For everyone who thinks Cuba is a flourishing democracy...read this.

[DealsGapRider]

Excellent column from the Washington Post this morning written by Vaclav Havel, Arpad Goncz and Lech Walesa, three champions of human rights.

"Exactly half a year ago, Fidel Castro's regime imprisoned 75 representatives of the Cuban opposition. More than 40 coordinators of the Varela Project and more than 20 journalists and other representatives of various pro-democracy movements landed in jail. All of them were sentenced in mock trials to prison terms ranging from six to 28 years -- merely for daring to express an opinion other than the official one."

"Despite the omnipresent secret police and government propaganda, thousands of Cubans have demonstrated their courage by signing petitions backing Project Varela..."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A27042-2003Sep17?language=printer

I don't see how any thinking person can say with a straight face that Cuba is a democracy that respects human rights.