On October 6, the 2nd Anniversary of the CARICOM-Cuba Day against Terrorism was commemorated in Barbados, in memory of the victims of Cubana de Aviación Flight 455, which exploded in mid-flight and disappeared in the territorial waters of Barbados, as a result of an act of State terrorism.
In addition to the main ceremony held on October 6 at the Memorial erected to the victims, a Cultural Artistic Gala was held on October 7 at the theater of the Combermere Secondary School, where young Barbadian amateurs, under the artistic direction of professionals from the National Cultural Foundation of Barbados, masterfully represented the moment of the tragedy and the impact it had on the Barbadian population, as well as the profound pain caused by this terrorist act on the Cuban people.
As part of the presentation, a life-size wax replica of the pilot of Cubana de Aviación Flight 455, Wilfredo López, was exhibited. This initiative of Mr. Arthur Edwards, Director of the Caribbean Wax Museum, and artist creator of this wax work of art, as well as the exhibition of the documentary “Cubana Flight 455: Barbados' response”, complemented the staging, causing commotion in the audience attending the gala.
Prior to the cultural moment, Tamara Armenteros, ICAP official, David Denny, president of the Barbados-Cuba Friendship Association, Trevor Prescod, parliamentarian and Onkphra Well, president of the Pan-Africanist Movement, who was also the moderator of this evening, addressed the audience. The Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in Barbados, Yanet Stable Cárdenas, expressed her well-deserved thanks to all the people and institutions that made this commemoration possible.
Speakers said that the Republic of Cuba, the 15 member states of CARICOM and the 6 associate member states of CARICOM participate in various activities on this date to highlight the denunciation of terrorism; to express the collective determination to condemn and combat all forms of terrorism; and to demonstrate the determination to preserve the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.
State terrorism is terrorism carried out by one state against another state or its citizens, the use of violence against civilians or other non-combatants to achieve political or geopolitical objectives. Acts characterized as “state terrorism” usually involve the use of violence by state agents, including the military.
This is precisely the scourge of terrorism that the political leaders of CARICOM and Cuba had in mind when they designated October 6 as “CARICOM-Cuba Anti-Terrorism Day, establishing the commitment of the Caribbean peoples to carry out the mission of confronting, denouncing and eradicating terrorism.
Thus, once again this year, we raise our voices to demand that the international institutions that have been established to intervene when unconscionable and illegal acts of national and international terrorism are perpetrated, act to stop the barbarism that is currently taking place in all territories where citizens are being victimized by terrorist acts and internecine wars for the control and domination of territories and their natural resources. Only by putting an end to these acts of barbarism, the international community will be able to preserve Peace and with it, preserve Humanity!