An
Address By Castro To The UN in October 1995
Mr. President, Mr.
Secretary General, Excellencies ... Half a century ago, the United Nations
organization was born after the conclusion of a monstrous war.An average of 10
million lives were lost at its peak moments. At present, twenty million men,
women and children are dying every year of hunger and curable diseases. Some
wealthy nations have a life expectancy of up to 80 years while others have
hardly 40. So there are billions whose lives are cut off. How long shall we wait
for this carnage to end. The cold war is over but the arms race goes on. And
nuclear and military hegemonism perpetuate themselves. How long shall we wait
for the total removal of all weapons of mass extermination, for the universal
disarmament, and for the elimination of the use of force, arrogance and pressure
in international relations. The obsolete veto
privilege and the ill use of the security council by the powerful are
exalting a new colonialism within the very United Nations. Latin America and
Africa don't have one single permanent member of the Security Council. In Asia,
India has a population of almost one billion, but it does not enjoy that
responsibility. How long, how long shall we wait for the democratization of the
United Nations and for the independence and sovereign equality of states to
become a reality. How long before non-intervention into the internal affairs of
states and true international cooperation take their rightful places.
Breakthroughs in science and technology are increasing daily by the
numbers. But their benefits do not reach the majority of mankind. They
essentially continue to be at the service of a reckless consumerism which is
wasting limited resources and seriously threatening life on earth. How
long shall we have to wait before rationality, equity and justice per vail
in the world. The forests are decreasing, the air
is being poisoned, the rivers are being contaminated. Countless species of
plants and animals are perishing. The soils are impoverished. Old and new
epidemics are expanding grows, and the legions of the dispossessed
continue to multiply. Will the next generations reach the promised land pledged
half a century ago. How many hundreds of millions have already died without ever
seeing it. How many have fallen victims of oppression, hunger, poverty,
and unhealthy living conditions. How many more will still die. We lay
claim to a world without hegemonism, without nuclear weapons, without
interventionism, without racism, without national or religious hatred,
without outrageous acts against the sovereignty of any country. A world of
respect of the independence and self determination of peoples. A world without
universal models that totally disregard the traditions and culture of all
the components of mankind. WE LAY CLAIM TO A
WORLD WITHOUT RUTHLESS BLOCKADES THAT CAUSE THE DEATHS OF MANY MEN, WOMEN AND
CHILDREN, YOUTHS AND ELDERS, LIKE NOISELESS ATOM BOMBS! We
lay claim to a world of peace, justice and dignity where everyone without
exception has the right to well being and to life. Thank you very much.
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"200 million children in the world sleep on the streets, not one of them is
Cuban"