Human Rights and the Intellectual

While we artists and intellectuals are fighting our own battles for recognition and respect at home, it's important to remember and recognize the central and crucial role that artists and intellectuals play and have played in the global battle for human rights. Even here in The Bahamas, several of our intellectuals and artists have been outspoken in this regard; of particular mention are poets Marion Bethel, Helen Klonaris, and Lynn Sweeting, playwright Ian Strachan, and writer-intellectual Patricia Glinton-Meicholas. Often the artist's stand has political significance -- and by that I don't mean party politics, but more fundamental politics, such as the ability or the need to provide social criticism where it's needed, regardless of personal party affiliation.I believe If we're called to be artists, we're not only called to make a living for ourselves, but we're also called to speak out to help to make the world a better place to live in for all.So I'm posting, for our information (and perhaps also to stir up some controversy and some thinking beyond the pocket) a petition being circulated by artists and intellectuals regarding the abuse of human rights in Guantanamo. It's not coincidental that it came from the Cuban Embassy; there are many reasons why Cuba wishes to have it circulated. But if nothing else, reading the list of signatories should make each of us think about our roles and responsibilities as artists and intellectuals to the country and the world in which we live.

Dear Sir/MadamPlease, see below and enclosed, a text of an international call by intellectuals from all over the world, including Nobel Laureates JosÃ© Saramago, Portugal; Nadine Gordimer, SudÃ¡frica; Adolfo PÃ©rez Esquivel, Argentina; Rigoberta MenchÃº, Guatemala; Wole Soyinka, Nigeria.Also, it includes Danielle Mitterrand, France; Actors Harry Belafonte and Danny Glover, United States.Should you like to join them, please, feel free to let us know or write to the following e-mail addresses: :www.derechos-humanos.com www.derechos-humanos.info www.droits-humains.info www.hhrr.info derechoshumanos@derechos-humanos.comBest regardsEmbassy of Cuba. The Bahamas

Cease hypocrisy on the issue of Human RightsThe 62nd Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights will begin next March 20th in Geneva, coinciding with the broadcasting of new footage of US military torturing Iraqi prisoners.The United States and its EU allies have successively prevented this Commission from condemning the massive and systematic violations of human rights promoted in the name of the so called war against terrorism.The EU governments have refused to admit the testimonies and evidences submitted by citizens of their countries, who have been victims of several forms of torture at GuantÃ¡namo navy base. They have also allowed the flight of CIA aircrafts