Development Challenge The USAID Program Other Program Elements Other Donors Program Data Sheets USAID Search: Cuba Previous Years' Activities 2002, 2001, 2000 Last updated: Thursday, 23-May-2002 15:58:16 EDT

Introduction

The overarching goal of U.S. policy toward Cuba is to promote a peaceful transition to democracy on the island. To that end,policy is proceeding on a multi-faceted track: pressure on the regime for change through comprehensive economic sanctions; outreach to the Cuban people; the promotion and protection of human rights; multilateral efforts to press for democracy; and migration accords to promote safe, orderly and legal migration.

In 1996, USAID awarded the first grant aimed at promoting democratic transition in Cuba. The grant was awarded pursuant to the authority provided in the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 which authorizes the U.S. government (USG) to provide assistance "through appropriate non-governmental organizations, for the support of individuals and organizations to promote nonviolent democratic change in Cuba." The Cuban Liberty and Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 further elaborates the types of assistance and support the President is authorized to provide for individuals and independent non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to support democracy-building efforts for Cuba.

Such assistance includes: published and informational matter--e.g. books, videos, and cassettes--on democracy, human rights and market economies; humanitarian assistance to victims of political repression, as well as their families; support for democratic and human rights groups in Cuba; and support for visits and permanent deployment of independent international human rights monitors in Cuba.

In January and May 1999, the Department of State outlined additional steps to reach out to the Cuban people. These include: expansion of people-to-people contact through two-way exchanges among academics, athletes, scientists and others, while streamlining the approval process for such visits; expansion of remittances by allowing any U.S. resident to send limited funds to individual Cuban families; authorization of the sale of food and agricultural inputs to independent nongovernmental entities, including religious groups, family restaurants and private farmers; an effort to establish direct mail service to Cuba, as provided in the Cuba Democracy Act of 1992; strengthening of Radio and TV Marti; and expansion of U.S. public diplomacy efforts around the world.

The Development Challenge: The Cuban government continues to violate the most fundamental human rights including freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to form political parties and trade unions, and free elections. The Cuban government directly controls mass media, the communist party, trade unions, universities, and all formal economic activity. It strives to censor all independent sources of information that may reach the Cuban people by jamming foreign radio broadcasts, controlling internet access, censoring or banning foreign books, newspapers and magazines, and forbidding importation of videocassettes and videocassette recorders.

During 2001, the Cuban government further increased its repression of human rights groups, independent journalists, and other peaceful democratic activists. It recently passed legislation imposing a 10 - 20 year prison sentence for any Cuban receiving or disseminating prohibited information or printed material or engaging in any activity deemed as aiding U.S. policy towards Cuba. In the economic arena, the government's punitive taxation and harassment of self-employed people reduced their numbers to an estimated 150,000 in 2001 (down from 210,000 in 1997).

The U.S. national interest in Cuba is to promote a peaceful transition to democracy. To that end, U.S. policy is proceeding on a multi-faceted track: pressure on the regime for change through comprehensive economic sanctions; outreach to the Cuban people; promotion and protection of human rights; multilateral efforts to press for democracy; and migration accords to promote safe, orderly and legal migration.

OTHER DONORS: The Roman Catholic Church provides assistance to CARITAS Cubana, one of the few independent Cuban nongovernmental organizations. In 2000, Canada, China, Russia, the European Union, Japan, and the United Nations Development Program delivered more than $90 million in economic and humanitarian aid through Cuban government organizations.

FY 2002 Program: The USAID Cuba Program objective concentrates on information dissemination efforts that will foster democratic progress through the development of civil society. The USAID Cuba Program continues to increase the flow of accurate information on democracy, human rights, and free enterprise to, from, and within Cuba. The program provides support to U.S. non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals engaged in this effort. U.S. partners encourage the development of independent civil society and provide humanitarian assistance to political prisoners, their families, and other victims of repression Authorized assistance also includes: published and informational matter (e.g. books, videos, and cassettes) on democracy, human rights and market economies; support for democratic and human rights groups; and support for visits by and permanent deployment of independent international human rights monitors in Cuba.

U.S. policy encourages U.S. NGOs and individuals to undertake humanitarian, informational and civil society-building activities in Cuba with private funds, subject to applicable Treasury and Commerce Department regulations. Dozens of NGOs have engaged in such activities over the past several years, with licensed humanitarian goods alone amounting to millions of dollars. The intent of USAID funding is to support activities for which adequate private resources are not presently available, and which offer favorable prospects for serving a catalytic role for the promotion of a peaceful transition.

All FY 2002 and FY 2003 funding will go to implement ongoing democracy-building programs. These monies will help build upon initiatives already underway and permit the solicitation of new grant proposals to help achieve stated objectives.

The FY 2002 funds will be used to help build solidarity with Cuba's human rights activists, give voice to Cuba's independent journalists, help develop independent Cuban NGOs, defend the rights of Cuban workers, provide direct outreach to the Cuban people, and support planning for assistance to a future transition government in Cuba. Partnership with U.S. NGOs and their Cuban counterparts is central to program design and implementation. At the start of FY 2002, 12 U.S. NGOs were helping provide assistance to the Cuban people.

Program Data Sheets

• 516-001  Civil Society Developed Through Information Dissemination

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