Message from MINH in XVI Conference of Heads of State and Government of the NAM

Written by Olga Sanabria / MINH

XVI Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement, 2012, Tehran

Ladies and Gentlemen, Heads of State and Government,
Ministers,
Ambassadors and Ambassadors,
Delegates all

First of all we thank the Islamic Republic of Iran for the welcome you have given us in this beautiful, dynamic and hospitable city of Tehran. The friendship of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the cause of Puerto Rico has become manifest in the Decolonization Committee of the United Nations, and also why we express our gratitude, as we express it to Cuba, other countries Committee and all the friendly countries of Puerto Rico. Again, the Non-Aligned Movement reaffirmed the inalienable right of the people of Puerto Rico to self-determination and independence in accordance with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of the United Nations General Assembly and calls for the immediate implementation of the resolutions of UN Puerto Rico. On August 18 marked 40 years since the first resolution on Puerto Rico’s decolonization committee in 1972, and now are 31 resolutions of the Committee thereon.

Again we stand before you as a force which advocates independence for Puerto Rico because Puerto Rico’s colonial status has only real and fair solution under international law and within the framework of the International Community. The power relationship between colonizers and colonialism sufferers has not been and can not be part of the solution to a problem contrary to international law and human rights. So Puerto Rico is subject to the international agenda and the Latin American and Caribbean region where the newly formed Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to include in its agenda the case of Puerto Rico and the total eradication of colonialism in our region, as including the case of the Falkland Islands.

In Puerto Rico, since his election in 2008 the current government and colonial annexation has abused its majority in the legislature to undermine colonial institutions and civil, cultural, social and civic Puerto Ricans (as). Abuse was the recent referendum, in which using a campaign of fear and manipulation was intended to reduce the people choose their own rights and also shrink the legislature. But in that referendum the people said Enough! Voted NO and dealt a stunning defeat to the colonial government. In a referendum held in November colonial policies that could have consequences for the interior, but not directed towards a process of decolonization, as will any plebiscite or mechanism that takes place outside the application of international law to our case.

Despite all the abuses of power in Puerto Rico has forged a consensus anticolonial and exchange a claim which is added to maintain our distinctive achievement of Latin American and Caribbean cultural identity, widely recognized by the international community. And adds to many other historical achievements of the Puerto Rican people in their struggle. At present, our agenda remains intense struggle, including the struggle for freedom of Oscar López Rivera, who has over 31 years imprisoned for his actions in favor of the independence of Puerto Rico. Thirty-one years is a cruel and inhumane and we strongly urge the demand for the release of Oscar López Rivera, and other Puerto Rican political prisoners.

It is being reciprocated the support expressed in the nineteenth century Puerto Ricans (as) to the struggle for independence in our region, in particular in favor of the independence of Cuba. Today we reaffirm our support for the struggles that are taking place in the world for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of States and directed the war from the outside, as in the case of Syria, the right to development and energy sovereignty, as in the case of Iran, and the essential struggle for peace. As we express support for the struggles of the Palestinian and Sahrawi.

To conclude international support for self-determination and independence of the people of Puerto Rico have to keep growing. The achievements of the people of Puerto Rico will continue to grow and achieve our independence.

Thank you very much.
Free the Cuban Five!
Freedom for Oscar López Rivera!
Viva Puerto Rico Libre!
Message Olga I. Davila Sanabria, Member of the National – National Hostos Independence Movement of Puerto Rico (MINH) – Executive Secretary of the Committee of Puerto Rico to the United Nations
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Note: In the Final Declaration of NAM, in the paragraph on Puerto Rico (under section The right to self-determination and independence), NAM reaffirmed the right of the people of Puerto Rico to self-determination and independence on the basis of the resolution 1514 (XV) of the General Assembly [United Nations], and expressed its unwavering support for the resolutions on Puerto Rico adopted by the Committee of UN Decolonization Committee calling for their immediate implementation.