UNITED NATIONS – A group of diplomats accredited to the United Nationsdisrupted a US-organized meeting on the plight of Cuban political prisonersat the United Nations on Tuesday, shouting down a US diplomat who demandedthat security guards remove them from the hall.
About 15 diplomats shouted “Lift the blockade of Cuba!” and noisily thumpedtables in the UN’s Economic and Social Council chamber while the USrepresentative to ECOSOC, Kelley Currie, struggled to be heard at the evendespite strong objections from Cuba.Member of the 125-member Non-Aligned Movement stay away from in solidaritywith Cuba, which insisted that the meeting was in violation of UN rules.
“Can you please remove them from the room,” Kellie said, pausing during herremarks. “I’m going to pause while security removes the disruptive elementsfrom the room.”
UN security guards repeatedly asked the diplomats to stop their protest,which continued for the duration of Kellie’s remarks.The event entitled “Jailed for What?” was to draw attention to the plightof an estimated 130 political prisoners held in Cuba.
Cuba had formally protested the meeting, sending a letter to UNSecretary-General Antonio Guterres requesting that the event be cancelledbecause it was in violation of UN rules about the use of its premises.
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UN rules are vague and specify only that meetings and events held on UNpremises must be “consistent with the purposes and principles of the UnitedNations” and be non-commercial.The meeting came just weeks before the General Assembly is scheduled tohold its annual vote on ending the US embargo on Cuba, which last year wasadopted by a vote of 191 to 2, with only the United States and Israelvoting against.
In 2016, the US abstained, marking a major shift as the administration offormer president Barack Obama worked to end decades of enmity with Havana.- APP
