Clinton Administration Is Too Lenient Toward Castro

Last week four Brothers to the Rescue pilots, three in their twenties and the fourth a 45-year-old father of a college freshman, flying two unarmed Cessna 337's were shot down without warning or provocation by Cuban MiG's over international waters. Brothers to the Rescue is a humanitarian organization that patrols the Florida straits for Cuban rafters fleeing the island; they have saved the lives of thousands of Cubans fleeing Castro's tyranny as well as many Haitians during their emigration.

Neither plane entered Cuban airspace, but the Castro government nonetheless authorized its fighter pilots to shoot down the Cessnas. Recently disclosed transcripts of the communications between the MiG pilots and Cuban ground control during the conflict provide conclusive evidence that the Castro government, at the time of the shooting, was aware of the fact that the two planes were unarmed and piloted by civilians.

The actions of the Cuban government are nothing less than a flagrant violation of international law and were fully planned and purposefully carried out. Protocol in a situation in which a country feels that its sovereignty is being violated by incoming aircraft is to escort the aircraft out of its territorial zone, or, upon refusal, to make it land. However, the aerial attack was unannounced and outside Cuba's twelve mile territorial zone.

In response to the attack, the Clinton administration has decided to support a bill that will tighten the sanctions of the already existing U.S. embargo and suspend most air travel to the island. It has also prompted an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council in order to obtain a declaration of condemnation against the Cuban government's actions. The administration's response to the attack can only be termed as weak and hesitant. We call on the administration to reconsider and increase the pressure on the illegitimate Castro regime, which is the most oppressive this hemisphere has ever witnessed.

Haitian dictator Raoul Cedras came far short of killing one, much less four, unarmed U.S. citizens, but the Clinton administration nonetheless saw fit to replace his regime by an American-backed government. The dictatorship of Fidel Castro has lasted more than 37 years and has repeatedly resorted to violence and oppression in terms similar to, and even harsher than, the deposed Haitian dictator's. Last week's actions are only Castro's most recent transgressions in a long line of human rights abuses that have resulted in over 300,000 deaths.

Recently, however, the Clinton administration has been affecting rapproachment with Cuba through various diplomatic channels. The cold-blooded, premeditated murder of four Cuban-American exiles flying over international waters, less than one year after the sinking of the 13th of July tugboat--which killed 41 men, women and children--should provide a clear imperative to President Clinton to deal more firmly with Castro.

On a more personal note, the Cuban-American Undergraduate Students Association extends its sympathy and sincerest condolences to the families of Armando Alejandre, Mario de la Pena, Carlos Costa and Pablo Morales. --The Executive Board of the Cuban-American Undergraduate Students Association.   Carlos A. Zumpano '96, President   Elana Oberstein '97, Vice-President   Sharon Lisitzky '97, Treasurer   Ray Rasco '98, Secretary   Mario Garcia-Serra '98   Joaquin Azino '98   Rudy Fernandez '96