In the middle of all the tears and the razzmatazz following the death of Nelson Mandela there was one small handshake that could change the lives of millions.
For Barack Obama shook the hand of Raoul Castro. (Why am I writing about this now - because I'm off to Cuba in the New Year, and so I've kept an eye or two on Cuban news in recent months).
There has been no official diplomacy between America and Cuba for almost sixty years ... and here's where I have a question. I understand that countries fall out, that harsh words may be said and even bombs dropped. I understand that it takes time for people to lick their wounds, to sulk, to huff and puff and generally declare everlasting loathing. But at the end of the day, conflicts are solved by talking.
I know Nelson Mandela was exceptional, that it took time for both sides in South Africa to understand that they were locked in a mutually destructive way of being and to set up Reconciliation Committees, to admit the horror of what had happened and bring people together. Countries in the Former Yugoslavia are now reconciled to each others' independence. Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland continue to work towards peace. Americans are even, quietly, talking with the Taliban. The Syrians will, eventually have to meet around a table.
So how come it's taken sixty years after a silly scrap for Cuba and America to be brave enough to risk the one small handshake that might lead to some sort of reconciliation? Why did nobody sit them in the naughty corner till they both said sorry?
Wonder it might have been something to do with Fidel?
ReplyDeleteIt probably does - no doubt there's a lot of huffing and puffing behind the scenes that we never hear about.
DeleteHi Jo - enjoy your Cuba trip .. I sort of follow you around! Trouble keeping up though.
ReplyDeleteThe recent Services have been interesting to watch ... and to see the interactions, to read the articles in the different newspapers ...
I wonder if Kennedy had lived whether those differences would have been resolved earlier - but communism is still around, as are dictators ... just wish the world would realise there's no point in being belligerent ... especially when others' lives are at risk.
Being in the right place at the right time ... and would any other American President have done the same? I wonder ....
Cheers and Happy Christmas and New Year, and of course happy travelling in 2014 .. Hilary
Thank you, Hilary - and happy travelling to you, too.
DeleteI agree with you, Jo. I could say more, but I'll leave it at that!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds heartfelt, Miriam - and I know you're in Israel, so I've no doubt you've your own stories about the need for peace.
DeleteIt's very tempting, but I don't want to get drawn into politics.
DeleteWise woman, Miriam.
DeleteI don't know much about Cuba Jo but I know that Ireland has a long way to go to have peace. I have family in the north and they would never even visit the south. They were brought up in the middle of the troubles and they're still bitter. I would just love the whole world to be at peace .
ReplyDeleteHow sad, Anne. I, too, have friends in the north but they are happy to go anywhere on the island - they may live in a different area, and have been differently touched. But eventually bitterness has to give way. If the Laotians can do it, and the Cambodians can do it - I hope one day the Irish can find a way to truly put the Troubles behind them.
DeleteIf only World politics was as easy to solve as the use of a naughty corner, but sadly it's not. Countries will always fight with each other, or so it seems. Have a lovely time tho I suspect we'll talk before you go :-)
ReplyDeleteI suppose I don't see fighting as inevitable - there has to be a better way. (Can't help feeling that women would be slower to resort to fisticuffs. Except Thatcher, of course.)
DeleteI just hope the handshake leads to something more meaningful Jo. Sadly, even the Nelson Mandelas of the world cannot bring about peace between those who are determined to continue the animosity. It's a miracle there's been no civil war in South Africa and that's largely due to Mandela's inspiring influence, but people are still being killed there for being the wrong colour or having the wrong politics - on all sides. So sad. I would so love to crawl into your suitcase when you fly off to Cuba. It's highest on my wish list after Greece.
ReplyDeleteI know a small handshake can't wipe away the past, but surely we can learn from the lack of bloodbath in South Africa - it may not be all sweetness and light, but it could have been so much worse. And they managed it by talking.
DeleteThe ongoing American embargo with Cuba is one of the most ridiculous leftover pieces of the Cold War ever. It's just stupid. Grumble grumble grumble.
ReplyDeleteQuite - it's just stupid. My feelings exactly.
