Since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, Jan. 1, 1959, Cuba has defeated the U.S.-supplied Contras, the Bay of Pigs invasion and weathered the Missile Crisis.

President Kennedy initiated the economic blockade of Cuba that has increased in intensity to this day. In addition Cuba has long been at the mercy of Cuban exile, terrorist organizations operating with impunity from U.S. soil, funded by overt and covert means by successive U.S. administrations, in an effort to starve the Cuban population into submission.

The main terrorist targets were agriculture, shipping, power installations and tourism. With 640,000 Canadians visiting Cuba last year the latter is very important to the government of Canada.

The U.S. has not tried, nor convicted, even one perpetrator of these hundreds of acts.

To protect its people and visitors the government of Cuba sent Gerardo Hernandez, Rene Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero, Ramon Labanino, Fernando Gonzalez and others to the United States to infiltrate the most notorious terrorist organizations in order to head off these attacks. They had no access to classified information; their mission, monitor the unlawful activities of U.S.-based terrorist organizations.

The CCFA Niagara calls on the government of Canada to take a strong stand against the continued imprisonment of these very courageous individuals. The U.S. government does support and protect certain terrorists exposing the illegitimacy of the "war on terror."

The government of Canada owes it to our military personnel, serving in a controversial mission in Afghanistan to at least be consistent and not tolerate injustice, nor terrorism sponsored by an ally and neighbour.

Dave Thomas

CFA Niagara Chair