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Oswaldo Paya Sardiñas: Mercenario O Democrata

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Oswaldo Paya Sardiñas: Mercenario O Democrata TECHNICAL APPLICATION I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY After more than 40 years of repression by Fidel Castro’s government, an unprecedented grassroots democracy movement is gaining strength in Cuba. Known as the Varela Project, the initiative calls for a referendum on political, economic and civil liberties by drawing upon a constitutional provision that enables citizens to introduce legislation when accompanied by 10,000 signatures. The Varela Project has planted the seeds of a genuine grassroots democracy movement. For the first time, calls on the island for peaceful political change are not emanating solely from a handful of courageous individuals whose appeals could be dismissed by the Cuban government, but from tens of thousands of ordinary citizens. In seeking to expand freedom through peaceful and legal means, the Varela Project has broken the culture of fear that has permeated Cuban society for decades. Despite severe repression, including an unconstitutional rejection of the Varela Project and the imprisonment of more than 50 Varela Project leaders, the project’s organizers have managed to collect and submit over 25,000 signatures to the Cuban National Assembly, providing hope for thousands of citizens by moving forward with the signature campaign despite government attempts to crush this initiative. Recognizing that Cubans do not only want their rights, but also to focus on their future and the Post-Castro transition process, Oswaldo Payá, the leader of the Varela Project, recently invited all Cubans to take part in a National Dialogue. Through a dialogue process, Payá seeks to develop a plan for a democratic transition designed and directed by all Cubans—from political prisoners to members of the government. As a starting point for discussion, Payá released a 100-page working document, covering issues ranging from calls for multiparty democracy, freedom for political prisoners, the return of exiles, privatizing much of the economy and preserving Cuba’s free education and health care. Although still in draft form, analysts point out that Payá’s plan is an important step for Cuba in that it outlines constructive mechanisms for peaceful change. According to Payá, focusing international attention on the Varela Project is critical to provide protection for the organizers and citizens who have signed the petition and face harassment, intimidation, violence and imprisonment. He also believes that international attention raises the political cost of repressing the Varela Project and provides a sense of solidarity for often-isolated organizers who continue to collect signatures. To meet these international needs, Payá has asked his key advisors outside of Cuba to establish the Comité de Apoyo Internacional Proyecto Varela (International Committee to Support the Varela Project) to represent the initiative abroad. The recently launched International Committee, which is headquartered in Madrid, Spain, will serve as the official representative of the Varela Project abroad, ensuring that voices of Varela Project organizers and other democratic activists on the island are heard. The Committee will also serve as a clearinghouse for information on political developments in Cuba and will seek to enhance and complement the critical international awareness efforts being conducted by the Cuban Democratic Directorate and Freedom House (United States), Pax Christi (Netherlands), People in Need Foundation (Czech Republic), Fundación para el análisis y los estudios sociales (Foundation for Analysis and Social Studies – Spain), Konrad Adenauer Foundation (Germany) and many others, by increasing communication and coordination both among these groups and with Varela Project leaders on the island. Having worked with the Cuban pro-democracy movement since 1991, and in closed societies around the world, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) proposes to strengthen the ability of the International Committee to Support the Varela Project to design and carry out an international advocacy campaign to raise awareness about this initiative. Since 2000, NDI has helped a similar international campaign for democracy in Burma. Over the past 20 years, NDI has worked in democratic transitions in Chile, Nicaragua, Panama, Czech Republic, Poland, and South Africa, among many others. These experiences have enabled NDI to develop strategies to build international awareness in partnership with local democracy activists. Drawing on its global network of world leaders and its unique official standing in the three largest international groupings of political parties – Christian Democrat and People’s Parties International (CDI), Liberal International (LI) and Socialist International (SI) – NDI is working with the International Committee to develop a network of political and civic leaders as well as ordinary citizens from around the world that will provide recognition, support and solidarity with those struggling for democracy on the island. These efforts seek to press the Cuban government to release its political prisoners, and to respect its own constitution by permitting a referendum thereby affording its citizens greater political and civil liberties. With the support of an advocacy advisor and civic organizing and political reform specialists, NDI will strengthen the organizational capacity of the International Committee. This will include identifying and recruiting additional organizations to support the Committee’s efforts, thereby raising its political profile and underscoring the multi-partisan support that the Varela Project enjoys. NDI will partner with the Asociación Encuentro de la Cultura Cubana (Cuban Cultural Encounter Association – Encuentro) to help the International Committee disseminate information about Varela Project and National Dialogue activities, on the island and around the world, through an electronic newsletter; facilitate an on-line discussion on a democratic transition in Cuba; and update the official Varela Project website at http://www.elproyectovarela.org. NDI will also help the International Committee organize advocacy activities around the world in support of the Varela Project and the approximately 320 political prisoners in Cuba’s jails. To the extent possible, NDI will offer Varela Project promoters in Cuba technical assistance, such as written training materials on organizational strengthening based on their needs. As appropriate, the Institute will also facilitate visits by political practitioners and individuals with experience in promoting democratic transitions, such as Chileans, Central Americans and Eastern Europeans. II. PROGRAM SUMMARY A. Goals and Objectives NDI’s overall goal is to promote peaceful democratic change in Cuba. To help advance that goal, the Institute will continue supporting efforts by Varela Project organizers and the Comité de Apoyo Internacional Proyecto Varela (International Committee to Support the Varela Project) to protect fundamental political and civil liberties, and to develop constructive mechanisms for a peaceful transition. The proposed two-year program is designed with the following objectives and results: Objective 1: To strengthen the organizational capacity of the Varela Project and the International Committee. o Result 1.1: The capacity of International Committee members to widely distribute information about political, economic and civil rights on the island is bolstered. o Result 1.2: The capacity of International Committee members to advocate for peaceful political change, mobilize action and increase participation in democratic initiatives is strengthened. o Result 1.3: The capacity of International Committee members to plan, implement and manage advocacy efforts and other activities, and to mobilize resources is improved. Objective 2: To expand international, multi-partisan awareness of and support for Varela Project initiatives. o Result 2.1: International public awareness of and support for the Varela Project-led signature campaign, National Dialogue and other democratic reform initiatives increases. Objective 3: To support efforts by the International Committee to help the Varela Project develop a plan for a peaceful democratic transition in Cuba. o Result 3.1: The International Committee offers feedback to Varela Project leaders about the perceptions of the National Dialogue transition plan from Cuban exile communities and transition experts abroad. B. Background/Problem Statement For decades, Cubans have risked their lives and livelihood striving for the political, economic and civil liberties that the Cuban government has long denied them. Among the most courageous and effective efforts to promote peaceful democratic change in Cuba is the Varela Project. The Varela Project Launched in 1997 by dissident leader Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas, the Varela Project draws upon a provision in the Cuban constitution that enables citizens to introduce legislative initiatives when accompanied by 10,000 signatures. In May 2002, Oswaldo Payá and other Varela Project leaders submitted to the Cuban National Assembly of People’s Power 11,020 signatures calling for a referendum on open elections, freedom of speech, freedom for political prisoners, free association and free enterprise. Achieving unprecedented success in political organization in Cuba, Payá received the help of many of the growing Box A: Influence of the Varela Project number of independent organizations in Cuba in collecting the signatures. Nearly 200 groups and “I firmly believe that someday, when democratic change has finally come to
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