Cuban hunger striker says he is near death

[Sandokan]

Cuban hunger striker says he is near death
Cuban hunger striker says he is near death | Top News | Reuters

Mon Jul 5, 2010 8:17pm EDT
By Jeff Franks

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban hunger striker Guillermo Farinas said in a statement posted on the Internet on Monday that he is near death and that Fidel and Raul Castro will be to blame if he dies.

His comments followed a report in the Communist Party newspaper Granma on Saturday that Farinas, who has refused to eat for 131 days, was in danger of dying from a blood clot in his neck and that further medical treatment may be difficult.

"I am conscious of my nearing death and I consider it an honor because I am trying to save the lives of 25 political prisoners and (prisoners) of conscience that the homeland needs as leaders," said Farinas.

The 48-year-old psychologist is demanding the release of 25 jailed government opponents said to be in poor health.

His case is the latest dissident protest in Cuba to capture international attention. The February 23 death of another hunger striker, Orlando Zapata Tamayo, drew condemnation from the United States and Europe.

First some background about Guillermo Fariñas. He is a 48 years old mestizo (mix race), married and father of daughter, that used to believe in Fidel Castro’s revolution. He risked his live fighting in Angola during the 1980s. He was a militant of the Union of Young Communists and member of Castro’s elite troops, but in 1989 when General Arnaldo Ochoa was shot, accused of drug trafficking, Fariñas began to have second thoughts.

Fariñas has a degree in psychology and performed as a teacher, joining the dissident movement in 1997, and became an independent journalist. He said: “I am a firm believer that when the government sees that the result of the hunger strikes is dissidents dying like flies; they will sit down and negotiate. These strikes are our weapons of pressure, we have nothing else.”

The probability of Fariñas’ death is practically certain, but his sacrifice will not be in vain. A great number of people in the world by now know about him and are aware of his cause. His hunger strike has forced the dictatorship to recognize that the incarceration of a large number of political prisoners is no longer feasible.

 

[spud_meister]

i really don't think suicide is a good protest method.

 

[Councilman]

I believe it's as dumb as it gets to kill yoorself if you don't het what you want. It's the classic example of stupidity. Once your dead you can't fight for what you want and since it just about never works why do it.

Live to fight another day. Van anyone remember the name of anyone who was successful with a hunger strike? I can't.

Once the protest id over the cause fades away.


Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.

 

[spud_meister]

Live to fight another day. Van anyone remember the name of anyone who was successful with a hunger strike? I can't.

a couple of irish people, gandhi, but the trick is, they didn't tharve themselves to death, they got fed eventually

 

[Sandokan]

i really don't think suicide is a good protest method.

Fariñas and other Cuban dissidents are risking their lives for the freedom of their country; for the basic human rights of free speech, free press and freedom of assembly. Their unselfish sacrifice will accelerate the transition to democracy on the island.

Let´s not forget Fariñas has been offered asylum to leave the country several times, but he has been steadfast in continue with the hunger strike seeking the release of 26 political prisoners in poor health, choosing to stay in Cuba. He has said: “I’m going to accept this challenge until the final consequence. I would like to live, if my conscience allows me to do so, when I’m sure that nobody else is going to die.”

 

[jamesrage]

First some background about Guillermo Fariñas. He is a 48 years old mestizo (mix race), married and father of daughter, that used to believe in Fidel Castro’s revolution. He risked his live fighting in Angola during the 1980s. He was a militant of the Union of Young Communists and member of Castro’s elite troops, but in 1989 when General Arnaldo Ochoa was shot, accused of drug trafficking, Fariñas began to have second thoughts.

Fariñas has a degree in psychology and performed as a teacher, joining the dissident movement in 1997, and became an independent journalist. He said: “I am a firm believer that when the government sees that the result of the hunger strikes is dissidents dying like flies; they will sit down and negotiate. These strikes are our weapons of pressure, we have nothing else.”

The probability of Fariñas’ death is practically certain, but his sacrifice will not be in vain. A great number of people in the world by now know about him and are aware of his cause. His hunger strike has forced the dictatorship to recognize that the incarceration of a large number of political prisoners is no longer feasible.

