Of mutual benefit: Obama and normalising US–Cuba relations

The Cuban people, together with people all over the world who desire a peaceful, just and progressive new world, are celebrating fifty years of the Cuban revolution. But while celebrating the achievements of socialism in the land of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, we are also reminded of the sad reality that the year 2009 also marks fifty years of the USA’s economic, financial and commercial blockade against Cuba.

2009 also will mark, in a few days’ time, another significant event in world history. Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the USA’s first ever black president. This youthful, charismatic president of the most powerful country on earth – who happens to have ethnic roots from my own country Kenya – campaigned for this power on a platform of reforming the economic and social system of the US in favour of the poor and the oppressed people of his country, and indeed for peace, justice, democracy, human rights and social progress in the entire world.

These are noble and sacred ideals, especially in light of the history of successive Republican presidents in the shape of Bush junior and Bush senior, presidents who spearheaded a world bedeviled with wars, terrorism, injustice and reactionary economic policies and ideas that have led to the current US and global economic recession. I wish Obama a successful inauguration and hope that as a president he will not only carry out the progressive reforms he promised the people of his country but that he will also steer the US foreign policy towards working for a just, peaceful and progressive new world order.

We cannot afford, however, to become overly optimistic. To expect that a single individual elected as president could overnight succeed in changing the system of capitalism and imperialism institutionalised in his country for centuries is to expect too much. Yet we are hoping against hope that Obama will, among other expectations, be the most positively courageous president of the USA and fully capable of departing from the imperialist policies of his predecessors. A measure of this would be how he relates to his small but also politically and morally powerful neighbour, Cuba.

Obama should normalise relations with Cuba and end the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by his country upon the people of Cuba for fifty years hitherto. There are several reasons why he should do this, but I will mention only a few of them.

In the first place, the majority of the countries of the world, including his father's country Kenya, have voted against the blockade. Should he therefore opt not to abandon this shameful and reactionary political relic condemned worldwide, he will remain haunted and embarrassed throughout his presidency while being accused of hypocrisy and double standards. Besides, the prestige of the US in the eyes of the masses of the world will continue to fall.

Secondly, the US blockade against Cuba is unjustified, illegal according to international law, and a brutal, sadistic, violation of human rights. The blockade continues to sabotage Cuba’s economy, imposing difficulties, and impeding the execution of development plans and the provision of essential social services. Although the Cuban revolution has led to immense economic and social achievements – especially in education and health, the levels of which are comparable to those of developed countries – it could have achieved even more were it not for the US economic blockade, a blockade that is estimated to have cost Cuba’s economy trillions of dollars. Surely Obama would not wish to continue with such oppressive, barbaric and revengeful policies that serve no logical purposes.

Thirdly, the US blockade against Cuba is not only unpopular outside the US, it is also fully opposed by citizens of the US inside the country who desire peace, friendship, trade and mutual cooperation with their island neighbour and an end to discredited, unjust policies. It would, for example, cost Cuba far less to import food and other goods available from nearby Florida than to import them from thousands of kilometres away in Vietnam, China and Europe. Many US tourists would wish to enjoy the nearby sunshine at Cuba's beautiful beaches at destinations that would likely be cheaper than other Caribbean Islands. Removing the economic blockade would therefore be of mutual benefit to the US and Cuba alike and therefore should make political and economic sense to Obama.

Fourthly, the US blockade against Cuba is a violation of one of the basic principles of international relations, the right of nations big or small to self-determination. Without the adhering to this principle, peace cannot be observed in the world. Since 1959, the Cuban people have decided to pursue the socialist system for the development of their country. This is their inalienable right as a nation and a people. In fact, 50 years of the policy of the US of trying to impose capitalism upon the Cuban people has not only proved to be unworkable and unjustifiable, but also totally unacceptable to the people of Cuba, who themselves consciously chose socialism.

Cuba has one of, if not the most, educated and informed populations in the world. The Cuban people follow and analyse world events that reach them through their own media and that of the world. They are fully aware of the harsh realities of capitalism, and the poverty and suffering among the majority of the people, exploitation and oppression, unemployment, tribalism and racism, conflicts and violence, inequality, economic stagnation and loss of national freedoms and sovereignty that can characterise such a system. The Cuban people understand that socialism as a system is not only historically and morally superior to the capitalist system, but also that despite objective and subjective economic difficulties, socialism has provided them with tangible guaranteed social rights in the form of employment, health and educational services, food and the right of all to participate in creating and sharing of the wealth of the country. Not to mention the fact that the socialist revolution has restored and sustained the freedom of their nation.

Socialism has done away with conditions leading to conflicts, class, race and gender inequality and has produced a popular leadership committed to the interests of their people and country, a leadership that is respected throughout the world. I have been to Cuba three times and I know that the Cuban people will continue to implement the necessary political, social and economic reforms of the welfare of their revolution, and will never succumb to pressure to abandon socialism for capitalism. That is why 50 years of the US blockade has not succeeded in destroying the Cuban revolution. Obama is, therefore, better advised not to continue with hegemonic policies against Cuba; he should instead accept to meet the Cuban leadership face to face and solve any differences between the two countries amicably. The talks should not be done under conditions of carrot and stick, but through mutual respect and recognition of each country's national sovereignty.

Fifthly, Obama will find dealing with the Cuban leadership intellectually and morally uplifting. Cuba’s is one of the most progressive and educated leaderships in the world and is also sincere, humble, humane and genuinely committed to the welfare of humanity and the world. Despite its own difficulties, Cuba continues to share the social and economic benefits of its revolution with other people of the world, including those of the US. There are thousands of students from all over the world living and studying in Cuba free of charge. Cuba does not export weapons and war; instead it exports friendship, peace, progressive ideas and solidarity to the world. There are thousands of Cuban doctors, medical practitioners, teachers and other professionals working as volunteers all over the world, mostly in developing countries. Whenever and wherever there are natural disasters in the world, Cubans offer their technological and material support irrespective of a country's political and social system. Thousands of Cuban people shed their blood in southern Africa and helped to liberate the world from apartheid. Ideologically, Cuba offers ideas of making the world a better place for all human beings to live in a safe, happy, peaceful, just, and developing world that conserves cultural diversity and the environment for the present and future generations. For a US statesman who wishes to make positive contributions to his country and the world, making friends with the leadership of his neighbour Cuba would represent a really good beginning.

All this being said, I wish President Barrack Obama and the US people success in all ways as they embark on implementing positive political and economic changes within their country and abroad. Let the normalisation of US relations with Cuba be part of the success.

* Mwandawiro Mghanga is chairman of Kenya’s Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Kenya Cuba – Friendship Society (KCFS).
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