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From: Allen Ruff <[log in to unmask]> 06/27/04 05:33PM >>>
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Fwd: Action Alert: US Treasury Attack on Medical Students....
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2004 17:05:29 -0500
Subject: Action Alert: US Treasury attack on Medical School students
TO: Family, Friends and Supporters of the U.S. Students
Studying Medicine in Cuba
FROM: Rev. Lucius Walker
RE: New Treasury Department Regulations about Travel to
Cuba:
(AN ATTACK ON THE MEDICAL SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM?)
DATE: June 23, 2004
This memo is to inform you about new U.S. regulations governing
travel to Cuba.
These regulations may have direct bearing on the U.S. students who are
studying medicine in Cuba. Therefore, this memo will also outline
what you can do to help prevent an interruption of this wonderful
scholarship program.
Please give your immediate and urgent attention to this matter. It is
important that all families of our students and friends of IFCO/P4P
join with us in protesting these unfair and mean-spirited regulations.
Last week President Bush directed the implementation of new and even
more stringent sanctions against Cuba. Among these new and revised
sanctions are certain changes which, in our view, constitute a direct
attack on the scholarship opportunity which Cuba has extended to 500
U.S. students to study medicine in Cuba.
Some general comments about the regulations are in order.
1. We cannot overlook the racist implications of Bushs actions.
Almost 80 (soon to be 100) African Americans, Latinos, Asian
Americans, Native Americans and poor white students are faced with
the loss of their medical careers. In the first place, they could not
afford to pursue their dreams of becoming doctors in the U.S. Now
their own government is telling them that they cannot accept a full
scholarship from Cuba. Bush has said that this cruel policy is part
of his program to "hasten Cuba's transition to a democratic society."
Well, these changes don't sound very democratic to us.
2. These regulations were formulated behind closed doors, without
opportunity for prior expressions of any points of view other than
those selected because of their extreme views about U.S. policy
toward Cuba.
3. They are "Interim Regulations." Although they are scheduled to go
into effect on June 30, 2004, the period for public comment expires
on August 15, 2004. IT IS EXTREMELY URGENT that you send your
comments protesting these new regulations to OFAC (the Office of
Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department, which is the
office in charge of enforcement of the sanctions against Cuba).
We need to let OFAC know that we consider these new regulations to be
grossly unfair and unreasonable, highly arbitrary, and overly
punitive. They inflict hardships on several categories of persons.
We are especially concerned about the punitive effects of these new
regulations on the U.S. students at the Latin American School of
Medicine; whose only interest is the noble desire to become medical
doctors so they can come back home to the U.S. and serve as doctors
in the indigent communities they come from. Depriving our students of
the opportunity to study in Cuba does nothing to bring about any
objectives of the Regulations or of any legitimate interests of U.S.
foreign policy.
4. In the past, students who lived and studied in Cuba on full
scholarships paid for by persons not subject to U.S. jurisdiction
were not violating the embargo and its regulations, even without
seeking a specific license. In general, the fact that the students
were living and studying in Cuba fell within the category of "fully
hosted travel."
UNDER THE NEW REGULATIONS THE FULLY HOSTED CATEGORY IS REMOVED AND
OFAC NOW CONSIDERS IT ILLEGAL FOR A U.S. CITIZEN TO ACCEPT A GIFT --
INCLUDING SCHOLARSHIP, ROOM, BOARD, ETC. FROM CUBA.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
We must immediately mount a major campaign to insist that our
students be exempt from US Treasury licensing requirements for their
travel to and study in Cuba because they are engaging in full-time
study and incurring no expenses in Cuba.
We urge you to make 4 calls and to write two letters:
First, call your senators, then call your U.S. representative.
In each case call 202-224-3121 and ask for your senators and
representative by name. You will be connected to her/his office. Then
ask to talk to the staff person who works on Cuban affairs or foreign
policy.
The fourth call should be to Kevin Whitaker, head of the Cuba Desk at
the U.S. State Department and his phone number is 202-647-9272.
Secondly, we need you to write a letter and mail it to:
Department of Treasury
OFAC
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20220
Request for Comments and then fax it to : 202-622-1657
Please, also send a second letter to:
The Honorable Colin Powell
Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20520
Phone: 202-647-4000
The points you make when you write the letters and make the phone
calls should be your own words. Speak from your heart! Talk about how
these new regulations dash the hopes of youngsters from our
communities. Be sure to let them know that we see these "Interim
Regulations" as attacks on a wonderful opportunity and on our hopes
for better health care.
These "Interim Regulations" won't hurt Cuba but they will hurt Black
and Latino communities. Be strong; be forceful; be honest; logic and
justice are on our side. Make a passionate plea for an exemption of
the US students so that they can continue their education
Thank you -- the students thank you -- and the communities they will
serve thank you.
"Let us not love in word: but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:18
IFCO/Pastors for Peace
402 W 145th Street, New York, NY 10031
212-926-5757; fax: 212-926-5842; web: http://www.ifconews.org
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" Cuba Information Access " The current events in La Republica de Cuba...
Where else are you going to get it from ? [log in to unmask]>
--
Nancy Mikelsons [log in to unmask]
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