carrying prisoners to illegal detention centers in Europe and elsewhere.We the undersigned call upon intellectuals, artists, social activists, and men and women of goodwill everywhere to join our claims: the Commission on Human Rights or the Council that will substitute it, must demand the immediate closing of the arbitrary detention centers created by the United States as well as the ceasing of all these deliberate violations of human dignity.SIGNED BY:JosÃ© Saramago, Portugal; Harold Pinter, Reino Unido; Nadine Gordimer, SudÃ¡frica; Adolfo PÃ©rez Esquivel, Argentina; Rigoberta MenchÃº, Guatemala; Wole Soyinka, Nigeria; Dario Fo, Italia; Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Irlanda del Norte; Danielle Mitterrand, Francia; Harry Belafonte, EEUU; Oscar Niemeyer, Brasil; Danny Glover, EEUU; Gerard Depardieu, Francia; Gianni Vattimo, Italia; Ignacio Ramonet, EspaÃ±a-Francia; Alice Walker, EEUU; Manu Chao, Francia-EspaÃ±a; Tariq Ali, PakistÃ¡n; Eduardo Galeano, Uruguay; Pierre Richard, Francia; Ettore Scola, Italia; Mario Benedetti, Uruguay; Naomi Klein, CanadÃ¡; Frei Betto, Brasil; Pablo GonzÃ¡lez Casanova, MÃ©xico; Roberto FernÃ¡ndez Retamar, Cuba; Alfonso Sastre, EspaÃ±a; Samir Amin, Egipto; Walter Salles, Brasil; Howard Zinn, EEUU; Armand Mattelart, BÃ©lgica-Francia; JoaquÃn Sabina, EspaÃ±a; Leonardo Boff, Brasil; Francois Houtart, BÃ©lgica; JosÃ© Luis Sampedro, EspaÃ±a; Jorge SanjinÃ©s, Bolivia; Fernando Pino Solanas, Argentina; Silvio RodrÃguez, Cuba; Adolfo SÃ¡nchez VÃ¡zquez, EspaÃ±a-MÃ©xico; Gianni MinÃ¡, Italia; Fernando Morais, Brasil; Ernesto Cardenal, Nicaragua; William Blum, EEUU; Blanca Chancosa SÃ¡nchez, Ecuador; Ramsey Clark, EEUU; Istvan Meszaros, HungrÃa; Pablo MilanÃ©s, Cuba; Rosa RegÃ¡s, EspaÃ±a; Giulio Girardi, Italia; Pedro Guerra, EspaÃ±a; Alicia Alonso, Cuba; Almudena Grandes, EspaÃ±a; James Petras, EEUU; Luis Eduardo Aute, EspaÃ±a; Luis SepÃºlveda, Chile; Isaac Rosa, EspaÃ±a; Volodia Teitelboim, Chile; MarÃa Rojo, MÃ©xico; Daniel Viglietti, Uruguay; Atilio BorÃ³n, Argentina; Boaventura de Sousa, Portugal; Ramon Chao, EspaÃ±a; Alan Woods, Reino Unido; Nora CortiÃ±as, Argentina; Saul Landau, EEUU; Martin Almada, Paraguay; BelÃ©n Gopegui, EspaÃ±a; Laura Restrepo, Colombia; Miguel Bonasso, Argentina; James Cockcroft, EEUU; Maribel Permuy, EspaÃ±a; Javier Couso, EspaÃ±a; Lucius Walker, EEUU; Eva Forest, EspaÃ±a; Keith Ellis, Jamaica-CanadÃ¡; Joao Pedro Stedile, Brasil; Roy Brown, Puerto Rico; Emir Sader, Brasil; Stella Calloni, Argentina; Rafael Cancel Miranda, Puerto Rico; Miguel Urbano, Portugal; Arturo AndrÃ©s Roig, Argentina; Michele Mattelart, Francia; Francisco de Oliveira, Brasil; Jorge Enrique Adoum, Ecuador; VÃctor Flores Olea, MÃ©xico; Susan George, EEUU-Francia; Piero Gleijeses, Italia-EEUU; Michael Avery, EEUU; Salim Lamrani, Francia; Juan BaÃ±uelos, MÃ©xico; Luis GarcÃa Montero, EspaÃ±a; Georges