Appeal of the Friends of Cuba Society (FOCUS-SA) to join the International Campaign of Solidarity with the Five Cuban Antiterrorist Fighters
 
Next September 12, five young Cubans in United States’ jails will reach ten years of unjust prison. On their shoulders rest lengthy convictions, resulting from a politicized trial held in the city of Miami.
 
On September 2, 2008 the Atlanta Court of Appeals denied the reconsideration request presented regarding the Cuban five imprisoned in the United States. This means that the June 4th decision of the three-judge panel is ratified and enters in force.  In consequence, the guilty verdicts of The Five are ratified, confirming the sentences against Gerardo (two life sentences plus 15 years) and René (15 years), and that Judge Joan Lenard, of Miami, can initiate the process to dictate new sentences to Ramón, Antonio and Fernando.
 
Once again the Atlanta Court of Appeals has given protection to the terrorism practiced by the government of that country and decided to perpetuate a cruel, absolute and infamous injustice.
 
This judicial decision places greater and more urgent demands on the International campaign of Solidarity with The Five – beginning this September 12 when they will be incarcerated for a decade -, to urge everyone who believes in justice to join a movement that finally awakens peoples' consciences.
 
Now it is even more imperative to stress the International Campaign and all support actions possible

The decision of the Atlanta Court of Appeals is a continuation in the 21st century of US imperialism’s cold-war hostility towards the Cuban people for daring to uphold their sovereignty and their right to the economic and political system of their choice.
    
The Friend of Cuba Society-SA joins with all those South Africans and progressives, who value the normal, realistic and non-belligerent relations existing between South Africa and Cuba.
 
As people who have benefited from immense international solidarity during our struggle against apartheid and colonialism and as part of the 20th Anniversary of the battle of Cuito Cuanavale, we should remain firmly behind the campaign for release of these Five Cuban patriots and to continue opposing the 49 year old illegal economic blockade by the USA against Cuba for daring to choose a different political and economic system just 90 miles from Miami.
 
We call upon our Government (SA) and all South Africans to join and support the world-wide demand that the Bush Administration release the Cuban Five and safely return them to their homeland and to their families.
 
In defence of the sovereignty of Angola and the freedom of Namibia and our country, South Africa, Cubans gallantly fought and shed their blood in the plains of Angola in the great Battle of Cuito Cuanavale, which marked its 20th anniversary this year. The only thing Cuba took back after the war was the bodies of its internationalist’s fighters.
 
From now on it is very important to advance the international mobilization to "awaken the consciences of the people of the world," above all in the United States, where the mass media tries to hang a curtain of silence around the case.
 
We, the South Africans, join our voices to all those in the world that call for the immediate end to this enormous injustice. We must not give up on this endeavour until truth prevails and these men return to their homeland and to their families.
 
Glory to the five Cuban Patriots and their family members!