Havana murders nonviolent dissidents: Oswaldo Payá and Harold Cepero, both assassinated on this day in 2012 by the Cuban dictatorship.

 "They have told me that they will kill me before this regime ends, but I will not flee." - Oswaldo Paya

On July 22, 2012, Havana's secret police assassinated Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas and Harold Cepero Escalante, both human rights heroes in the Americas. The Cuban government and its agents of influence have continued to try to cover up the atrocity.

Last year, following a ten year investigation, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights confirmed that the two human rights defenders were killed by Cuban government agents.

Cuba's Christian Liberation Movement leader on forgiveness and complicity

"I forgive all the past in favor of a present and future of freedom and life. Not for me but for my people." ... I do not forgive out of hate. No, no but because forgiving a present and a future of injustice and totalitarianism for your country, is not mercy but complicity with the evil of others. -
Tony" Díaz Sánchez, January 2, 2014 over Facebook

 

Tony Díaz Sánchez of the Christian Liberation Movement

Antonio Ramón "Tony" Díaz Sánchez  is the secretary general of the Cuban Christian Liberation movement, a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience and today over Facebook he posted the following comment that has been translated below that succinctly explains what drives so many on the issue of Cuba and why we refuse to remain silent. In the statement below Tony forgives all the injustices and crimes of the past but not the ones being committed presently or new ones in the future. He argues that forgiving present and future crimes are not examples of mercy but of complicity with the one who is doing or going to do wrong. A legal definition of complicity states: "Accountable for a criminal offense committed by another due to previous knowledge of other's crime."

"Me hate ??? Wrong compadre, mistaken my friend. I forgive all I have suffered. I forgive marginalization and monitoring my family, just for not being a communist. I forgive family separation, exclusion from the university, the repression of my ideas and peaceful actions. I forgive the public defamations issued without right to reply. I forgive the unjust imprisonment and imposed mistreatment. I forgive forced exile. I forgive the vile murder of my brothers in ideas. In short, I forgive all the past in favor of a present and future of freedom and life. Not for me but for my people.

  

Because what I do not forgive is that the year has started with the same repression that ended last year. What I can not forgive is that in my country, those who govern, do not recognize the need to change to democracy and allow the people to decide in free and pluralistic elections. I can not and do not want to forgive that right now at this instant there are political prisoners in Cuba and that the existing laws guarantee their imprisonment or perhaps the firing squad for others. I do not forgive that young people are living without life projects, while a group in power live as billionaires. Nor do I forgive the complicity of many interests that seek capital now in Cuba without wanting to find out today what is happening there. 

I do not forgive out of hate. No, no but because forgiving a present and a future of injustice and totalitarianism for your country, is not mercy but complicity with the evil of others."

Oswaldo Payá (Left), Regis Iglesias (Center), Tony Díaz(Right)

Light two candles and make the Liberation sign for Oswaldo and Harold

"They have told me that they will kill me before this regime ends, but I will not flee." - Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas

"Christians and non-Christians who have the courage and the freedom to consider the peaceful political option for their lives, know they are exposing themselves to slightly less than absolute solitude, to work exclusion, to persecution, to prison or death."  - Harold Cepero Escalante

Remembering two heroes across social media with 2 candles and the "L" sign

The Christian Liberation Movement is organizing a series of observances in Cuba, the United States and Spain to pay tribute to the lives of Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas and Harold Cepero Escalante who died under suspicious circumstances on July 22, 2012.

They are also calling for all their friends in Cuba and around the world to take part in a social media campaign: "That their light never be extinguished in us. Hope is credited for every candle lit our HEROES." The campaign is already underway and they are posting pictures of those participating on their website.

Marc Masferrer of Uncommon Sense and John Suarez of Notes from the Cuban Exile Quarter are also promoting the initiative:

The Christian Liberation Movement is calling for friends of the movement to remember the two martyred human rights defenders in an online campaign taking photos with two candles lit while making the sign of Liberation as in the picture above: "We ask all of our Cuban friends and friends of the world to join us in remembering Oswaldo Payá and Harold Cepero between now and next July 22 taking pictures with two candles and the sign of Liberation, the sign of the Freedom of Cuba, for which they generously gave their lives." - Regis Iglesias Ramirez, Christian Liberation Movement spokesperson in Europe, over Facebook

Please take five minutes of your time to pay homage to these two nonviolent human rights defenders and demonstrate your support for their values and cause, and if you are in Madrid, Miami, or Havana on July 22, 2014 consider joining in observing the two year anniversary of their physical passing. 

