Government supporters again heckle Cuban women in white

Mar 18, 2010, 22:56 GMT

Havana - The dissident Cuban group Ladies in White (Damas de Blanco) were again heckled by hundreds of government supporters Thursday in central Havana.

Over 30 women who make up the group, wives and mothers of 75 dissidents who were arrested on March 18, 2003, attended mass early Thursday at a church in the city's historic centre, and then marched through the streets.

From the moment they left the church, the women were escorted by members of the Cuban security forces dressed in plain clothes, who were later joined by scores of police officers in uniform.

In the meantime, more than 300 supporters of the island's communist government joined the demonstration from the sidelines, shouting slogans in favour of Cuban President Raul Castro and historic Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

In the counter-demonstration, some men and women were visibly ordering around other government supporters.

The Ladies in White made it to the home of their leader, Laura Pollan, where government supporters dispersed.

On Wednesday, female police officers prevented a similar demonstration by temporarily arresting the dissidents and forcing them to Pollan's house on a bus.

On Tuesday, government supporters also heckled the Ladies in White.

The group has scheduled various protest actions for this week to mark the seventh anniversary of the arrest of their loved ones - 75 dissidents who were sentenced to up to 28 years in prison after being stamped 'mercenaries' in the service of the United States.

Of these, 53 remain in prison and at least one has died after a hunger strike.

Cuba has been the target of strong international criticism in recent weeks over the situation of political prisoners, including Orlando Zapata, who died last month while on a hunger strike. Former prisoner Guillermo Farinas is currently on hunger strike and is being force-fed to keep him alive.

Cuban authorities insist that there are no political prisoners on the island and that Zapata and others are common criminals. Human rights organizations, however, say there are about 200 political prisoners in Cuba.

Cuban state television on Wednesday accused the Ladies in White of resorting to 'provocations,' 'aggressions' and 'offenses' against Cuba and its government.

'The Cuban people respond with determination to each and every provocation from small counter-revolutionary groups,' the newscaster said.

Cuban television further denounced an 'international media campaign' against Cuba.

'What are they fighting for? The money they get from the United States every month, that is what they're fighting for!' one passer-by told Cuban television, with reference to the Ladies in White.