Swedish-Cuban Association
Encyclopedia
The Swedish–Cuban Association is a Swedish
-based organization supporting strengthened political ties between Sweden
and Cuba
. The Swedish–Cuban Association presents itself as a "politically unrestricted friendship association" with the objective of "supporting the socialist revolution on Cuba and the Cuban people's struggle against imperialism
and promoting contacts and cooperation between the Swedish and the Cuban people".
The association has departments in various towns around Sweden. The national board, consisting of representatives for the local work, the board's working committees and the association's secretariat with förbundssekreterare, carries out the central work. The chairman of the association is Martin Österlin.
The Swedish–Cuban Association publishes the paper Kuba whose editor and responsible publisher is Eva Björklund
, alternate national board member of the Swedish Left Party
. Several other conductive members of the Left Party are current or former members of the organization, among them the party leader Lars Ohly
. He declared in September 2005 that he was leaving the association, saying that he was not interested in being a lasting member in an organization which "slavishly follows what the Cuban regime says".
The association has also criticised the human rights
organisation Amnesty International
, because of Amnesty's criticism against political prisoners in Cuba. In its leaflets, the Swedish-Cuban Association has accused Amnesty International of "lying about Cuba
" .
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
-based organization supporting strengthened political ties between Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. The Swedish–Cuban Association presents itself as a "politically unrestricted friendship association" with the objective of "supporting the socialist revolution on Cuba and the Cuban people's struggle against imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
and promoting contacts and cooperation between the Swedish and the Cuban people".
The association has departments in various towns around Sweden. The national board, consisting of representatives for the local work, the board's working committees and the association's secretariat with förbundssekreterare, carries out the central work. The chairman of the association is Martin Österlin.
The Swedish–Cuban Association publishes the paper Kuba whose editor and responsible publisher is Eva Björklund
Eva Björklund
Eva Birgitta Björklund is a Swedish Left Party politician. She is currently a substitute to the board of the Left Party, and editor of the periodical Kuba which is published by the Swedish-Cuban Association. She is a former chairman of the Swedish-Cuban Association...
, alternate national board member of the Swedish Left Party
Left Party (Sweden)
The Left Party is a socialist and feminist political party in Sweden, from 1967 to 1990 known as the Left Party – The Communists .On welfare issues, the party opposes privatizations...
. Several other conductive members of the Left Party are current or former members of the organization, among them the party leader Lars Ohly
Lars Ohly
Lars-Magnus Harald Christoffer Ohly is a Swedish politician, currently serving as party chairman of the Swedish Left Party, in August 2011 Ohly announced his resignation. He was elected party chairman on 20 February 2004, succeeding Ulla Hoffmann....
. He declared in September 2005 that he was leaving the association, saying that he was not interested in being a lasting member in an organization which "slavishly follows what the Cuban regime says".
The association has also criticised the human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
organisation Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, because of Amnesty's criticism against political prisoners in Cuba. In its leaflets, the Swedish-Cuban Association has accused Amnesty International of "lying about Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
" .