Social media campaign launched by Regis Iglesias of the Christian Liberation Movement

Christian Liberation Movement Letter to the European Union: A Defining Moment

Honorable Foreign Ministers of the European Union:

We are writing to you with the certainty that our position is properly valued, as befits the responsibility of the position that you hold. We Cubans are going through a defining moment in our history. The economic crisis and the rise of the opposition movement are converging, despite the dangerous escalation of violence, arbitrary arrests, beatings and suspicious deaths in the last two years as numbers indicate especially against members of civil society. A government that has ever been elected by its citizens is now trying to convince the international community that it is making democratic changes. Reforms realized in Cuba to date, alleviate or do not the situation of a small percentage of the population. They do not guarantee recognition of human rights kidnapped for 55 years , but what they have done is increase social inequality and establish themselves with new mechanisms of control, because the government provides privileges and permissions but not rights . Reforms that serve to excuse those who on behalf of their economic interests seek to justify the totalitarian regime in Havana .

We do not understand the reasons which led to the lifting of obstacles to negotiate a treaty of cooperation with the Cuban government and the possible lifting of the common position. We put to you two questions without which a dialogue between democracies and those in power in our country could hinder the possibility of a democratic transition in Cuba. We hope that the sunset clause on human rights that is negotiated contribute to:

1.Put an end to the impunity of State Security of the Cuban Government , noting the willingness of the European Union to promote an independent investigation in an International Court or with the UN framework to clarify the circumstances in which Oswaldo Payá (Sakharov Prize of the European Parliament ) and Harold Cepero died. We hope that in ethics and consistency in ethics you will support the resolution of the European Parliament (Article 69) of December 11, 2013, (2013 /2152 ( INI ) ) to prevent similar incidents continuing to occur on the island. We consider that one should require the immediate stop to the violence against members of civil society , the release of political prisoners and the possibility of an independent investigation into the suspicious deaths of O. Payá and H. Cepero .

2. Enable the realization of a plebiscite that offers the option to citizens of expressing if they want to participate in a process of free and pluralistic elections with democratic guarantees. In this manner we ask you to support effective citizen participation, taking into account the recognition given by the European Union to the Varela Project. An initiative of legal change supported by more than 25,000 citizens, based on the current Constitution, proposed the realization of the plebiscite.

We are not opposed to the negotiation process that is a fact and we offer our participation as free agents of Cuban civil society, representing a political alternative, with over 25 years in the island and in exile. Respectfully we want to warn that there are still many reforms that the Cuban government can make, even internationally, without starting a real democratic transition. In the confidence of the fidelity that you profess to democratic values ​​we know that you understand that the absence of both above points that we proposed in the process of negotiations could signify a support for the maintenance in power of the oppressors. Cubans have been capable of designing a path for the transition, we have the hope that you will accompany them through it.

Coordinating Council of the Christian Liberation Movement.

ABC ......... However, opposition organizations like the Christian Liberation Movement have already made it known from inside Cuba that " we do not understand the reasons which led to the lifting of obstacles to negotiate a treaty of cooperation and the possible lifting of the common position common " considering the dangerous escalation of violence , especially against members of civil society as the numbers of arbitrary arrests , beatings and suspicious deaths in the last two years indicate. "

Original Spanish text and slightly different version by Rosa Maria Payá Acevedo published in El Mundo on January 30, 2014.

Excerpts from a Conversation with Rosa Maria Payá

Rosa Maria Payá

Rosa Maria Payá met with exile organizations, the public at large over the course of several hours on Friday night, April 12, 2013, so that they could have a real exchange about what real change in Cuba should look like and a reaffirmation to NO-fake change that the Cuban regime is trying to engineer.

She also spoke about the investigative efforts underway internationally to know the truth about the incident that cost the lives of Harold Cepero and her father, Oswaldo Payá. The meeting was organized by the Christian Liberation Movement and the event was moderated by former prisoner of conscience Tony Diaz Sanchez.

Below are video excerpts from the event and are in Spanish.

