I don’t think anyone would go so far as to say that dialogue is not important at resolving critical differences of opinion…both politically and in international relations.
But when the other participant has a long string of human rights abuses and has done nothing to demonstrate contrition or a change in position, one has to question why a congressional delegation would want to outreach.
Rep. Frank Wolf lambasted his congressional colleagues for doing such a thing with Cuba.
Representatives Frank Wolf and Chris Smith criticized some of their fellow lawmakers who made a recent visit to Cuba, saying they failed to publicly focus on human rights.
Wolf and Smith, both members of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, urged Obama to read a 2008 State Department report that said Cuba had at least 205 political prisoners. It also said that as many 5,000 Cuban citizens were detained for “dangerousness,” but had not been charged with any crime.
“This administration ought to be very careful. They ought not to lift sanctions until the prisoners are out,” Wolf told a news conference.
Wolf was also quite critical that the congressional delegation was “gushing” with praise for the Castro regime.
Wolf was joined by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) who was equally critical:
The caucus members, who also visited current Cuban President Raul Castro, “did nothing to publicly show any concern for the myriad gross human rights abuses perpetrated by the Cuban government or the tragic fate of hundreds of Cuban democracy and human rights activists,” Smith said.
“Yet they held press conferences at which they heaped and lavished praise and affection for a government the United States Department of State only six weeks ago called ‘totalitarian.’ ”
A 2008 State Department human rights report cited, among other things, numerous accounts of beatings of Cuban political prisoners, harsh and life- threatening conditions for dissidents, and severe restrictions on freedom of movement and religion, Smith said.
“Over the past 50 years, the Castros and their secret police have been directly responsible for killing thousands of nonviolent, courageous pro-democracy activists and for jailing and torturing tens of thousands of others. And they continue to this day to perpetrate their brutal crimes,” he said.
It is thought that the Obama administration could lessen the restrictions on family travel and remittances to Cuba before the Summit of the Americas this April 17, where Pres. Obama will participate.
