The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is the biggest trade union federation in South Africa. It was founded in 1985 with 21 affiliated trade unions, altogether organising 1.8 million workers.
COSATU played a leading role in the struggle against apartheid, organising a range of highly effective wage strikes and also general strikes and mobilising support in factories and towns across the country.
More than 2 000 delegates of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) attending the federation's 10th National Congress on September 2009 approved a resolution on the Cuban Five:
Noting that:
a) This year marks the 50th anniversary of the triumph of the Cuban revolution and that the Cuban people have remained steadfast despite the on-going blockade by the United States of America.
b) The continuing illegal imprisonment of the Cuban Five by the United States of America since 1998.
c) The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions (Human Rights Commission) declaration on May 27, 2005 that “ The deprivation of liberty of Antonio Guerrero Rodriguez, Fernando Gonzalez Llort, Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo, Ramon Labanino Salazar and Rene Gonzalez Sehwerert is arbitrary, being in contravention of article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil Political Rights.”
d) The continued illegal detention of the Cuban Five heroes, whose crime was to defend the territorial integrity of Cuba in the US, with their trial run by forces hostile to the Cuban revolution and its achievements.
e) The illegal and violent sponsoring of counter-revolution to undermine the Cuban revolution by the US, including the embargo to force Cuba to submit its sovereignty.
Believing that:
a) The five Cuban heroes are behind bars in the US prisons for fighting terrorism against Cuba, in which case, the US has been exposed for its double standards in their so-called war against terror, which in actual fact, is meant to target enemies of the empire, even if it means sponsoring terrorists, like Posada Carriles who bombed the Cuban airlines and is safely protected from prosecution by the US.
b) The trial of the Cuban Five did not take place in a climate of objectivity and impartiality which are cornerstones of a just judicial process.
c) That the on-going harassment of the Cuban people is an attempt to undermine their resolve and commitment to live as a sovereign people.
Therefore resolve to:
a) Demand that the United States government immediate grant humanitarian visas to the two Cuban women (Olga Salanueva and Adriana Perez) to visit their husbands in U.S prisons.
b) Call on our government to through the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation engage and demand that the US Administration release the Cuban Five given UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions (Human Rights Commission) declaration of May 27, 2005.
c) Based on the principle that “ Justice delayed is justice denied” to through COSATU demand for the immediate release of the Cuban Five from US prisons by engaging in demonstrations, pickets and protests and marches targeting US Embassies / High Commission Offices, US Officials visiting South Africa, and other US interest sites in SA.
d) Through COSATU strengthen the solidarity with FOCUS, and other over 200 committees formed in 75 countries, including the United States, and in every continent, lobbying for the freedom of the Cuban Five.
e) The work with other organisations in spreading as extensively as possible the truth about the scandalous case of the Cuban Five in the USA.
f) That COSATU must continue to demand the release of the Cuban 5 and the end to the US blockade or sanctions against Cuba, including those by the EU.
