Maravi

Africa will stand by Cuba against imperialism – Wa Mutharika

Africa will stand by Cuba against imperialism – Wa Mutharika
By Larry Moonze in Havana, Cuba
Fri 01 Oct. 2010, 15:20 CAT

AFRICA will stand by Cuba in all its fight against imperialism, Malawian President Bingu Wa Mutharika has said.

On visiting the memorial site for Cuban internationalist combatants who died in African liberation missions on Wednesday here in Havana, President Mutharika said Fidel Castro undertook a risky revolutionary route but had ultimately brought freedom to Cuba.

“Africa and Malawi applaud Fidel Castro and the Cuban people for taking part in the liberation of Africa,” said President Mutharika who is also the Africa Union chairman.

“Africa will stand by Cuba in all its fights against imperialism. Cuba will always have the gratitude and support of the African people…Africa will always appreciate Cuban help and will reciprocate it by supporting the struggle against the policies of the great powers.”

He said it was extremely important that people who lost their lives in the cause of liberating their nations were honoured. President Mutharika said just like Cuba, Africans fought battles to gain independence.

“We all fought for independence in different ways,” he said.

“A lot of people lost lives. In some cases liberation struggle was long, therefore, we must always remember those people who lost their lives in order for us to be free,” he said.

“Those people were courageous… Fidel started the revolution war which was risky and now Cuba is changed.”

President Mutharika said Cuba should count on Africa on its struggles against US sanctions.

He said he was personally determined to struggle for the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial blockade the United States maintains against Cuba.

“I am personally against this hostile US policy that has been imposed on the island for five decades now,” said President Mutharika.

“I have reiterated this stance at the UN General Assembly which has become the African stance and we will continue working for the lifting of that sanction. These criminal sanctions against Cuba are really damaging the Cuban people and therefore that blockade has to be lifted.”

Cuban deputy foreign minister Marcos Rodriguez and Cuba’s envoy to Malawi Carmelina Ramirez Rodriguez received President Mutharika. President Mutharika on this first trip to Havana was accompanied by first lady Callista Mutharika, and Eta E. Banda and Sidik Mia, foreign, and transportation and public infrastructure ministers respectively.

Others are Meter Mwanza (agriculture), David Mphande (health) and Lucious Kanyumba (youth and sports development), Ken Lipenga (tourism), Eunice Kazemba (industry and commerce) and Brian G. Bowler who is Malawian envoy to Havana.

President Mutharika held official talks with President Raul Castro on Wednesday.

Labels: BINGU WA MUTHARIKA, CUBA, NEOCOLONIALISM

posted by MrK @ 8:17 AM