[Second paragraph] "God's world is one world." The Social
Principles...the growth of world community." We believe that "God's world is
one world." However, sSuch a world...
For over 20 32 years...prohibiting any
all kinds of trade with Cuba. The Democracy Act of 1992 (22 U.S.C.
6001 et seq.) has tightened the embargo restrictions by penalizing other
countries if their ships stop at Cuba. This policy has
continues to resulted in the loss of an important
commercial market and trade partner for the United States and in the
heightening of heightened tensions in the Caribbean. The
objectives sought by the proponents of this policy in the Cold War era
were to force...
It is now clear that the embargo policy has not succeeded with those
objectives. If anything, its most evident result of the embargo
has been not only that it to forced Cuba to an
even closer political and military reliance on the former Soviet
Union but that it has also increased the suffering of the children and the
elderly due to lack of essential medicines and food. The Cold War is
over, the socialist block of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union has
disappeared and no longer exercises any influence on Cuba's foreign policy or
poses any threat to the United States.
[Sixth paragraph] Whereas, the government of the United States is the only major...Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia and almost...
Whereas, the General Assembly of the United Nations has several times voted overwhelmingly in favor of the United States lifting the embargo and all restrictions against Cuba; and
Whereas, the government of the United States has in recent years strengthened
its commercial and diplomatic relations with other Communist countries
such as the Soviet Union itself, China, Hungary, Poland, and Romania,
Vietnam and has also increased contacts and negotiations with North
Korea, independently of their foreign policy, which differs and
often collides with contradicts that of the United States;
and
Whereas, the Reagan administration declared that the United States
will was not going to use food...
Whereas, the lifting of the economic embargo against Cuba, a member of the
Caribbean Common Market (CARICOM), would help relieve...industry and
agriculture, especially at a time of high unemployment in this
country; and
Whereas, the Ecumenical Council of Cuba (now Council of Churches of
Cuba), of which...and several other international as well
as and U.S. religious bodies...
Whereas, the Ecumenical Council of Cuba has stated that "the space for freedom and action for the work of the Church and of Christians in Cuba has been concretized in political and juridical decisions that have allowed for the growth and expansion of all churches and the possibility of better work for both within and with the rest of civil society"; and
Whereas, more than 250 Christians from approximately 23 Protestant denominations and diverse ecumenical movements met in 1994 with leaders of the Cuban Communist Party and of the government, at the highest levels, to discuss both accomplishments and shortcomings of the revolutionary process and to encourage the government to take measures that guarantee a greater respect for and the promotion of human rights;
Therefore, be it resolved, that The United Methodist Church, from its Christian
and humanitarian perspective, inspired by the love of God and the historic
Methodist commitment to peace and social justice, and in the light of historic
changes with the end of the Cold War, hereby petitions the
government of the United States to lift its economic embargo against Cuba and
to seek negotiations with the Cuban government for the purpose of resuming
normal diplomatic relations requests of the President and Congress
of the United States: 1) the repeal of the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 (22
U.S.C. 6001 et seq.) as well as the 1994 tightening of travel restrictions that
prevent the normal working relationship between religious communities in Cuba
and the United States; and 2) the resumption of normal diplomatic relations
between the government of Cuba and the United States;
Be it further resolved, that the General Conference requests the Council of Bishops and the General Boards of Church and Society and Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church, as well as the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States, to advocate with the President and Congress of the United States for the aforementioned requests.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 22519-GM-R634-U
1996 United Methodist General Conference