CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Statement of the Cuban National Commission for UNESCO related to the  International Symposium on Freedom of Expression organized by UNESCO on January 26: Response to the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO.

We have known with surprise and no little displeasure the hasty call for January 26th, 2011 of what has been termed "International Symposium on Freedom of Expression" that under the auspices and financing of the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO and the Government of that country, is organized by UNESCO in its Paris Headquarters.

There was not much freedom, and much less consultations with other National Commissions and Member States in order to debate about the format, themes and speakers who would be participating in this Symposium that is promoted now urbis orbis under UNESCO label.

If this would be little, besides these elements mentioned before, we have known that among panelists -arbitrarily selected and with preponderance of western countries-, Mr. Jean-Francois Julliard, current Secretary-General of the Non-Governmental Organization, "Reporters without Borders" has been included. This organization has received funds from the CIA and has publicly acknowledged it. In addition, UNESCO itself withdrew its support in 2008 because of the intention of organizing events with the purpose of attacking Third World Countries. It should be recalled that even before, in 2003, the United Nations had suspended the consultative relationship with Reporters without Borders for its activities contrary to the aims and purposes of the UN and its disorders and even violent outrages in the former  Human Rights Commission.

There are no signs that indicate the organization has changed its purposes to attack countries, particularly those who have tried to do things for the benefit of their peoples, and disagree with the current world order and oligopoly control of transnational of disinformation. This organization has acknowledged with blatantly impudence its participation in the media campaigns of the great western consortiums, and this has been in crescendo proportionally with the profitable financing received from the CIA and other agencies and foundations of the United States government.

How is it possible to convene this instrument of the big imperialist transnational to talk just about the press freedom situation in the world? How is it possible to accept that the organization which is specialized in censorship and in the manufacture of media campaigns to be the keynote speaker on the subject of press freedom in the world?

It is pretended to present the Symposium as a contribution of its promoters to address the complex problems that exist on this planet that cut the free expression of peoples. Due to its design and purposes this event is clearly aimed at defending freedom of misinforming of the big media companies.

The Symposium has been organized behind people’s interest’s back, without consulting the Member States of UNESCO, neither the journalist organizations at national and regional levels.

The killings of journalists in Honduras or the murder of Reuter’s correspondents in Iraq, showed on its absolute cruelty and impunity by Wikileaks, have not raised any concerns to call an event of such magnitude and costs. However, the disclosure of so many and degrading acts of abuse, interference and haughtiness by this digital media –by any reason they were – is the one that is intended to silence, prohibiting its style is been repeated, and persecuting its founder by Swedish Justice, whom the Vice President of the United States has qualified as terrorist. All of them seem to be truly sufficient reasons to organize it.

At the time, we clearly express our disagreement with this Symposium in its current format and guests, and we wish you to advise that the denunciation of this maneuver will not be silenced. Our message will be sent to the UNESCO National Commissions network.

Besides expressing UNESCO all these criteria, we will convey them our strongest protest by the presence of this organization "Reporters without Borders", in UNESCO, with an NGO facade as an agent of the secret services of the United States.

Cuban National Commission for UNESCO
January 8th, 2011
(Cubaminrex-CNCU)