no privacy and a ‘No’ vote not an option, many Cubans, citing the public nature of the process, fear the choice has been either to sign in agreement or publicly abstain and risk being regarded as a counter-revolutionary. ‘They are trying to head off the Varela Project,’ said Elisardo Sanchez Santa Cruz of the Cuban Human Rights Commission. Osvaldo Paya believes this is the response of a government in panic.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY:

* that the government will remain tolerant of Christianity so that the Cuban Church will not be threatened or adversely affected by this present situation. ‘God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.’ Psalm 47:8

* for great sensitivity, wisdom and courage for Cuban believers, pastors and Christian leaders at this time.

* for the Cuban Church to continue to grow and bring hope and salvation to multitudes of Cuban people.

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE: ——————————————————————- CASTRO MOVES TO ENTRENCH COMMUNISM IN CUBA

After several years of gradually increasing openness, Cuba’s President Fidel Castro has responded with fury to President Bush’s 20 May statement that the US embargo against Cuba will remain until Cuba has ‘a new government that is fully democratic’. President Castro has appealed to Cuban pride and anger to ignite a pro- Castro, Cuban socialist nationalism and a re-commitment to the revolution. On 15 June he opened over 130,000 polling stations across the island where Cubans were asked to sign in support of a constitutional amendment that would make the nation’s one party communist system unchangeable. A ‘No’ vote was not an option and signing was public. Many feared the choice was to sign in agreement or publicly abstain and risk being regarded as a counter- revolutionary. Some 7.6 million Cuban voters (90%) have signed. Pray for sensitivity and wisdom for the growing Church in Cuba.

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