We are the peaceful wives, mothers, daughters, sisters and aunts to 75 prisoners of conscience, jailed on March 18, 19 and 20 of 2003 for the only crime of trying the exercise their right of freedom of expression.  We strive for their immediate and unconditional release. WE ARE THEIR VOICES.  Our pain and injustice unite us.  On March 30, 2003 we attended mass together for the first time at Santa Rita de Casia Church and we walked on 5º Avenida in Miramar, and since then, we have considered that date as the date of the inception of our movement.

We joined without any political motivation or religious affiliation.  IF ONE OF US PARTICIPATES IN ACTIVITIES OF ANY POLITICAL ORGANIZATION, OR OF ANY OTHER CHARACTER, SHE IS REPRESENTING HERSELF AND THEREFORE NOT AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LADIES IN WHITE.

The majority of us, workers, college graduates, technicians or housewives, would have never imagined ourselves in situations and attitudes such as those that we have had to face. Few of us had ever been involved in projects as independent journalists and librarians or human rights activists.  

In March 2003, immediately after the excessive searches, with closed streets, cars and policemen in uniform and plain clothes everywhere, we, the wives started to denounce the terrible and miserable confinement conditions of those that were forced to undergo intense and continuous interrogatories at the Cuartel General de la Seguridad del Estado (Political Police headquarters). Next, they faced swift trials without the due judicial guarantees, with sentences of up to 28 years in prison.  

Our numbers continued to grow. The wives, mothers, daughters, sisters and aunts of the 75 prisoners met mostly in the Security Police headquarters or in the jails.  The prisoners of conscience, residents from all areas in the country, were sent to prisons in opposite sides of our territory, which has caused our families to be penalized and submitted to psychological tortures that affect, and are particularly cruel, for our children and elderly. This gave us the opportunity, during the displacements, to meet each other and the population in general, and it served to raise awareness of the injustices that were perpetrated against the 75.

We demand justice from the competent authorities in our country. We attend mass every Sunday at the Church of Santa Rita de Casia, Protector of Impossible Causes, we march along 5º Avenida in Miramar every Sunday, and in Havana in other occasions. We meet every month at the “Literary Tea” to exchange ideas, read letters and our poetry and that of the prisoners, find out about new injustices, and to support each other. We ask and receive the solidarity of the Cuban people and of the international community.

We have suffered repression in different ways.  The church is practically under siege, there are displays of the political police in public places were we meet, we receive threats at our homes or at Centros de la Seguridad del Estado (State Security Centers); our neighbors are forced to distance themselves from us, they intimidate the people that offer their homes to us when we have to visit our husbands in other provinces. On March 20, 2005 a large group of women organized by State Security appeared while we were marching along 5ª Avenida on the Second Anniversary of the jailing, coinciding with Palm Sunday. Carrying pink gladiolus and blessed palms, we responded peacefully and continued our march singing and praying. First “Meeting or Act of Repudiation”  of the new wave of repression.  Later the intimidations continued, as well as the offences and the aggression to the women and their families.

• Prisoners of conscience are visited frequently by the political police to demand that their wives cease on their continued fight. They are told that the terrible prison conditions area caused by us. They know that they are being lied to. They also try to make them believe that they have been forgotten and that they will remain there until the end of their prison terms, or of their lives. They do not receive adequate medical attention.

• Today, there are 59 in prison. Sixteen have been temporarily released due to illness, and 5 of them were allowed to leave the country, but the remaining 10 who are at home may be returned to prison at any time. On January 10, 2007, Miguel Valdés Tamayo died in a Havana hospital after been temporarily released for medical reasons, due to serious heart ailments. He had visas to travel to The Netherlands and the United States, but the Cuban Government denied him the authorization to leave the country.

The Ladies in White receive the SUPPORT of other Cuban women.  They are welcome and their actions are greatly appreciated because they face repression, although THEY ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE LADIES IN WHITE since they DO NOT have prisoners among the 75.  We also support all other peaceful political prisoners in Cuba.  

On December 14, 2005, we received the Sajarov Award to Freedom of Conscience from the European Parliament, but the Cuban Government DID NOT authorize the 5 delegates to travel to the award ceremony in Strasburg, France, in spite of the efforts made by Mr. Josep Borrel, president of the European Parliament, and by the governments of Great Britain, Spain and others, as well as numerous personalities. Cuban authorities prevented five peaceful women to travel, but showed once again its true nature that violates the most basic human rights.

We received the Human Rights Award for 2004 from the Fundación Hispano Cubana based in Madrid.  

In 2006, the Ladies in White received the Human Rights Award from the NGO Human Rights First, and again were prevented from attending to the award ceremony in New York.

By awarding these recognitions to the Ladies in White these prestigious institutions have given our innocent and dedicated political prisoners new hopes.  The solidarity of governments, parliamentarians, NGOs, personalities and Cubans residing abroad, as well as the information published by the international press, have contributed to save lives and may contribute to reach immediate and unconditional freedom for all.

                        Miriam Leiva - leivachepe@yahoo.com  Telephone: (537) 209 4645

                         Laura Pollán   - polylibre@yahoo.com     Telephone: (537) 873 4165