Press Release by CNC: Canada silent so far, while others quick to provide aid to Cuba. Where's the Canadian Government?

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Canadian Network on Cuba – Working in Friendship & Solidarity with Cuba

www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca

Email: cncexec@canadiannetworkoncuba.ca

 

CANADA SO FAR SILENT, WHILE OTHERS QUICK TO PROVIDE AID TO CUBA AFTER MATANZAS FUEL SUPERTANK DISASTER

 

Canadians support Cuba – Where is our Canadian Government?

 

[Toronto, ON – August 11^th, 2022] – While countries such as Mexico and Venezuela were coming to Cuba’s aid in overcoming the unprecedented disastrous fire at the Matanzas oil storage facility, the Canadian government has been nowhere to be seen or heard in offering a helping hand, to a nation that has been providing humanitarian assistance across the globe for decades, despite facing its own ongoing hardships due to US economic sanctions.

 

Mexico sent 16 flights with over 45,000 litres of foam and other equipment for fighting the oil-fueled inferno, and Mexico and Venezuela combined sent over 100 reinforcements to battle alongside local firefighters. The UK, Russia, China, Argentina, and Jamaica have since also sent material aid to Cuba over the last five days. The United States cynically sat back and asked Havana to call them for “technical advice”, and sadly, even that is more than what Canada has done or offered so far.

 

The fire at the port city of Matanzas’ oil storage facility started last Friday evening, when lightning struck a rod on one of the storage tanks, with the charge being too powerful for it to absorb, igniting a massive explosion and subsequent raging fire that quickly spread to neighbouring storage tanks. As of today, there is 1 person deceased, 17 people “missing”, and at least 121 injured by burns and smoke inhalation.

 

Cubans face severe economic hardship due to sanctions by the United States which have only been tightened in recent years. Sanctions make it extremely cumbersome and expensive to do trade with other countries, and for Cubans to obtain basic necessities. They have also led to Cuba being forced to ration energy use and endure electricity blackouts. This will all be made significantly worse by this catastrophe.

 

Canadians have a special relationship with Cuba, being fortunate enough to be able to travel there and learn about the rich culture, make lifelong friends and connections, and witness an example of a country that does so much for its people with so little. Cuba reinvests its modest GDP into its universal public health care, education, other social services, and research and development, particularly in its biotechnology sector, which has benefitted many nations especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

This is the worst fire in Cuba’s history, that has destroyed over 40% of the island’s main fuel storage facility, which generates electricity on the island, and the Canadian government has not so much as even offered condolences yet. Should we not have been one of the first to reach out and offer help to our Cuban neighbours?

 

If you would like more information about this, please contact Samantha Hislop, Co-Chair of Canadian Network on Cuba, at 647-628-0203, or email hislopsamantha@gmail.com

Appeal to Canada to help to Cuba fight the oil depot catastrophe in Matanzas

 

Canadian Network on Cuba – Working in  Friendship & Solidarity with   Cuba www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca  cncexec@canadiannetworkoncuba.ca

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, P.C., M.P.

Minister of International Development
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6

 

August 10^th, 2022

To the Honourable Mélanie Joly,

To the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, P.C., M.P.,

 

The Canadian Network on Cuba is making this urgent appeal to Canadian Government to immediately send material aid in the face of the supertanker facility accident at Cuba’s main oil terminal in Matanzas, Cuba.  Hundreds of Cuban firefighters and others are working in flat-out impossible conditions.   More than a hundred people have been injured and hospitalized, and 17 are missing.

 

The Canadian Network on Cuba, comprised of 23 solidarity organizations from Victoria to Halifax, asks the Canadian government to join other countries, such as Mexico and Venezuela, who are helping Cuba at this dire time. 

 

The illegal, cruel US blockade of Cuba has deliberately cut Cuba off from getting basic materials desperately needed for treating burn victims from this disaster, as well as extinguishing a fire of this nature and dimension.

 

Canada has a long history of diplomatic and trade relations with Cuba and has consistently voted at the United Nations to condemn the US Blockade against Cuba.

