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10/29/09 - Amnesty International (New York) - Obama should follow UN lead
on Cuba embargo

Barack Obama should follow the lead of the UN General Assembly and take all
necessary steps to end its economic embargo against Cuba, said Amnesty
International on Thursday, after the UN body condemned US sanctions against
the island.

Amnesty International said that it believes the embargo is particularly
affecting Cubans’ access to medicines and medical technologies, putting
lives at risk.

In a record vote, 187 countries said the US should end its embargo against
Cuba.

The US, Israel and Palau voted against the resolution. Federated States of
Micronesia and the Marshall Islands abstained.

It is the 18th consecutive year the UN has passed such a resolution and the
first under President Obama.

"The US embargo against Cuba is putting at risk the lives of millions by
preventing them from accessing vital medicines and medical technologies,"
said Kerrie Howard, deputy director of Amnesty International's Americas
programme. "These sanctions are immoral and should be lifted immediately."

Because of the US embargo, Cuba faces severe restrictions in importing
medicines, medical equipment or technologies from the USA or from any US
company abroad. The sanctions also limit other imports to the island and
restrict travel and the transfer of money.

According to data from the United Nations, Cuba’s inability to import
nutritional products for consumption at schools, hospitals and day care
centres, is contributing to a high prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia.
UNICEF reported that in 2007, 37.5 per cent of Cuba's children under three
years old had anaemia.

Children’s health was also put at risk by a decision from US syringe
suppliers to cancel an order of three million disposable syringes made in
2007 by UNICEF’s Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization when it
became known that the units were destined for the implementation of a
programme in Cuba.