What a ****ing retard. He has no one to blame for his suicide attempt but himself. No president, dictator, prime minister, King/Queen or who ever the hell else is not ever going to give in to such idiotic suicidal attempts. Castro is going to laugh his ass off just as anyone should when they try to use emotional blackmail as though someone in power actually cares.

 

[jamesrage]

Fariñas and other Cuban dissidents are risking their lives for the freedom of their country; for the basic human rights of free speech, free press and freedom of assembly. Their unselfish sacrifice will accelerate the transition to democracy on the island.

Let´s not forget Fariñas has been offered asylum to leave the country several times, but he has been steadfast in continue with the hunger strike seeking the release of 26 political prisoners in poor health, choosing to stay in Cuba. He has said: “I’m going to accept this challenge until the final consequence. I would like to live, if my conscience allows me to do so, when I’m sure that nobody else is going to die.”

You are living in a pipe dream. Castro does not give a **** about him or someone outside his country caring why some moron commits suicide. If his goal is to make Casto die of laughter then that could work, although I sure Castro has a Brother,cousin, son or some other relative just like him who will take his place.

 

[Gray_Fox_86]

Then eat something!

 

[Your Star]

Eat something, and fight another day. Protest are good, hunger strikes are stupid.

 

[digsbe]

Is not a living person more effective at changing things than a dead person who starved in order to get a government that has no regard for human rights to change? I understand this guys sentiment, but protest through slow suicide is foolish. He can do more good being alive than being dead.

 

[Frozengale]

I'm going to have to agree. Hunger Striking is a horrible way to die and a horrible way to get what you want. I doubt Castro will release these guys once he the striker dies.

 

[Sandokan]

Cuba dissident Guillermo Farinas ends hunger strike
BBC News - Cuba dissident Guillermo Farinas ends hunger strike

9 July 2010 03:04 UK

Cuban dissident Guillermo Farinas has ended his hunger strike after the government announced it was freeing 52 political prisoners.

Mr Farinas, who has been refusing food for more than 130 days, was reported to have been near death in recent days.

The death of another hunger striker in February put pressure on Cuba.

Mr Farinas began his fast after Orlando Zapata Tamayo's death following an 85-day hunger strike.

After ending his protest, Mr Farinas issued a statement via his supporters from a hospital in the city of Santa.

"This confrontation...has no winners or losers, only Cuba, our nation, has won," he said.

I am very happy that Fariñas has ended his hunger strike. Most people didn’t want to see him continue the hunger strike and die. His unselfish sacrifice has been an important factor on the promise release of 52 political prisoners by the regime.

 

[Frozengale]

I am very happy that Fariñas has ended his hunger strike. Most people didn’t want to see him continue the hunger strike and die. His unselfish sacrifice has been an important factor on the promise release of 52 political prisoners by the regime.

Quitter.

Okay that was in poor taste. But still, did he get some sort of promise from Castro himself that if he went without food for so many days that they would release the political prisoners? If not then this seems like a desperate man hurting himself in a stupid attempt to sway another man that isn't exactly known for being kind and generous to his people.

 

[peepnklown]

Allow yourself to die, that will show ‘em! :doh

 

[jamesrage]

I am very happy that Fariñas has ended his hunger strike. Most people didn’t want to see him continue the hunger strike and die. His unselfish sacrifice has been an important factor on the promise release of 52 political prisoners by the regime.

There is nothing unselfish about trying to commit suicide in order to manipulate his government through some sort of form emotional extortion. People like him are ****ing retarded. The idea that some dictator is going to give a rats ass about someone who is a nobody or a **** stain of society is laughable.

 

[d0gbreath]

I am very happy that Fariñas has ended his hunger strike. Most people didn’t want to see him continue the hunger strike and die. His unselfish sacrifice has been an important factor on the promise release of 52 political prisoners by the regime.

And it worked! Hurrah for the human spirit. That dude must be skeletal. I hope he can regain his strength.

Of course a bunch of obese Americans are never going to understand. They panic if supper is late.