 

Now is the time to stand up and be counted by sending urgently needed medical supplies to treat the burn victims and help vulnerable people from the air pollutants created by the toxic smoke.  We are less than 4 hours flight from Cuba. Canada needs to send what is needed - Now. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Samantha Hislop, email: hislopsamantha@gmail.com

Julio Fonseca, email: jfonseca@rogers.com

Co-Chairs, Canadian Network on Cuba

Call Me - Washington's Generosity, by Isaac Saney and Cheryl LaBash

 

Call Me - Washington's Generosity

*-Isaac Saney and Cheryl LaBash-

While various countries such as Mexico and Venezuela were concretely assisting Cuba in overcoming the unprecedented disastrous fire consuming the Mantanzas oil storage facility, the United States cynically sat on its hands, instead asking Havana to call them. As Mexico, for example, sent 16 flights with over 45,000 litres of foam and other equipment for fighting the raging inferno, the United States provided the tremendous contribution of a telephone number for Cuba to call for technical advice! Presumably, it was Cuba who had to cover the cost of the call.

Of course, the very generous offer of help is quite familiar to workers and the ever-growing impoverished masses in Canada and the United States, who when seeking relief from looming homelessness, hunger and general immiseration are told to call a number only to begin a soul crushing, spirit destroying and emotion shattering odyssey: A dead-end that leads to no relief, succour or refuge in a dog-eat-dog society where everyone fends for themselves, so characteristic and defining of profit driven and capital centred societies.

Yes, call me is a refrain that should resonate with so many. But unlike the promise of Blondie's 1980 song, no help will be arriving anytime soon. Here-in lies the rub, the clear connection between disenfranchisement, austerity and marginalisation at home, and imperial plunder, exploitation, and war aboard.

While, Washington may plead ignorance, saying Cuba (less than 100-miles away) never exactly stated what assistance it needed, what good neighbour just stands by and watches a house next-door catch on fire instead of immediately rushing to help?!

But, of course, Cuba has stated time and time again exactly what is required from Washington:

Remove Cuba from the arbitrary and unilateral U.S. State Department's State Sponsors of Terrorism list!  A list that makes it impossible for Cuba to obtain credits and loans from international financial institutions and economic assistance from other counties who fear U.S. reprisals and retaliations. A list that Washington uses as justification to openly intimidate and sanction international entities that already have economic relations with Cuba, pressuring them to break those relations with the island nation.

End the criminal and internationally condemned economic war against Cuba, which is the principal obstacle to Cuba’s social and economic development, causing damage exceeding $100 billion!

Cease the relentless campaign of disinformation, aggression, and subversion of Cuba’s legitimate constitutional order!

Call me, indeed! The ignominies of the empire are writ large and know no bounds.

*Isaac Saney is a Cuba specialist at Dalhousie University, Canada, and the author of Cuba: A Revolution In Motion and the forthcoming, Cuba, Africa, and Apartheid's End: Africa's Children Return. From 2008-2022, he served as co-chair and national spokesperson of the Canadian Network On Cuba, with which he now serves in an advisory capacity.

*Cheryl LaBash is co-chair of the National Network On Cuba in the United States and works in Washington, D.C. on national mobilization and legislative advocacy to end the U.S. economic, financial, and commercial blockade of Cuba, and writes on current Cuba related developments.

Red Canadiense de Solidaridad con Cuba (CNC) envió carta de condolencias a Embajador de Cuba en Canadá

Ambassador Hector Igarza Cabrera,

Cuban Embassy,

388 Main St,

Ottawa, ON

K1S 1E3

 

Dear Ambassador Héctor Igarza Cabrera, 

 

On behalf of the Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC), We would like to extend our most profound sympathies and condolences to you, the victims of the fire at the supertanker facility in Matanzas, and the entire Cuban nation in this extremely difficult time. We are shocked and devastated by the terrible human loss and injury incurred, and the excruciating hardship that ensues.

 

 

The CNC expresses its highest possible praise for the swift action of Cuban authorities.  We commend the brave and daunting work of the firefighters, Red Cross, and medical personnel in their heroic efforts to prevent further damage to the infrastructure and surrounding area and avert additional loss of life and injury. Those that are missing or lost their lives are true heroes, and our thoughts and sympathies are with their families.

 

 

In addition to the immediate and direct losses resulting from this terrible accident, we are aware of the subsequent effect this unspeakable tragedy will have on the Cuban people in their everyday lives and on the entire Cuban economy. We recognize that this will intensify Cuba’s struggle, in face of the severe U.S. economic sanctions and the ongoing pandemic.  We are confident that Cuba will triumph against this adversity as it wholeheartedly and consistently upholds basic human rights.

 

The Canadian Network on Cuba is here to support Cuba in any way that we can. Cuba is not alone.

 

 

Yours Sincerely,

Samantha Hislop 

Julio Fonseca

Co-chairs, Canadian Network on Cuba

 

Asociación de Cubanos inicia en Toronto campaña de recaudación de fondos para ayudar a Matanzas