The Daily GRRR! Dec 24, 2014 - International Solidarity News

Welcome, I am your host julian ichim and you are listening to The Daily GRRR !International Solidarity News on 100.3fm, CKMS in Waterloo, Ontario. Soundfm.ca on the web, today is Dec. 24th, 2014.

We are broadcasting from the centre of the Haldimand Tract, the occupied Grand River Territory of the Six Nations (Haudenosaunee).

The Daily GRRR! is a project of the Grand River Media Collective; and is supported by the Community Radio Fund of Canada and CKMS.

Today’s feature is a discussion on the Creation of the Alan Ryan Peoples Community Organization

We will begin today with headlines:

The Daily GRRR! HEADLINES for Dec. 24th, 2014

1. Re-establishment of Cuba-U.S. Diplomatic Relations
Long Live Revolutionary Cuba!

2. Glorious Victory for Justice! The Cuban Five Are Free!

3. Viva Cuba, Report on Yesterdays Celebration in Toronto

4. Alan Ryan Peoples Community Organization Christmas Dinner a success

1. Re-establishment of Cuba-U.S. Diplomatic Relations
Long Live Revolutionary Cuba! Long Live Revolutionary Cuba!

Cuban President Raúl Castro speech,
December 17 on U.S.-Cuba relations.

On December 17, 2014, President Barack Obama announced that the United States would "end its outdated approach" and re-establish diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cuba which were severed in January 1961. In a historic reversal of past U.S. foreign policy Obama said that he had instructed John Kerry, Secretary of State, to take measures to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba. Some of the measures announced by the U.S. President included an immediate review of the designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism and some easing of restrictions on travel and commerce and the flow of information. In addition the U.S. will ease restrictions on remittances, increasing the amount allowed to be sent to Cuban families to $2,000 every three months from the current limit of $500; and U.S. financial institutions will be allowed to have closer banking ties with Cuban banks.

President Obama stated that the "embargo" against Cuba is enforced through legislation and can only be changed by Congress but he committed to "engage with Congress to lift the embargo."

The President also announced that the U.S. had released the three remaining members of the Cuban Five who had been imprisoned in the U.S. and that Cuba had released two prisoners, one on humanitarian grounds and another in return for the release of the three anti-terrorist fighters.

President Raúl Castro reiterated Cuba's position. "The heroic Cuban people, in the wake of serious dangers, aggressions, adversities and sacrifices has proven to be faithful and will continue to be faithful to our ideals of independence and social justice. Strongly united throughout these 56 years of Revolution, we have kept our unswerving loyalty to those who died in defence of our principles since the beginning of our independence wars in 1868. "

On this historic occasion, the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) sends warmest greetings and congratulations to the Cuban Five and their families for their sacrifice, courage and revolutionary dedication to the cause of the Cuban people. We send revolutionary greetings to the historic leader of the Cuban revolution Comrade Fidel Castro who declared 16 years ago in June 2001, "They Shall Return!" His single-minded dedication to the revolutionary interest of the Cuban people and the peoples of the world is imbued with a profound generosity and broad-mindedness. We are truly pleased the course Fidel set is vindicated in this historic change of U.S. policy towards Cuba and that the long years of unjust incarceration of the Cuban Five are over.

We send our revolutionary greetings to President Raúl Castro who without flinching stuck to the principle that problems should be sorted out through dialogue, not force. We send revolutionary greetings to the Cuban people for whom the return of the five Cuban heroes and the removal of Cuba from the list of terrorist states and vindication of their right to be is a moment of profound collective joy and emotion. On this occasion we also salute the democratic and justice seeking forces in the United States and all over the world, of which our own peoples in Canada have stood second to none, for their dedication to this just cause which does not permit Resistance to be defeated. We would like to specifically mention the members of Fabio di Celmo's family, the Canadian of Italian origin killed by a terrorist bomb in Havana in 1997. May they find peace as the struggle to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice makes headway and continues.

We also hail the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean for their courageous stand in support of Cuba's right to self-determination and independence and against the U.S. striving for domination of the entire continent and their steadfast opposition to the practices of dirty wars, sabotage and coups d'etat. The stands of courageous leaders and the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean have dealt a mortal blow to U.S. attempts to isolate revolutionary Cuba. They have resulted instead in the complete isolation of the U.S. within Latin America and the Caribbean, to the extent that the April 2015 Summit of the Organization of American States (OAS) would not have taken place without the presence of Cuba. We stand firm against the attempts of the United States and Canada to isolate Venezuela and impose regime change on that country, and will fight for a consistent policy of dialogue and peace throughout Our America.

Finally, we recognize the contribution made by the outrage of humanitarian workers in Africa and within the entire UN system linked to economic, social and cultural rights who could no longer countenance or tolerate U.S. practices like the refusal to permit payment by UN agencies to Cuban doctors working against the Ebola pandemic in Africa because the U.S. listed Cuba as a terrorist state.