 

[MaggieD]

The human body cannot LIVE without food for 131 days. This guy's been snackin'. The saying is: "3 Minutes/3 Days/3 Weeks." (Air/Water/Food) I can't imagine that a hunger-strike-to-the-death is an effective way of protesting conditions.

 

[jamesrage]

And it worked! Hurrah for the human spirit. That dude must be skeletal. I hope he can regain his strength.

Of course a bunch of obese Americans are never going to understand. They panic if supper is late.

I think most Americans believe that a president of a country, king, prime minister and especially communist dictator is not going to give a rats ass if some nobody intentionally starves himself to death as some sort of emotional black mail in hope that person will do what they want. If anything Casto is laughing his ass off assuming it even hit his radar.What next, is code pink going to starve themselves to disband the military and end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Is peta-tards going to starve themselves in hopes that a Hillshire Farms closes its sausage plant, maybe some Chinese will starve themselves hoping China frees Tibet?

 

[Frozengale]

And it worked! Hurrah for the human spirit. That dude must be skeletal. I hope he can regain his strength.

Of course a bunch of obese Americans are never going to understand. They panic if supper is late.

Of course someone is going to blanket statement everyone who disagrees with them. Funnily enough I go on a fast at least once a month (Usually that's 20-24 hours without food). Also I have gone 3 days without food by choice (No I wasn't starving myself to convince the dictatorial Dean to release the Vending Machines from captivity, it was more just a "For Fun" thing). So yeah I panic if supper is late.... but only if it's 5 days late.

 

[Sandokan]

Quitter.

Okay that was in poor taste. But still, did he get some sort of promise from Castro himself that if he went without food for so many days that they would release the political prisoners? If not then this seems like a desperate man hurting himself in a stupid attempt to sway another man that isn't exactly known for being kind and generous to his people.

Yes he got it. Certainly the mediation by the Spanish government and the Cuban Catholic church help on the release of the political prisoners, but the bulk of the merit for their release shall go to Orlando Zapata who died as a hero last February after a prolong hunger strike, without compromising his ideals; to the Ladies in White weekly Sunday protest for years demanding the release of their love ones, and to Guillermo Fariñas with his hunger strike seeking the release of 26 political prisoners in poor health. They brought world attention to the suffering of the political prisoners, forcing the regime to mediate and start their release.

 

[Sandokan]

The human body cannot LIVE without food for 131 days. This guy's been snackin'. The saying is: "3 Minutes/3 Days/3 Weeks." (Air/Water/Food) I can't imagine that a hunger-strike-to-the-death is an effective way of protesting conditions.

Here is the answer to your question: A week after he started the hunger and water strike, Fariñas lost consciousness and was rushed to a hospital where doctors gave him fluids and glucose intravenously. Once discharged, he went home and resumed his fast. A week later, after suffering a second collapse, he was taken to the hospital and admitted to intensive care unit. Since then he has been feed intravenously until he end his strike. His health has been deteriorated to such an extent that will be very difficult his recuperation.

 

[Sandokan]

The military regime calls dissidents "mercenaries” hired by the U.S. Government. Fariñas in an interview sagaciously remarks that mercenary are not known for dying for their ideas, he said, “No mercenary dies for his ideas, mercenaries die for money."

A mercenary is a professional soldier hired by a foreign army. A mercenary is essentially motivated by money. The Cubans dissidents aren’t professional soldiers of a foreign country, nor are they motivated by money. They are motivated by their ideals and patriotism.

 

[MaggieD]

Sandokan said:

The probability of Fariñas’ death is practically certain, but his sacrifice will not be in vain. A great number of people in the world by now know about him and are aware of his cause. His hunger strike has forced the dictatorship to recognize that the incarceration of a large number of political prisoners is no longer feasible.

This is so very sad. I don't know what to say except that I hope he receives his reward in the afterlife. What a shame. And what honor and loyalty he has.

 

[Sandokan]

In the past the regime has used the political prisoners as a bargaining tool, releasing a number of prisoners in a trade for diplomatic or economic agreements. After that the regime has imprison a new group of dissidents, to be use in a future bargaining pressure for political concessions.