Labica, Francia; Hanan Awwad, Palestina; Fernando Savater, EspaÃ±a; Michel Collon, BÃ©lgica; Tato Pavlovsky, Argentina; Setsuko Ono, EEUU; AndrÃ©s Sorel, EspaÃ±a; Cintio Vitier, Cuba; Edmundo Aray, Venezuela; Eric Nepomuceno, Brasil; Frank FernÃ¡ndez, Cuba; Carlos Piera, EspaÃ±a; Leo Brower, Cuba; Aldo M. Etchegoyen, Argentina; Theotonio dos Santos, Brasil; Carmen Bohorquez, Venezuela; Julie Belafonte, EEUU; NoÃ© Jitrik, Argentina; Tununa Mercado, Argentina; Jean Marie Binoche; Francia; Luisa Valenzuela, Argentina; Paul Estrade, Francia; Sergent GarcÃa, Francia-EspaÃ±a; Abelardo Castillo, Argentina; Sylvia Iparraguirre, Argentina; Jacky Henin, Francia; Luciana Castellina, Italia, Beth Carvallo, Brasil, Liliana Hecker, Argentina; Nicole Borvo; Francia; Daniel Ortega Saavedra, Nicaragua; TomÃ¡s Borge MartÃnez, Nicaragua; Rodrigo Borja, Ecuador; Pascual Serrano, EspaÃ±a; Carlos MartÃ, Cuba; Claude Couffon, Francia; RaÃºl SuÃ¡rez, Cuba; Mark C. Rosenzweig, EEUU; Marilia Guimaraes, Brasil; Beverly Keene, EEUU-Argentina; Gilberto LÃ³pez y Rivas, MÃ©xico; Juan Mari BrÃ¡s, Puerto Rico; Francisco FernÃ¡ndez Buey, EspaÃ±a; Marjorie Cohn, EEUU; Luis Antonio de Villena, EspaÃ±a; Jordan Flaherty, EEUU; Medea BenjamÃn, EEUU; Ann Sparanese, EEUU; Hildebrando PÃ©rez, PerÃº; Hernando Calvo Ospina, Colombia-Francia; James Early, EEUU; Manuel Cabieses, Chile; Richard Gott, Reino Unido; HÃ©ctor DÃaz Polanco, Rep. Dominicana-MÃ©xico; Consuelo SÃ¡nchez, MÃ©xico; Luis Alegre Zahonero, EspaÃ±a; Carlos FernÃ¡ndez Liria, EspaÃ±a; Osvaldo MartÃnez, Cuba; Ana Esther CeceÃ±a, MÃ©xico; Miguel dâ€™Escoto Brockmann, Nicaragua; Carlo Frabetti, Italia-EspaÃ±a; Manuel Talens, EspaÃ±a; Santiago Alba Rico, EspaÃ±a; Amaury PÃ©rez Vidal, Cuba; Danny Rivera, Puerto Rico; Fernando Butazzoni, Uruguay; Julio Gambina, Argentina; Julia Uceda, EspaÃ±a; Sara GonzÃ¡lez, Cuba; Tunai, Brasil; Ismael Clark Arxer, Cuba; Fernando MarÃas, EspaÃ±a; Ana Pellicer, EspaÃ±a; Nancy MorejÃ³n, Cuba; David Raby, Reino Unido; Gennaro Carotenuto, Italia; RaÃºl PÃ©rez Torres, Ecuador; Jorge Beinstein, Argentina; Jane Franklin, EEUU; Wim Dierckxsens, Costa Rica; Alejandro Moreano, Ecuador; Federico Ãlvarez, MÃ©xico; Boris Kagarlitsky, Rusia; JosÃ© Luiz Del Roio, Brasil; Remy Herrera, Francia; Francisco Jarauta, EspaÃ±a; Luciano Vasapollo, Italia; Irene Amador, EspaÃ±a; Eduardo Torres Cuevas, Cuba; Jorge Riechmann, EspaÃ±a; Alessandra Riccio, Italia; Javier Corcuera, PerÃº; Antonio Maira, EspaÃ±a; Fabio Marcelli, Italia; Julio GarcÃa Espinosa, Cuba; JosÃ© Steinsleger, Argentina-MÃ©xico; Hans-Otto Dill, Alemania; Douglas Valentine, EEUU; Luciano Alzaga, Argentina; Constantino BÃ©rtolo, EspaÃ±a; John Pateman, EEUU; Domenico Jervolino, Italia; Francisco Villa, Chile; Santiago FeliÃº, Cuba; Peter Bohmer, EEUU; Graziella Pogolotti, Cuba; Faride Zeran, Chile; Sergio Trabucco, Chile; Lisandro Otero, Cuba; Juan Madrid, EspaÃ±a; Sara