| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 July 1998 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | CUB29688.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Cuba: A group called Christian Liberation Movement and its leader, Oswaldo Paya Sardiñas, 1 July 1998, CUB29688.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad922c.html [ |
https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad922c.html
The Movimiento Cristiano Liberación (Liberation Christian Movement) led by Oswaldo José Paya Sardiñas is frequently mentioned in dissident Cuban reports and in El Nuevo Herald news articles.
The group, sometimes referred to by the acronym MCL, is described by Mr. Paya as working on a transition towards democracy in Cuba by Cubans, with no lobbying before foreign institutions (BPIC Nov. 1996). However, the leader of the group has met with foreign personalities visiting Cuba, and has made public declarations denouncing the Cuban government’s lack of interest in or opening of dialogue, and the absence of changes that would allow a greater enjoyment of citizens’ rights (Contacto 9 June 1998).
The MCL has been headed by Oswaldo Paya for more than a decade (CPI 30 Mar. 1998). Miguel Saludes García is named as a spokesman for the group (InfoBuro 24 Jan. 1998).
In 1990 the group made a public call for dialogue and presented a legislative proposal; some of the group’s members applied to run in the most recent National Assembly elections, with the supporting signatures of hundreds of neighbours from their municipalities, although the government did not respond to their application (Torres Alvarez 28 Apr. 1998).
The MCL applied for legal registration in March 1995, providing the Associations’ Registry (Registro de Asociaciones) with a list of 31 applicants and the necessary documentation; however, no formal response was ever received (InfoBuro 19 Aug. 1996). Following the application, individuals in civilian dress reportedly stayed in front of the house of Mr. Paya, the main applicant; on 19 July 1996 State Security officers took Antonio Diaz Sanchez, a co-applicant, to a police unit for questioning (ibid.). José Rodriguez Garrido was detained on 22 July 1996 for questioning on the applicants (ibid.). (Please note that another report refers to Rigoberto Rodriguez Garrido as one of those detained (BPIC 14 Sept. 1996).) Another co-applicant and some friends or fellow church-members of applicants were also detained for questioning about the group (InfoBuro 19 Aug. 1996). Two co-applicants, who had also been active members of their local church, received anonymous letters containing insults and pornographic material (ibid.). Relatives of co-applicants Jose Quintero Perez, Amauro Gonzalez Delgado and Jose Antonio de la Rosa Diaz also received insulting anonymous letters containing pornograpy (BPIC 14 Sept. 1996). Earlier that year, in March, authorities reportedly detained, questioned and threatened co-applicants Carlos Rafael Jorge or Borges (a surgeon), Antonio Rodriguez (an engineer) and Raul Torralba (also an engineer); co-applicant Juan Medina was also detained at some point (ibid.; InfoBuro 19 Aug. 1996).
On 11 July 1997 Rene Montes de Oca, a member of the MCL, was reported to have been arrested (InfoBuro 14 July 1997).
In January 1998 the MCL launched a campaign called Proyecto Varela, aimed at collecting 10,000 signatures, to request the National Assembly for a referendum for political changes (ibid. 15 Apr. 1998). The petition was originally signed by Oswaldo José Paya Sardiñas, Miguel Saludes García, Regis Iglesia Ramírez, Juan Antonio Rodríguez Avila and Antonio Ramón Díaz Sánchez (InfoBuro 24 Jan. 1998). The petition was reportedly passed among the population «from hand to hand,» with the support of various dissident groups (ibid.).
Although the ultimate goal of the campaign is to bring about major political and social changes, the leader of the MCL stated that the intention of the campaign was to comply with the Constitution and demand the changes through its existing provisions (ibid.). The signature collection, carried mainly in the capital and through dissident groups, apparently received mixed opinions: while some supported the initiative, others felt that its proposals lacked clarity or did not address some important issues, and still others felt that many people would be unwilling to provide personal information to sign in support of the initiative (CPI 30 Mar. 1998). Suspicions have been reinforced among some by the fact that the authorities seem to have allowed the free circulation of such a document in which people can put on record their discontent, whereas similar efforts in the past had been curtailed soon after appearing (ibid.).
In May 1998 the MCL thanked the government of Canada for receiving the political prisoner José Miranda Acosta, who was serving a 12-year sentence for alleged acts of terrorism (El Nuevo Herald 24 May 1998). Mr. Paya had previously requested of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien that Canada receive Mr. Miranda; he reportedly arrived in Canada on 5 May 1998 accompanied by Guillermo Ismael Sambra and Esperanza Micaela Atencio de la Rosa (ibid.).
Mr. Oswaldo Paya was described in June 1998 as a 46-year old electronics engineer (Contacto 9 June 1998). He was sent to perform forced labour at Pinos island in the late sixties, where he remained until 1972 (ibid.). Since then, he has been a «strong Catholic militant» (de fuerte militancia católica) who has no intention of leaving Cuba (ibid.).
In November 1996 he was invited to join the Hispano-Cuban Foundation by its organizer, Spanish deputy Guillermo Cortazar (BPIC 12 Dec. 1996). However, Mr. Paya left the organization one month later, due to public interpretations of the purpose of the Foundation which he found incompatible with his activism’s goals in Cuba (ibid.).
By early 1998 he was working at the Ministry of Public Health (CPI 30 Mar. 1998). He applied to run in the last three elections to become a delegate at the National Assembly, but he received neither a response nor reprisals (ibid.).
In late March 1997 the oldest son of Mr. Paya, also named Oswaldo Paya, was to be flown to Miami for intensive therapy at the Jackson Memorial hospital (CubaNet 31 Mar. 1997). The Independent Press Bureau of Cuba (BPIC) reported that the United States had granted the 9-year old Oswaldo a visa on urgent humanitarian grounds; thanks to the mediation of Caritas Cuba and the Central Committee’s Office of Religious Affairs, his parents Oswaldo Sr. and Ofelia Acevedo were to accompany him (ibid.). The Cuban government also allowed travel for a Dr. Zamora, a specialist of the Ameijeiras hospital in Cuba who had been treating the young Oswaldo (ibid.).