'Useful' Canadians to Host “People’s Tribunal” on the Cuban 5

by Chris Simmons

Breaking the Silence | Peoples' Tribunal & Assembly | Justice for the Five
Toronto City Hall, September 21^st — 23^rd, 2012

Several pro-Castro groups and allied trade unions from across Canada have announced “a Peoples' Tribunal & Assembly” from September 21-23 in Toronto.  The self-professed goals of the tribunal are too highlight the case of the Cuban 5 and attempt to build support for their release.

According to their website (http://canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/tribunal/), the Peoples' Tribunal & Assembly aims to:

• “to act as a forum for education and for launching an appeal to get justice for the Cuban Five;
• to break the silence of the mainstream media about this case; and
• to map out the next steps of a broad and united campaign on the Cuban Five in Québec and across the rest of Canada.”

Composed of prominent Canadian and regime-supported witnesses, the Assembly will hear from “expert witnesses” before rendering a ruling.   No witnesses will testify on behalf of Americans killed by the Castro regime.  Instead, testimony is limited to “the suffering caused to the Cuban people and to others as a result of all the terrorist attacks against Cuba and Cuban interests.”  The Tribunal has no legal authority, but hopes its’ inherently-biased message inspires and resonates with like-minded supporters.

Attending:
• Family members of the "Cuban Five" • Livio Di Celmo, Victim of Terror, Montréal, Québec • Danny Glover, Actor U.S.A. • Gloria La Riva, Free The Five, National Committee - U.S.A. • Cindy Sheehan, Anti –War activist- U.S.A. • Libby Davies, NDP-MP, Vancouver East • Tony Woodley, UNITE the UNION, UK • José Pertierra, Lawyer, Washington, D.C. • Denis Lemelin, National President, Canadian Union of Postal Workers • Marie Clarke Walker, Canadian Labour Congress • Isaac Saney, Professor, Dalhousie University, Halifax • Arnold August, Writer, Montréal, Québec • Raymundo Navarro, Central de Trabajadores de Cuba (CTC) • Bernie Dwyer, Documentary Film Producer, Ireland • Dra. Digna Castañeda, Cuba • Julian Rivas, Journalist, Venezuela • Wes Elliott, Grand River Territory • Keith Bolender, Freelance Journalist and Author Based in Toronto • Richard Klugh, Lawyer for the Cuban Five, USA • Ken Neumann, National Director for Canada, United Steelworkers • Stephen Kimber, Professor of Journalism, University of Kings College, Halifax • Alicia Jrapko, International Committee to Free the Cuban Five, U.S.A. • William Sloan, Civil Rights Lawyer, Montréal, Québec •

Sponsors:

• United Food and Commercial Workers • United Steelworkers, Canada • Canadian Union of Postal Workers • Canadian Network on Cuba • International Council of Latin American and Caribbean Women - LATIN@S • The Worker to Worker, Canada-Cuba Labour Solidarity Network • Carranza LLP • Canadian Cuban Friendship Association - Toronto • Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network • Canadian Union of Public Employees •

Endorsers:

• International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban Five, USA • National Network on Cuba, U.S.A. • Toronto Forum on Cuba • Communist League/Ligue communiste • International Festival of Poetry of Resistance •