Cuba: Pastors for Peace Slams USAID-Funded Disinformation Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit [For once, a typical piece of anti-Cuba disinformation disseminated by the slimey CubaNet is being promptly outed for exactly what it is. Unwitting and ignorant readers of this garbage will typically swallow the lies whole, because they don't know what CubaNet is. We can expect little else from CubaNet -- but the staff of el Nuevo Herald should be embarrassed that, by their wholesale reproduction of a particularly ludicrous CIA-funded piece of disinformation, they have exposed themselves for the craven shills for the US Government that they are. As IFCO says, take a good look at your Tax Dollar$ at work, folks.--NY Transfer News] source - cucaravan@igc.org Leader of IFCO/Pastors for Peace NOT Assaulted in Cuba; Once again US government and far-right Cuban groups use your tax dollars to spread lies about Cuba! August 6, 2002 This report corrects the intentional and gross falsifications published by the CubaNet website and republished by the Nuevo Herald in Miami about an incident that occurred on the 13th US/Cuba Friendshipment Caravan, organized by IFCO/Pastors for Peace. The CubaNet story is a crude and blatant attempt to slander Cuba and the Caravan. At no time did anyone from CubaNet or Nuevo Herald attempt to contact IFCO/Pastors for Peace to obtain the facts of the incident, nor did they include any information from the Cuban police report which was filed. IFCO/Pastors for Peace is offering the following facts of the incident in the spirit of openness, honesty and respect for the people of Cuba and those within the US Cuba solidarity movement. A member of the caravan yelled out that his wallet had been lifted and identified the person running from the scene as the man who had picked his pocket. Lucius Walker, the executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace, heard this call for help and gave chase, being joined by a few Cubans present at the scene. The thief escaped over a wall and into the rear yard of a complex of apartments. The police were on the scene within a matter of 2-3 minutes and gave chase through the backyards of the complex. There was no stampede or public chaos as indicated in the CubaNet/Nuevo Herald article. There was however tremendous concern and support expressed by the few Cubans who gathered at the scene. The police immediately began their investigation and were very professional and thorough in getting reports. Within a matter of hours, the wallet had been returned and the thief apprehended. While this kind of theft is common place in large cities throughout the world, what is uncommon and impressive was the professionalism with which the Cuban police handled and quickly solved the case. The CubaNet/Nuevo Herald story intentionally and falsely quotes an unidentified member of the caravan as criticizing Cuba and threatening to discontinue the Friendshipment caravans. The quote is completely fabricated and unsubstantiated by anyone present; indeed, the description of the caravan member does not even fit anyone present at the scene of the incident. The quote is an unprincipled and vicious effort to malign both Cuba and the Friendshipment caravan and to put a wedge between them by putting the words of those right-wing extremists, centered largely in south Florida, in the mouths of a fictitious character. "IFCO/Pastors for Peace will never allow such cheap and blatant lies to undermine or destroy our firm resolve and commitment to support Cuba and be in friendship with the Cuban people. We remain more committed than ever to continue in our solidarity efforts," said Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr. The entire caravan met and was informed of the event. All the caravanistas were impressed by the speed, efficiency, and professionalism of the Cuban police in closing the case. Several members of the caravan from different cities in the US commented that the professionalism of the Cuban police was exemplary and in stark contrast to the treatment they would expect from police in the United States. According to the State Department's U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID), CubaNet has received $833,000 of USAID funds thus far this year to slander Cuba and those who work to normalize US/Cuba relations. Since 1996, USAID has allocated millions of dollars to support Cuban dissidents, who as a result maintain no credibility within Cuba. As residents and citizens of the United States who pay federal taxes, we should demand that the US government stop using our tax funds to destabilize Cuban society! IFCO/Pastors for Peace and the nearly 100 members of the 13th US/Cuba Friendshipment returned home more committed than ever before to defeating the US blockade against Cuba and working in solidarity with the Cuban people. In many ways, the incident confirmed our belief that Cuba has developed a just society that deals openly and honestly with its problems and challenges that face its people. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytcari-08.06.02-20:22:32-14557