Up the Mountain for Cuba

international | rights, freedoms and repression | event notice Friday August 19, 2005 10:23 by Simon McGuinness - Free the Miami Five Campaign Ireland

Sponsored mountain walk in aid of Cuban political prisoners in the USA

Free the Miami Five campaign are pleased to announce further details of Camp Havana Glen, Co Donegal, Ireland this September.

From Friday 16th to Sunday 18th September 2005, men, women and children from every corner of Ireland – and indeed from much further away – will gather in Gleann Cholm Cille, Co. Donegal. They will come in buses, by car, by bicycle, or on foot. They will erect CAMP HAVANA, and walk to the top of Slieve League. Some will take the challenging hike across the whole ridge (accompanied by a trained mountain guide). Some will use a more relaxed walking route; and some will only go as far as the bus can take them. All of them will enjoy Europe’s highest sea cliffs, which are surrounded by scenery incomparable to anywhere else on this earth.

The event will raise awareness of the plight of the Miami Five - five Cuban government agents jailed in the USA for seeking, through entirely non-violent means, to prevent terrorist organisations based in Miami from bombing tourist hotels in Cuba. The Five men have not been convicted of any crime yet they are currently held in maximum-security jails in the USA. At times they have been denied visits by their families, lawyers and consular representatives.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee have stated that the Miami Five have been denied their rights to both a fair legal process and humane conditions of detention by the USA and has called on the US government to rectify their situation. The US Court of Appeals has also confirmed that their trial was unfair and has ordered a re-trial in a neutral venue outside of Miami. Amnesty International have characterised the denial of family visits to the Five as "a form of torture" and have welcomed the decision to annul their convictions pending retrial.

The Sponsored Mountain Walk will take place on Slieve League Peninsula, Europe’s highest sea cliffs, to raise money for the Miami Five campaign and to support medical projects in Cuba.

A range of three different walks will be available:
(a) Introduction 3 – 4 hours
(b) Moderate 5 – 6 hours
(c) Experienced 7 – 8 hours

All walks will set out from the Cashel Village car park at 10.00 am. Busses will be available to take walkers back to the start, if required.

The Miami Five campaign will screen “Mission Against Terror” - a documentary film which explains the story of the Five - in the Glencolmcille Hotel on Saturday 16th at 5.00 pm following the sponsored walk. This will be followed by a public meeting at 6.00 pm with high profile speakers from difference political backgrounds and a concert at 10.00 pm featuring local musicians and salsa dancers.


FOR MORE DETAILS
Contact Bill O’Brien 087-293 9466 (from outside Ireland +353 87 293 9466)

SPONSORSHIP CARDS
These can be obtained from Eleanor Lanigan, phone: 087-242 6755 or email: freemiami5@eircom.net. All intending walkers are encouraged to contact Eleanor to obtain their sponsorship cards as soon as possible to maximise the fundraising potential of the event.

ACCOMODATION IN THE AREA
Can be booked through the local tourist office at 074 - 9730017 (Glencolmcille) or 074 – 9721148 (Donegal Town)