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In the span of ten days beginning August 30, 2008 Hurricanes Gustav and Ike left Cuba with billions of dollars in immediate damage, a large percentage of the country’s agricultural production obliterated, and thousands of homes damaged or destroyed. Just two months later in the midst of the country’s recovery efforts Hurricane Paloma struck the island and leveled hundreds of homes along Cuba’s southern coast. While the hurricanes have struck a significant blow to the island both economically and socially, they have only further evidenced a situation that has been continually worsening for years.
Since July 2006, when Fidel Castro fell ill and temporarily handed over power to his younger brother Raúl, Cubans have witnessed an increase in repression. Voices of political opposition continue to be silenced and those who pose political challenges continue to be jailed, persecuted and intimidated, both physically and psychologically. Following the hurricanes widespread food shortages have spurred zero-tolerance crackdowns on anyone who is found trying to sell goods simply to make ends meet. Many of those arrested under the crackdown have been sentenced to long jail sentences. Indeed, there are virtually no signs that Cuba is politically freer under Raúl Castro.
Despite this heightened oppression, Cuban citizens remain motivated by the struggle for democracy and by the desire to think and act independently. Cubans are primarily concerned with obtaining basic needs for their families and are increasingly frustrated with the overall situation in the country. In IRI’s April 2008 survey, nearly 62 percent of Cuban respondents favored political changes that might transform the current system into a real democracy – with multi-party elections, freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Similarly, 82 percent of respondents favored economic changes that might transform the current system into a market economy – with economic freedoms, the right to own private property, and the possibility for Cubans to run their own businesses.
While a palpable paranoia of the regime remains evident, Cuban citizens will coalesce around common issues of concern that affect their everyday well-being. IRI, focused on these basic issues, utilizes political tools and strategies to train and help advance grassroots organizations in moving ideas from the fringes of society to the mainstream creating more space for economic freedom, political expression and choice.
Strengthening Civil Society
The International Republican Institute (IRI) has been working in Cuba since 1994. Currently, IRI works with pro-reform, pro-democratic civil society organizations and leaders on the island through consultations, skills trainings, public opinion research and information technology initiatives to develop their internal capacity to organize and to articulate and advance a common agenda. Utilizing public opinion research IRI aids civil society organizations and leaders to develop issue-based platforms that address the key concerns of their members and Cuban citizens as a whole.
IRI promotes organizations’ outreach, communication and dialogue with Cuban citizens and other networks. Facilitating relationships with domestic and international organizations, IRI assists civil society organizations incorporate strategies and lessons learned from successful civil society organizations in Cuba as well as other semi-authoritarian and post-communist countries.
By focuses on issues that resonate with all Cubans, grassroots organizations have gained popular support and while these organizations often face harassment and questioning along with their increased visibility, ultimately they are leading successful campaigns, with public recognition and media attention on the issues increasing.
Promoting Marginalized Communities
IRI also seeks to enhance the participation of marginalized communities in the democratic process. In 2007 IRI helped organize an Afro-Cuban initiative focused on advancing the active leadership role of Afro-Cubans in civil society. Through leadership development, grassroots organization and message development trainings, Afro-Cubans are becoming powerful agents of change in their own communities.
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