New York, 1 November 2016. At the Third Committee on Agenda item “Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance: general implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Program of Action”, the Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, Mrs. Vilma Thomas urged to place greater emphasis on addressing this issue in its manifestations and potential impact, both by the States and the United Nations agencies dealing with this and other related issues.
In such a way, she shared the view that the International Decade for People of African Descent provides an opportunity that should be seized by all States towards challenges in combating racial discrimination; to draw policies that allow us to solve identified problems and to strengthen international cooperation in order to achieve a world where equality, mutual respect and social justice prevail.
The Cuban representative reiterated Cuba’s willingness to continue giving due priority to address the reminiscences of discriminatory prejudices that can still persist in our country and reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to continue to contribute to the fight against racism, beyond our borders, through the selfless, voluntary and self-sacrificing cooperation of our collaborators, who have paid no heed to the color of the skin or social status of a person in any corner of the world to extend the hand of international solidarity.
In reference to Agenda item “Rights of peoples to self-determination”, she expressed that Cuba does not forget that terrorists like Luis Posada Carriles, the mastermind behind the explosion on board of a Cuban Airlines plane in mid-flight, taking the toll of 73 lives on October 6, 1976, remains at liberty and is not responding for such horrendous crime at the judicial level. Hence, she pointed out that the Cuban people, forced to cope with the negative effects of a criminal economic, commercial and financial blockade for more than half a century, as well as with the most dissimilar aggressions, has paid dearly for upholding its right to self-determination.
Within this framework, she confirmed that Cuba will remain a supporter of the just struggle for the self-determination of the peoples that are still subject to foreign domination, particularly noting the need for a just and lasting solution to the conflict in the Middle East, as well as the right to self-determination of the people of Puerto Rico.
At the end of her statement she considered: “As long as domination and foreign occupation persist, speaking of respect for human rights of the occupied peoples will be meaningless. The right of the peoples to self-determination is a prerequisite for the enjoyment of all human rights.” (Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations).