Reconciliation and Restitution Commission
It is important to express truthfully what the future holds for Cuba and Cubans so as to remove any and all doubt about tomorrow. What I could never do or support is to say I was going to be one thing, like Castro, then turn out to be something completely different. For 48 years now the Castro boys have had their way and they have defined what life would be like without them in charge. They have painted an ugly picture to cover their own cruelty, greed and mismanagement. Therefore Cubans on both sides of the Straits of Florida must approach the NEW CUBA completely opposite of the Castro boys’ government. Above all we must be completely open and transparent with the new government. So let me tell you how it WILL be from the very start so everyone can hold our feet to the fire.
The Castro boys make Cubans work but they get to keep all of the money. We shall let Cubans work then allow them to keep all the money for themselves and their family. That’s because socialist actually DOES work! But this is only at the family level where to each according to his needs (my greedy kids getting all the loot) and from each according to his ability (that’s me the dad – Tomas Paycheck Estrada-Palma). But socialism on a national level is an unmitigated disaster. Anyone who does not see this is either an idiot or making money off it. The Castro boys get to own and operate all of the businesses in Cuba then they get to decide how to spend the profits. In the future Cubans and non Cubans alike will operate ALL of the businesses. Business is none of the government’s business except when business doesn’t follow the rules. The Castro boys established a system to deliver medical care to the people short of everything – doctors, nurses, medicine and facilities. Then the hypocrite Castro sends for Spanish carry-out medical care for himself. Cubans in the 21st Century will have the best medical care their money can buy. The Castro boys are the only landlords in Cuba and they are the biggest slumlords on the planet. Tomorrow Cubans will own their property and be responsible for the buildings upkeep. For taking on that responsibility the Cuban people will have a nicer home and they will get to keep the profit from the dwelling improvements. For 48 years the Castro boys have decided who is head of state – first Fidel and then Raul. In the future we must justly follow the letter of the Cuban Constitution to ask the Cuban population at regular intervals for permission to govern. For 48 years the Castro boys have used beatings, jail, murder, economic punishment and other forms of intimidation to remain in charge of Cuba. In the past the Castro boys found everyone guilty who did not absolutely agree with them. In the future we must have a mechanism to deal with the guilty in a fair minded manner which takes into account the unique circumstances of the Cuban nightmare.
Therefore, I advocate establishing a Reconciliation and Restitution Commission. In fact, Cuban exiles could form this commission right away and begin enacting future policy to be ratified by the general Cuban population after transition. Part of the commission’s task would be to hear property claims so as to work out a just compensation package agreeable to all parties. This would demonstrate to the Cuban public how much capital would flow into their country as a result of being fair and honest. Additionally, the commission would deal with the issue of the criminal behavior of the current regime’s players. In light of this I recommend defendants fall into three categories. The vast majority of Cubans are just doing their job. They should receive no punishment. They have suffered enough. The other two categories should be comprised of those who I’ll tag as the “enforcement elite.” The majority of these enforcers like members of the CDR, police and military have had a gun in their backs. Still, that alone does not absolve them from some measure of guilt. This group should be split into two categories. Those who stop this behavior starting today, come forward once we change from a crooked government to an honest one, to confess their crimes if they have committed any and tell everything, should receive some concessions. Still they must pay restitution to the Cuban people because they, the perpetrators and their victims, the Cuban people will feel that justice has been done. This means depending on the gravity of their crimes they will at they very least owe Cuban society some of their labor to pay back the damage to Cuba that they helped cause. The worst cases must be separated from society for a period both to protect them from angry Cuban victims and also to re-educate them about appropriate behavior in a civilized society. Once we are sure they have sworn off their bad ways we should welcome them back into society. Within this group of enforcers will also be found people who try to hide from their crimes and who continue to commit crimes while they can get away with them now. With these individuals we must be much harsher. If we have to find them to make them pay for their crimes then their restitution and confinement must be greater. Finally, the leaders must pay for their crimes. Fidel is dead and will never be punished for his crimes by man except to say that history will recall him as an evil tyrant after everything is said and done. But people like Raul will never see the outside of a jail cell in this life. If we execute him then we put ourselves on the same barbaric level as Castro’s government. Of course a compromise here would serve everyone’s interest for the sake of time and ending the suffering of the Cuban people. Go into exile before we catch you Raul, take your top leadership with you now and I advocate letting him die in exile. Sure this is unfair that such a beast could go free but the alternative is to permit the continued suffering of the Cuban people for longer than necessary. Just tell the Cuban police to maintain order in civil society, invite the exiles to return so we can start fixing the place up then just go. If this commission gets off the ground properly it will already contain many of the leaders who will guide the new Cuba. But these things should be decided by the commission now so when transition happens, sooner than most realize, we can hit the ground running. Let’s stop allowing the Castro boys to define us. We should tell them how it’s going to be from now on.
Tomás Estrada-Palma
