The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the
US-based Cuba Policy Foundation and its Board members, along
with its Executive Director, resigned today to protest the
recent waive of repression and executions in Cuba.
The Cuba Policy Foundation has been the
premier US nonprofit organization dedicated to the study of the
benefits of expanding trade and people-to-people contact with
Cuba. It has embraced the view that the enlarged economic and
personal exchange with the Island would, in fact, be in the
interests of both countries and ease the process of change in
Cuba. CPF's Board has been a Who's-Who of Americans interested
in Cuba and the normalization of relations with the island.
The resigning Board members and the Executive
Director issued a Statement of Reasons for the mass resignation:
"All of us are appalled at the recent
executions and jailings in Cuba. The regime's sudden, wholesale
repression of human rights is incomprehensible as a matter of
policy, and unacceptable as a matter of principle.
"We are firm in our view that engaging
Cuba would advance both America's national interest and peaceful
political and economic change in Cuba. Likewise, we will
continue, in our individual capacities, to support those members
of Congress, the business community, and the growing number of
Cuban-Americans and citizens across the country who seek to
advance these goals.
"The recent wave of repression adds to the
urgency of the effort. But it also raises new obstacles. The
regime could not have failed to know that its actions would have
a chilling effect on efforts here to ease the US sanctions.
Indeed, the arrests of dissidents who had just days before met
with members of the U.S. Congress can only be interpreted as
intended to slow the initiative and to embarrass those who were
behind it.
"We organized, funded and supported the
Foundation because we hoped, and had reason to believe, that its
energetic efforts to modify the ban on Cuba trade, travel and
investment might succeed over time. We can only conclude,
however, that in spite of its claims to the contrary, Cuba does
not share our enthusiasm for a more open relationship. For this
reason we have tendered our resignations.
"Daily operations of the Foundation will
cease as of this date. The corporation will technically remain
in existence, and Mr. Alexander will maintain its website as a
public resource."
Hon. William
Rogers, Chairman of the Board
Darius Anderson
Hon. Diego Asencio
Hon. Sally Grooms
Cowal
Jo Ivey Boufford
Eusebio Mujal-Leon
Martha Muse
Raimundo L. Ruga
Harry Schlaudeman
Paul Smyke
Hon. Thomas F.
Stroock
Brian Alexander,
Executive Director
