<nettime> ANOTHER LIBRARIAN ARRESTED

[drazen <drazen@xs4all.nl>]

[low tech censorship]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 1999 12:21:51 -0500
From: Jeff Huestis <Jeff-Huestis@LIBRARY.WUSTL.EDU>
To: DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
Subject: ANOTHER LIBRARIAN ARRESTED (fwd)

The attached message may seem a little off-topic.  But it's my opinion
that technology transfer can't happen in a vacuum.  Technology is not a
"thing" but an approach to solving problems.  It's an aspect of a
society's culture, and interacts heavily with, among other things, the
availability of information.  We can't talk about technology transfer
without talking about freedom of information. 

Jeff Huestis

_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_

  Jeffrey C. Huestis                  huestis@library.wustl.edu
  Head of Library Systems             http://library.wustl.edu/~huestis

  Washington University Libraries     Voice:  314-935-5951
  Campus Box 1061                     Fax:    314-935-4045
  St. Louis, MO 63130

^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^~=,_,=~^

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 1999 08:37:12 PDT
From: robert kent <rkent45@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: alaworld@ala1.ala.org
To: ALA International Relations Round Table <alaworld@ala1.ala.org>
Subject: ANOTHER LIBRARIAN ARRESTED

Attached below is an update on the persecution of Cuba's independent
librarians.  Please write to Cuban officials and your Members of Congress. 
It is not a crime to be a librarian or to oppose censorship! 

----------------------------------------------------------------------
           AN APPEAL FROM THE FRIENDS OF CUBAN LIBRARIES

An article in the August 25, 1999, issue of the "Diario Las Americas" 
newspaper reports that the home of Ramon Colas and Berta Mexidor, the
founders of Cuba's independent library movement, has been raided by the
State Security police.  According to the newspaper reporter, Ariel Remos,
on August 23 the two independent librarians, who are a married couple,
were evicted from their home, which doubles as the location of the
independent Felix Varela Library. Although Colas and Mexidor were
permitted to remove personal belongings from their home, it is not known
if their library collection was seized by the State Security police, as
has happened with other independent libraries in Cuba.  In the course of
the eviction Ramon Colas was reportedly arrested on unknown grounds and is
now being held at at unknown location.  Full details (in Spanish only) may
be found on the newspaper's website (www.diariolasamericas.com) for August
25. 

The Friends of Cuban Libraries has issued an international appeal to
protest this latest act of repression by the Cuban government.  We urge
librarians, library associations and human rights organizations around the
world to express concern to Cuban officials.  Letters may be sent to: Dr.
Fidel Castro Ruz, Presidente de los Consejos de Estado y de Ministros, La
Habana, Cuba. 

BACKGROUND:  Since April 1998, 17 independent libraries have been
established in Cuba.  These independent institutions make a point of
collecting materials which reflect all points of view, not just the
officially-approved ideology.  The independent librarians refuse to submit
to the censorship to which government-funded libraries are subjected.  The
Cuban government has responded harshly to the creation of independent
libraries.  The librarians of these institutions have been subjected to
harassment, threats, short-term arrests, and the confiscation of their
collections.  The Friends of Cuban Libraries is an independent, non
non-partisan organization which opposes censorship and all other
violations of intellectual freedom in Cuba.  Further information can be
obtained by e-mailing: rkent45@hotmail.com. 

Robert Kent (Friends of Cuban Libraries) 


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