Prayers, tributes and justice for Harold

"Those who remove and crush freedom are the real slaves." - Harold Cepero Escalante

"We offered all the sacrifice of the Mass for you. Harold, your friends miss you, we honor you, hopefully we will follow your example" ... Rosa María Payá Acevedo


"Tribute from the MCL and friends for Harold Cepero Escalante. God be with you and your family." - Rosa María Payá Acevedo

"Dream until your dreams come true! Harold Cepero Anniversary 33. Young leader of MCL, martyr for the freedom of Cuba ."-Rosa María Payá Acevedo

"The fraudulent change that Oswaldo Paya and the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL) denounced has three key factors: the military-economic oligarchy, the Catholic hierarchy and some Cuban exile entrepreneurs. This denouncement made by Oswaldo was what triggered the final order to end his and Harold's lives." - Christian Liberation Movement, January 29, 2013

Oswaldo and Harold: Six months later...

 "I have been told that I am going to be killed before the regime is over but I am not going to run away."- Oswaldo Payá, August 4, 2006

Rosa Maria Payá Acevedo tweeted this photo of her dad, Oswaldo Payá with Harold Cepero today with the text below

"Today, six months since the deaths of my father and Harold Cepero, remains the certainty of two full lives, free, dedicated to love." - Rosa Maria Payá Acevedo, over twitter, on January 22, 2013

The Christian Liberation Movement posted the above embedded video playlist on twitter along with the text: "Remembering Oswaldo and Harold six months after they snatched them from us."

Six months following their untimely deaths the evidence mounts that their deaths were not the result of a tragic car accident but based on the regime's behavior to a government conspiracy.

Today is also a good moment to reflect on the importance of these two men and what their loss means to Cuba.

At the same time, people of good will need to agitate for justice and the Christian Liberation Movement has provided a mechanism to do just that. Sign an online petition demanding an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Oswaldo's and Harold's deaths. Their friends and families are asking for help.

Let others know about their legacy as nonviolent human right defenders and the need to have the circumstances of their deaths cleared up.

Dear members and prospective members of the Free Cuba Foundation over the next month a number of important anniversaries will present themselves: February 23, 2013 is the third anniversary of the death of Orlando Zapata Tamayo and February 24 will be the 17th anniversary of the Brothers to the Rescue shootdown. Now, tragically February 22 will mark the seven month anniversary of the deaths of Oswaldo and Harold.

In one week, it would have been Harold Cepero's 33rd birthday. He was born on January 29, 1980. We should rally around that date to celebrate his life and demand truth in the circumstances surrounding his death.

Please send us via e-mail or post in the comments section below ideas for activities to coincide with these three back to back dates. 

Three things you can do right now in solidarity with Oswaldo, Harold and the Christian Liberation Movement:

1. Sign the petition and let others know about it. (Its in English and Spanish)

2. Follow the Christian Liberation Movement and Rosa Maria Payá on twitter.

3. Generate your own blog entry about Oswaldo and Harold and send us your ideas for future actions.

 

Friday Mass for Innocent Cuban Martyrs

Harold Cepero Escalante and Mario Manuel de la Peña

The Cuban Democratic Directorate and members of the exile community are offering a Mass officiated by Father José Luis Menéndez to pray for the souls of Harold Cepero Escalante and Mario Manuel De la Peña on Friday, December 28, 2012 at 8pm at the Corpus Christi Catholic Church located at 3220 NW 7th Avenue Miami, FL.

December 28 is the Day of the Holy Innocents and is a religious holiday named in honor of the young children slaughtered by order of King Herod around the time of Jesus’ birth. These young victims were called“Holy Innocents” because they were too young and innocent to have committed any sins.  

Tomorrow we will pray for two young men whose lives were taken before their time who dedicated themselves to serve others and make the world a better place dedicated to defending human rights and saving the lives of others. 

On Friday, December 28, 2012 Mario Manuel de la Peña, who was born in the United States in the township of Weehawken, New Jersey in 1971, should have been 41 years old.

One month and a day later on January 29, 2013 Harold Cepero Escalante, who was born in Cuba in the municipality of Chambas in the province of Ciego de Ávila in 1980, should be celebrating his 33rd birthday.

Sadly, neither young man will have the opportunity to do so. 

Mario Manuel de la Peña was one of four men shot down by Cuban MiGs on February 24, 1996 while searching for Cuban rafters in the Florida Straits in international airspace. Mario was 24 years old when he was killed.



Harold Cepero Escalante was a youth leader in the Christian Liberation Movement and died under suspicious circumstanceswith its founding leader Oswaldo Paya Sardiñas on July 22, 2012. Harold was 32 years old at the time of his untimely death. Family members are demanding an international investigation into the deaths of Harold and Oswaldo.

Although the Free Cuba Foundation is not organizing this event, it does call on members to attend and honor these two young men who gave their last full measure in the defense of human rights and dignity.