The profundity of the significance the changes to U.S. policy can bring to the people of Cuba will reveal themselves quickly. They have been living under the threat of U.S. invasion ever since they took power in their own interests in 1959. Many problems remain but this achievement is the proof that they can be resolved through negotiations and dialogue, not by resorting to violence, threats, state terrorism and so-called regime change. As President Castro said, "While acknowledging our profound differences, particularly on issues related to national sovereignty, democracy, human rights and foreign policy, I reaffirm our willingness to dialogue on all these issues."

With this victory the Cuban people have made another advance in strengthening their country based on self reliance and putting the realization of the interests of the people as the guiding principle.
Long Live Revolutionary Cuba!

2. Glorious Victory for Justice! The Cuban Five Are Free! Glorious Victory for Justice! The Cuban Five Are Free!

- Isaac Saney, Canadian Network on Cuba, December 17, 2014 -

Vancouver picket December 17, 2014 celebrates release of three Cuban heroes.

The Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) celebrates with tremendous joy the release of the final three members of the Five Cuban Heroes: Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino and Antonio Guerrero. They had been imprisoned unjustly since 1998 in the United States for defending Cuba from terrorism, for defending Cuba's right to independence, sovereignty and self-determination.

This is a glorious victory! It is a vindication of the struggle that the Cuban people have waged since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution on January 1st, 1959! It is a vindication of the principled and dignified politics and leadership of Fidel and Raúl! It is a vindication of the dedicated and tireless efforts of the international movement to Free the Five Heroes and achieve justice!

Nevertheless, while the CNC rejoices on the occasion of this immense victory, the fight is not finished. The CNC, on behalf of the Canada-Cuba solidarity movement, vows to redouble our efforts to end the illegal U.S. economic blockade of Cuba and the ongoing campaign to destabilize the island, which have been in force for more than 50 years.

Long Live the Cuban Revolution!

3. Viva Cuba, Report on Yesterdays Celebration in Toronto

Yesterday at the steelworkers hall in Toronto people involved in Cuban Solidarity met to celebrate the release of the Cuban Five as well as the normalization of relations between Cuba and The US. The event which was well attended included speeches and cultural performers whom over the years have fought and supported Cuba. The spirit of the event of one of resistance as speaker after speaker affirmed Cuba’s commitment to socialist principles and the continued need for revolutionary solidarity with Cuba and internationalism.

Revolutionary greetings were sent from a variety of international supporters including J.P. Wootan And Brendan Mc Conville who are currently locked up in Maghaberry for the crime of being Irish Republicans.

The event ended with people affirming there commitment to continue supporting Cuba’s struggle for self determination and rejecting slanders aimed at blackening the Cuban Revolution on the basis of these recent victorys

4. Alan Ryan Peoples Community Organization Christmas Dinner a success

Today The Alan Ryan Peoples Community Organization hosted its first event, a Christmas dinner. The event began with an introduction to what the group is and its goals and objectives, which is a community organization which aims to serve the needs of the community by bringing together the youth and elderly to exchange experiences, educate and mobalize to create alternatives.

Next a speaker explained who Alan Ryan is and why the organization chose to name themselves after him. Particular attention was paid to the work he has done to deal with the drug problem in his community, as well as the work that he has done in the community despite constant attacks by the state to demonize him and the role that they played in ending his life and this was followed by a discussion on the present situation in Ireland as well as the social problems within Kitchener.

The event continued with a speaker from Cuba discussing the significance of the normalization of US Cuba relations as well as her experience living under Batista and resisting and her life during the early days of the revolution.

After more discussion on everything from local community issues, people discussed te importance of building bridges and links between the elderly and youth , two groups of people who are totally marginalized by the present situation and the need for such events where elderly people who are excluded from political and social life are given the respect that they deserve as well as a say in how things are. It was agreed that events such as this will be hosted by the Alan Ryan Peoples Organization will be hosted once a month at 74 church street a low income home for the elderly.

The event ended with salsa and rumba dancing and people left with high spirits and a sense of accomplishment

You are listening to the International Solidarity News edition of The Daily GRRR! Today is Dec. 24th 2014 and my name is Julian Ichimand we are now moving into the feature portion of our broadcast.

Feature: Which is a disscusion on the creation of the Alan Ryan Peoples Community Organization

This was the The Daily GRRR! for Dec.24th 2014. We are on weekdays from 9-10am on 100.3fm CKMS in Waterloo region, and http://soundfm.ca on the web.

Check out all our past shows and other Grand River Media Collective work on our webpage http://grandrivermc.ca

The Daily GRRR! is supported by the Community Radio Fund of Canada and CKMS.

Stay tuned in for more Grand River Radical radio after we close the podcast with a song, here is Bandwith "Song".

Thanks for Listening.