Day of Prayer…and Solidarity

Yesterday, October 6, Vincentians participated in the annual Day of Prayer organised by the Ministry with responsibility for Ecclesiastical Affairs in concert with representatives from faith-based organisations.

Any reference to prayer, particularly designating a Day for its observance, is by the very nature of prayer itself, an invitation to make solidarity an intrinsic part of the intercessions.

The very date itself of this latest Day of Prayer, lends itself immediately to an issue close to the Caribbean, for yesterday, the people of the Caribbean had their own commemoration, the “CARICOM/Cuban Day against International Terrorism”.

At the time of writing this editorial, we did not know whether that specific date and the circumstances surrounding it were included on the list of the prayers that were offered up,but it is certainly relevant.

The origin of this Caricom/Cuba Day against international terrorism, stems from a most heinous act which occurred on Barbadian territory almost 60 years ago. On October 6, 1976, the Caribbean region had a rude experience of how international terrorism knows no borders, and can affect even the most peaceful of peoples. Then, a DC-8 airliner, leased by Cubana Airways from Air Canada for civilian flights between Cuba and the southern and eastern Caribbean, was blown up almost immediately as it took to the skies en route to Havana.

All 73 passengers aboard the plane, including the 25-member crew, students on their way to Cuba to do medical studies, and young athletes, primarily from Cuba and Guyana were blown to smithereens as the plane exploded just 3-4 minutes after departure from Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados. It had a profound effect throughout a region which had no such experience of what turned out to be international terrorism. The impact could, perhaps, be judged by the American response to their own tragic September, 11, 2001 (9/11) attack.

The horrific incident in our peaceful geographic space was apparently designed to stop flights of Cubana Airways to the southern Caribbean.

Evidence gathered since, including in the trial of the criminals convicted for the crime, pointed to support from the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). However, the US government not only openly refused to extradite the accused for trial but the main perpetrators, noted Venezuelan criminals were allowed to live in Miami for years afterwards.

The context was the diplomatic recognition of Cuba by four Caribbean governments- Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago- and the opening of reciprocal embassies and trade ties between Cuba and these countries. In addition, Barbados had allegedly allowed Cuban military aircraft, on the way to aiding African freedom fighters who were combating the odious system of apartheid in South Africa, to refuel there before their long transatlantic flight.

The bombing shocked the world, but especially the peaceful southern and eastern Caribbean which had never been exposed to such crimes. Worse, the USA provided political and diplomatic support to shield the criminals. They were, however, finally apprehended, convicted and jailed. Given the current geopolitics in the southern Caribbean, it is instructive to note the involvement of Venezuelan terrorists and anti-Cuba exiles.

The criminal bombing was part of a sustained US campaign of hostility towards Cuba since the Cuban Revolution of 1959. Significantly, after almost a half a century, the hostility to Cuba continues and is wreaking havoc in that northern Caribbean island where US sanctions imposed more than 60 years ago, and widened to threaten third countries, is depriving Cubans of the most basic commodities, including food and medicine. The Cuban people, especially children, are suffering greatly from these sanctions and are in critical need of solidarity.

Successive resolutions passed annually by the United Nations General Assembly, have failed to break the embargo, as the virulent anti-Cuba campaign has intensified. US diplomats have now been instructed to justify it by allegations that Cubans are fighting alongside Russians in Ukraine.

There are two humanitarian issues involved. One is the right of the Cuban people to conduct their own affairs, free from outside interference. The other is the illegal actions of the US government to sanction third party nations which engage in trade and other relations with Cuba.

The USA certainly has a right to choose whether to engage in relations with Cuba, but it has no right to pressure other countries not to so engage.

Cuba has proven to be a staunch friend of all the nations of the Caribbean. We have a duty to reciprocate and to insist in our sovereign right to befriend and trade with whoever we so desire. We must speak out loudly in defending this right. Our Day of Prayer is certainly an appropriate occasion for corporate prayer to be offered on this issue.