DeleteI presume you were being lighthearted in order to provoke debate? The naughty step analogy is somewhat inadequate (and possibly insulting to the people who have suffered in Cuba over this past 60 years - go to the Museo de la Revolution and you may get what I mean!) Apartheid is a much more appropriate analogy. We have all been practising economic apartheid on Cuba for the past 60 years. What happened is: Cuba was economically enslaved to US. They took back their country and means of production. NOTE TOOK BACK. The US then embarked on a 60 year orgy of imperialist economic apartheid. Playing Castro as a 'dictator' simply shows an ignorance of the wider issues. There's a couple of books you might read before you go as I think you owe it to yourself to know more about the poltiics/economics/society/history of Cuba before you go (especially if your Spanish is weak) I can recommend 'War, Racism and Economic Injustice' (Castro ) isbn 1876175478 described as 'A damning analysis of the world economic and political order from one of the principal voices of the Third World.' and To Speak the Truth (Castro/Guevara) isbn 0873486331 described as 'Why Washington's Cold War against Cuba doesn't end.' Might I remind all who think Castro is a 'dictator' that Mandela was also a 'terrorist' wasn't he? Before we all woke up and realised we were being conned. Or maybe there are those who can still justify apartheid? Well, there's as much justification for the embargo. WE are the aggressors here. And as for a handshake at a Mandela commemoration event - anyone who wouldn't shake hands at an event commemorating a man who went the extra mile and then some (such as our own David Cameron who seemed to think he'd been really 'clever' to avoid shaking hands with Raoul Castro and Robert Mugabe) really shouldn't have been there should they? For the rest of us, we need to do more than handshakes. We need to wake up to the fact that our world view is not the only one. To achieve world peace we ALL need to start seeing beyond the propaganda we are fed on a daily basis. It's quite possible that Mandela turning to armed struggle was inspired by the success of the armed struggle in the Cuban Revolution. I might also point out that Cuba has a written constitution, which is more than we in Britain do! And finally, since you may well meet 'dissident' opinion (many more of them speak English than the general population) you might wonder how in such an 'oppressive' regime it's so easy to find people speaking out against it! To achieve any kind of a balance you'll need to go a lot further than shaking hands with people you meet on the streets of Havana. I hope you have a really great trip. It's a wonderful place, with wonderful people and I have to say Cuba is the place I've learned most about morality and sacrifice and least about oppression. But you owe it to yourself to be more than an 'economic tourist' because if you look back at the history you'll see the irony of this position. To strive for world peace we need to start trying to understand other ways and cultures not constantly impose our own on them. As Nandi Mandela said 'stop pointing the finger and start leading by example.' That's what each of us can and should be doing. Sorry for any offence caused but it's something I feel somewhat strongly about as you may have guessed.
ReplyDeleteStrong feelings are fine, Cally.
DeleteAnd I agree - we cannot have peace without celebrating all that we have in common and our differences. There is no one right way to organise families, or societies, or politics - and accepting that will mean a huge shift of thinking in America, especially, where they seem to think that their construction of 'freedom' is perfect and universally applicable. But not talking to people you disagree with - that's the bit that feels childish.
I'll see what I find - and know it will be but a snapshot of life for the few people I meet. And yes, it will take more than handshakes. But I promise I'm going without prejudices. (I hope my books are evidence of that?)
If there were a naughty corner for politicians, it'd have to be an awfully large corner.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, sometimes a handshake is... just a handshake. This isn't the first time an American president has shaken hands with Cuba's leader. President Clinton shook hands with Fidel Castro somewhere around 2000 or so. If I remember right, it was at some sort of U.N. meeting. Both Clinton and Obama were immediately criticized by right-wing American politicians and Cuban-Americans, but just as nothing changed in 2000, I doubt if anything will change this time, either. But we can always hope.
Thank you, Susan. I had heard that Clinton shook Fidel's hand, and it came to nothing. But, like you, I hope things change this time - not talking is bonkers after all this time. Or are Cuban-Americans still so entrenched in bitterness that they can't see the reality that change can only come with dialogue.
DeleteAs for that naughty corner - yes, it would be huge. But maybe better than surely shooting each other, or retreating in a 60-year huff.