EL EXPEDIENTE ACUMULATIVO. INDIRECT REPRESSION

Indirect repression is possible because of the totalitarian nature of Cuban society today. The power of the government is unlimited and is monopolized by the sole political party, the Cuban Communist Party (PCC). In Cuba, individual education, employment, nourishment and health care are manipulated by the state. A citizen's advancement and benefit are determined mostly by his or her degree of "political and ideological integration." This attempt to control every facet of the individual's social expression has operated through a system of coercion that is almost invisible to the foreign eye. This coercion involves:

The use of the Socialist Constitution, a document that legalizes human rights violations. A flagrant example is found in Article 62, which asserts that an individual's rights will only be recognized if said individual adheres to the objectives set forth by the government in its purpose to build a socialist state. Many times the government has violated its own legality. One recent case was in 1989 involving Gen. Arnaldo Ochoa, hero of the Revolution, and other high-ranking military officials. Despite the fact that the crimes they were charged with, mainly drug trafficking, carried a maximum sentence of 20 years, they were condemned for treason and executed. The Constitution states that a national who adopts a foreign nationality will automatically lose his Cuban citizenship. However, since the late 1970's, Cubans nationalized as U.S. citizens and other nationalities have been forced to obtain a Cuban passport when traveling to Cuba - another form of extortion due to the magnitude of the fees charged.

The Cumulative Academic Record

(a) Political, ideological behavior

(b) Affiliation with political and mass organization

(c) Does not belong

(d) Rank and file

(e) Leader

(f) Does not participate

(g) Member (level of participation

(h) Leader

(i) Elementary School

(j) Junior High and Youth Movement

(k) Young Communist Organization

    Cuban Communist Party

         Defense of the Revolution Committee

    Federation of Cuban Women

    Cuban Pioneers Organization

    Junior-High Students Federation

    University Students Federation

(l) Ideological integration

(m) 1. No   2. Lacking information   3.Yes

(n)     Father or Tutor

        Mother or Tutor

(o)     Does the family participate actively in religious or sects activities?

(p)     If they do, which of them?

The Cumulative Academic Record not only documents a student's conduct and grades, but also specifies political integration and organizational involvement, as indicated in the segment above (1). The record also controls each parent's ideological integration (2), evaluated yearly by teachers, who in effect become ideological "police" to the students and their families. Teachers also complete an ideological evaluation for each student each semester. Also note the attempt to supervise religious practice (3).

The Educational System, highly repressive of the youth. Cubans can only receive the education offered by the Marxist-Leninist government. But educational repression takes place in numerous other ways. It is apparent mainly through the Cumulative Academic Record. This special report card is a constant threat to students and their families throughout the academic years. The "ideological integration" and political conduct of the student and each of his/her parents is annually evaluated here. Using this record, the teacher acts as a watchdog of ideological and political loyalty. The threat of a blot on the student's record is a constant warning of impending danger both to the student and parents. The record of political integration determines whether or not the student can have a higher education and which type of career can be pursued. Careers with potential for social impact are typically unattainable for the non-integrated person; Students at Junior High level and above are further exploited by being forced to work in the agricultural fields without compensation.

Control of worker. The Labor Record follows the Cumulative Academic Record, and accompanies the citizen throughout his or her lifetime, documenting ideological conduct. The Record employs behavioral control techniques through a system of "merits" and "demerits" aimed at achieving total political control. Labor unions have become a pivotal method of controlling the worker, instead of his means of defense. Their true function is to support the government's economic plans, indoctrinating and coercing the individual to work without pay through the so-called "voluntary work" system. There is no right to strike.

The procurement of foodstuffs. A ration book has been in effect since 1962. A similar book exists for manufactured goods. The ration books record the rations and transactions of practically all products and have become increasingly restrictive, particularly in this time of economic crisis. This is yet another form of control over the individual. He or she is forced to patronize the stores assigned by the state. It is a crime to buy food from the remaining small farmers in order to manage the great shortages not satisfied by the ration book. This situation is unparalleled in the former communist bloc, including China, where free peasant markets were never outlawed. Free work and private entrepreneurship is also forbidden, thus an individual cannot hire or be hired by another; only the state can perform this economic task. In effect, Cubans have been forced to function at the survival level, constantly concerned with the procurement of food. This situation never existed before the instilling of Castro's totalitarian economic policies.

Control over the geographical mobility of the individual. The personal ID (Carné de Identidad) which must be carried by every citizen 16 years of age and older, looks like a passport, but actually contains much more individual information than would be found in one. Included are past and present places of residence, employment, current and former spouses, children and codes denoting ideological integration. Work and residential mobility is restricted and permission must be granted to leave the country, which is arbitrarily denied.

"Mass Organizations" for children, youth and adult women and men. These organizations, which the individual is coerced to belong to, control even more of the person's free time through constant meetings and the use of "voluntary work" for all ages starting at the school level. The work is usually in the countryside, contributing to the breakdown of family unity and traditional values, political indoctrination and great promiscuity. The latter has resulted in a very high rate of premarital pregnancy and abortions. It has been estimated that there are 80 abortions per 100 births.

Para una exhaustiva explicacion del Expediente Acumulativo:

MITO Y REALIDAD-Testimonio de un Pueblo
Juan Clark
Saeta Ediciones
paginas 209-210-370-371-535-269-270-271-376

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