Rosemberg, Argentina; Carilda Oliver Labra, Cuba; Alfons Cervera, EspaÃ±a; Arnel Medina Cuenca, Cuba; Manuel RodrÃguez Rivero, EspaÃ±a; Fina GarcÃa Marruz, Cuba; Joseph E. Mulligan, EEUU; Miguel Barnet, Cuba; Jordi Gracia, EspaÃ±a; Ricardo Antunes, Brasil; Rosario Murillo, Nicaragua; Pablo Armando FernÃ¡ndez, Cuba; Carlos Fazio, Argentina; Angel Augier, Cuba; Arturo Corcuera, PerÃº; Pilar del RÃo, EspaÃ±a; CÃ©sar LÃ³pez, Cuba; Vicente Romano, EspaÃ±a; AntÃ³n Arrufat, Cuba; NÃ©stor Kohan, Argentina; Gloria Berrocal, EspaÃ±a; Javier Maqua, EspaÃ±a; Abelardo Estorino, Cuba; Aldo DÃaz Lacayo, Nicaragua; Ambrosio Fornet, Cuba; Carlos Varea, EspaÃ±a; Jaime Sarusky, Cuba; Alfredo Vera, Ecuador; Beinusz Szmukler, Argentina; Reynaldo GonzÃ¡lez, Cuba; Juan Carlos Mestre, EspaÃ±a; Senel Paz, Cuba; Miguel Alvarez GÃ¡ndara, MÃ©xico; Roberto Fabelo, Cuba; QuintÃn Cabrera, Uruguay; Vicente FeliÃº, Cuba; Jordi Doce, EspaÃ±a; Ana MarÃa Navales, EspaÃ±a; Rebeca ChÃ¡vez, Cuba; AndrÃ©s Neuman, EspaÃ±a; Eduardo Roca, Cuba; Enrique FalcÃ³n, EspaÃ±a; Vanessa Ramos, Puerto Rico; Isabel PÃ©rez MontalbÃ¡n, EspaÃ±a; Roberto Verrier, Cuba; JosÃ© ViÃ±als, EspaÃ±a; Martha ViÃ±als, EspaÃ±a; Manuel Rico, EspaÃ±a; Harold Gratmages, Cuba; Emilio TornÃ©, EspaÃ±a; Leticia Spiller, Brasil; Dionisio CaÃ±as, EspaÃ±a; Paula Casals, MarÃa del Carmen Barcia, Cuba; Reino Unido; AndrÃ©s GÃ³mez, Cuba; Marcela Cornejo Zamorano, Chile; Anthony Arnove, EEUU; Diana Balboa, Cuba; Edgar Queipo, Venezuela; Albert Kasanda, RepÃºblica del Congo; YamandÃº Acosta, Uruguay; Raly Barrionuevo, Argentina; Pablo GuayasamÃn, Ecuador; Isabel Monal, Cuba; Verenice GuayasamÃn, Ecuador; Jaime Losada Badia, EspaÃ±a; Alicia Hermida, EspaÃ±a; Alfonso Bauer, Guatemala; Handel GuayasamÃn, Ecuador; Cecilia Conde, Brasil; Salvador Bueno, Cuba; Mano Melo, Brasil; Jorge Ibarra, Cuba; Al Campbell, EEUU, Juan Carlos RodrÃguez, EspaÃ±a; JosÃ© Villa SoberÃ³n, Cuba; Angeles Mora, EspaÃ±a; Eloy Arroz, MÃ©xico; Mario AndrÃ©s Solano, Costa Rica; Jose Luis Toledo Santander, Cuba; Jitendra Sharma, India; ClÃ©a Carpi da Rocha, Brasil; JoÃ£o Luiz Duboc Pinaud, Brasil; Daniel Cirera, Francia, Gilson Cantarino, Brasil, Francisco PÃ©rez GuzmÃ¡n, Cuba; Chiara Varese, PerÃº; Gloria la Riva, EEUU; JosÃ© Loyola FernÃ¡ndez, Cuba; Richard Becker, EEUU; Brian Becker, EEUU; Carlos Alberto Cremata, Cuba; Claudia Korol, Argentina; Gilberto Maringoni, Brasil; Elizabeth A. Bowman, EEUU; Bob Stone, EEUU; Vicente Battista, Argentina; Carles Furriols i SolÃ , EspaÃ±a; Isabel-Clara SimÃ³, EspaÃ±a; Yaki Yaskvloski, Argentina; JosÃ© RamÃ³n Artigas, Cuba; JosÃ© Paulo GascÃ£o, Portugal; Fernando Key DomÃnguez, Venezuela; Simone Contiero, Italia; Carlos MartÃnez, EspaÃ±a; Antonia GarcÃa Bueno, EspaÃ±a; Zoila Lapique, Cuba; Tom Twiss, EEUU; Paloma Valverde, EspaÃ±a; MarÃa Ãngeles Maeso, EspaÃ±a; Estrella Rey, Cuba; Luis Felipe Comendador, EspaÃ±a; Julio