National Front Launches “Zapata With Us” Campaign

The collective blog of the Eastern Democratic Alliance, “El Palenque“, has published a calling to launch a new campaign under the slogan “Zapata With Us”.  The letter, penned by members of the Orlando Zapata Tamayo National Civic Resistance and Civil Disobedience Front and published on the Eastern Democratic Alliance’s blog, points out that despite the fact that Orlando Zapata Tamayo would have never left Cuba while he was alive, they respect the decision of his family to take his remains with them into exile.  However, the letter is calling on the internal opposition to “make the image of Zapata visible in every corner of our country, in a way that would honor him as what he really is- a martyr“.

The complete text (translated):

As various media outlets have informed, the mortal remains of the martyr Orlando Zapata Tamayo were recently exhumed and cremated according to the will of his relatives who traveled to the United States.

The Zapata family has been victim of innumerable repressive actions against the Cuban regime, which increased after the death of the distinguished fighter for the civil rights of all Cubans, Orlando Zapata Tamayo, as product of a hunger strike on February 23rd 2010.

The Front condemns the Castro dictatorship because of the abuses carried out against this Cuban family, which has been similar to what the entire Cuban people have suffered for more than half a century of  Castro-communist rule on the island.  The decision of relatives of the victim to abandon the island with the body of Zapata has been product of pressures exerted on them by the military government, which weeks on end after the assassination of the young Zapata ignored the just claims being made by his family.  Orlando Zapata Tamayo would have never left the country.  Whoever knew him knew his ideals, his character, full of bravery and commitment to the country and to his fellow citizens.

Regardless, we have a profound respect, sympathy, and admiration for the entire family of Zapata.  The dictatorship should know that Zapata has not died, and much less has the life he sacrificed for the lives of the oppressed been brought back.  Because of his chivalry, he  had sympathizers all across the island, whether they were liberals, republicans, conservatives, and other political currents.

We Cubans who are committed to achieving the freedom of our country will keep the fire burning of the emblematic Zapata.  With that said, the Front exhorts all organizations within Cuba, as well as the everyday people, to make the image of Zapata visible in every corner of our country, in a way that would honor him as what he really is, a martyr, and under the slogan “Zapata With Us”.  We must not deny the truth.

“Zapata Lives!”

Committee of the National Front
Guantanamo, June 9th 2011