Melbourne - At 11am on Saturday 27 July 1996 a broad coalition of Melbourne groups will participate in a rally outside the U.S. Consulate, 553 St Kilda Road. The Cuba Solidarity Coalition represents the Latin American community, church groups, feminists, trade unions, socialists, and environmentalists.
The rally will demand an end to the 37 year blockade of Cuba by the United States, and protest against the recent attempt by US Congress to tighten the blockade, a measure deferred for six months by President Clinton after anger and threats by the European Community. The harsh US blockade, which even includes medicine and food, was massively condemned by votes in the UN in 1993 and 1995. Even the Australian government has condemned the US laws.
In addition to a long list of speakers, the rally will feature:
· a performance by Latin American revolutionary folk singer,
Marisol Salinas,
· the Cuban percussion act, Manifiesta!, who will encourage
the crowd to join in chanting and singing,
· at 12 noon a Piñata of Uncle Sam, a traditional
Latin American children's celebration, with a difference.
The rally is part of a national weekend of activities being held to mark the 26th of July.
1 - The piñata (pronounced "pin-ya-ta")
is a traditional Latin American children's game that goes like
this:
A larger than life papier mache figure full of lollies is hung
above the children. One at a time, each child is blindfolded,
and gets a chance to swing at the figure with a stick, accompanied
by rousing or comical music. (In this case, the figure is Uncle
Sam, and the music will be played by a troupe of percussionists
drumming Cuban rhythms and chanting). As pieces of the figure
are knocked off, lollies fall out, until the whole figure breaks
open and all the children scream with delight as they rush to
pick up the fallen lollies.
2 - The 26th of July is celebrated as the anniversary of the launch of the Cuban revolution. In Melbourne this Friday, the 26th of July, there will be a Latin American fiesta, featuring Graffiti, playing Salsa and Merengue, and other bands. The fiesta will be held 7.30pm-1am at 14 Anthony St, Melbourne (near Vic. market) $10/$6.
Proceeds from the fiesta and the rally will go to the ACF Urban Permaculture in Havana Project, and other projects in Cuba.
The United States government stands alone, defying the will of the nations of the world, in its commission of this crime against humanity. It acts in the interest of a handful of economic groups which want to steal the assets of Cuba for their own profit and impoverished the Cuban people whose revolution brought health, freedom from want, and universal education shared with the poor throughout the planet.
Stop this outrage." Ramsey Clark
[former US Attorney General]
Attention editorial staff / reporters:
Spokespersons available for interviews in English or Spanish:
Juana Martínez 9455 1329, Allen Jennings 9279 1854 (OSB) Adam Tiller 9419 1542 or 9416 1166 (ACF Cuba Program Officer), WWW: http://www.peg.apc.org/~adamt/cuba/welcome.htm