FernÃ¡ndez BultÃ©, Cuba; Luciano Feria Hurtado, EspaÃ±a; Paco Puche, EspaÃ±a; MatÃas Bosch, RepÃºblica Dominicana; Pablo Escribano IbÃ¡Ã±ez, EspaÃ±a; Miguel Veyrat, EspaÃ±a; Olga Miranda Bravo, Cuba; Virgilio Tortosa, EspaÃ±a; JesÃºs Aguado, EspaÃ±a; Rodolfo DÃ¡valos FernÃ¡ndez, Cuba; Manuel Moya, EspaÃ±a; Emilio Pedro GÃ³mez, EspaÃ±a; Lara Gallut, EspaÃ±a; JosÃ© Corredor Matheos, EspaÃ±a; JosÃ© GimÃ©nez, EspaÃ±a; Abraham Toro, Venezuela; Luzmila Marcano, Venezuela, Carlos PadrÃ³n, Cuba; Judith Valencia, Venezuela; Mario SÃ¡enz, EEUU; Ligia Machado, Colombia; RaÃºl Fornet-Betancourt, Alemania; Gustavo FernÃ¡ndez ColÃ³n, Venezuela; Hector Arenas, Colombia; Antonio Scocozza, Italia; Elsa Liliana Tovar, Venezuela; Vladimir Lazo GarcÃa, Venezuela; Pierre Mouterde, CanadÃ¡; Estela FernÃ¡ndez Nadal, Argentina; Fernando AsiÃ¡n, Venezuela; Justo Soto Castellanos, Colombia; Francisco Berdichevsky Linares, Argentina; Mauricio Langon, Uruguay; CÃ©sar de Vicente Hernando, EspaÃ±a; Roberto Loya, EspaÃ±a; Rafael JosÃ© DÃaz, EspaÃ±a; Rosa Lentini, EspaÃ±a; Ricardo Cano Gaviria, EspaÃ±a; Salustiano MartÃn, EspaÃ±a; Francisco GÃ¡lvez, EspaÃ±a; Oscar Carpintero, EspaÃ±a; Alberto R. Torices, EspaÃ±a; Giovanni Parapini, Italia; JosÃ© Luis SagÃ¼Ã©s, EspaÃ±a; ConcepciÃ³n MartÃnez, EspaÃ±a; Olga Lucas, EspaÃ±a; Antonio Orihuela, EspaÃ±a; Clara Sanchos, EspaÃ±a; IvÃ¡n Zaldua, EspaÃ±a; Jordi Dauder, EspaÃ±a; David MÃ©ndez, EspaÃ±a; Enrique Gracia, EspaÃ±a; RamÃ³n Souto, EspaÃ±a; Blanca ViÃ±as, EspaÃ±a; JosÃ© MarÃa ParreÃ±o, EspaÃ±a; Armando FernÃ¡ndez Steinko, EspaÃ±a; JosÃ© Luis Pacheco, Venezuela; BelÃ©n ArtuÃ±edo, EspaÃ±a; Nacho FernÃ¡ndez, EspaÃ±a; Rosa Grau, EspaÃ±a; Consuelo TriviÃ±o, EspaÃ±a; David Ortiz-Alburquerque, RepÃºblica Dominicana; Nilo Batista, Brasil; Carmen Vargas, Brasil; Carlos Henrique Botkay, Brasil; Clarissa Matheus, Brasil; Ulisses GuimarÃ£es, Brasil; Vivaldo Franco, Brasil; Clarissa Mantuano, Brasil; Heloisa Branca, Brasil; Eduardo Ebendinger, Brasil; Marcello Guimaraes, Brasil; CÃ©lia Ravero, Brasil; Lavinia Borges, Brasil; Teodoro Buarque de Holanda, Brasil; Felinto Procopio Minerin, Brasil; JosÃ© Ibraim, Brasil; Ecatherina Brasileiro, Brasil; Silvio Tendler, Brasil; Ana Rosa Tendler, Brasil; Teo Lima, Brasil; JosÃ© Braga, Brasil; FÃ¡bio Basilone, Brasil; Denise Fraga, Brasil; Carlos Eduardo Ibraim, Brasil; Michelle Victer, Brasil; Violeta Cabello, EspaÃ±a; Alejandro Moreno, EspaÃ±a; Claufe Rodrigues, Brasil; Ledo Ivo, Brasil; Monica Montone, Brasil; Terezinha Lameira, Brasil; Jesus Chediak, Brasil; Pedro Amaral, Brasil; Maria Laura Laskshim, Brasil; Waldir Leite, Brasil; Walter Guiadazo, Brasil; Marcellus Franco, Brasil; JoÃ£o Grilo, Brasil; SÃ©rgio Saboya, Brasil; Geraldo Moreira, Brasil; Ivair Itagiba, Brasil; Emilio Mira y Lopez, Brasil; JosÃ© Luis RodrÃguez GarcÃa, EspaÃ±a; Daniel Salgado, EspaÃ±a; Olga Matara PeÃ±arrocha, EspaÃ±a