C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 001406 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI), WHA/CCA, AND DRL/IRF E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2013 TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV CU PHUM PGOV CU VT VTPRELSUBJECT: HOLY SEE'S PASSIVE APPROACH TO GOC DISSIDENT CRACKDOWN REF: A) STATE 75175 B) VATICAN 195 CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) DCM CONVEYED REF (A) DEMARCHE CONCERNING THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT'S ONGOING DISSIDENT CRACKDOWN MARCH 26 TO DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER PIETRO PAROLIN.
PAROLIN INDICATED THE HOLY SEE WAS FOLLOWING THE CRACKDOWN WITH CONCERN, AND WOULD CLOSELY REVIEW THE U.S. POINTS. POLOFF FOLLOWED UP MARCH 28 WITH MFA CUBAN AFFAIRS DIRECTOR MONS. GIORGIO LINGUA, WHO STRESSED THAT THE HOLY SEE WAS IN A "SPECIAL SITUATION" VIS-A-VIS CUBA BECAUSE OF ITS NEED TO PROTECT THE VULNERABLE CATHOLIC CHURCH PRESENCE THERE (REF B). LINGUA POINTED OUT THAT THE HOLY SEE'S TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO UNHRC COUNTRY RESOLUTIONS WAS TO STAY AWAY FROM DIRECT ENGAGEMENT. CONSEQUENTLY, THE HOLY SEE WOULD NOT ENGAGE ACTIVELY FOR A UNHRC RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE RECENT CUBAN GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN ON POLITICAL DISSIDENTS. HE ASSURED US, HOWEVER, THAT "IF ANOTHER COUNTRY CAME TO SEEK OUR OPINION, WE WOULD CERTAINLY UNDERSCORE THE UNACCEPTABILITY OF CASTRO'S RECENT ACTION."
¶2. (C) REGARDING THE CONTENTS OF A UNHRC RESOLUTION, LINGUA URGED THAT ANY SUCH RESOLUTION CONTAIN SOME CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENT SUCH AS NOTING THE CASTRO REGIME'S PERMISSION FOR OSVALDO PAYA TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE TO RECEIVE A HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD. AS FOR PUBLICLY CALLING FOR RELEASE OF THE IMPRISONED ACTIVISTS, LINGUA SAID THAT HOLY SEE GENERALLY DOES NOT ISSUE PUBLIC APPEALS, BUT WOULD WORK QUIETLY AND DIRECTLY WITH THOSE INVOLVED TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. ASKED IF THAT MEANT THE HOLY SEE WOULD INSTRUCT ITS NUNCIO IN HAVANA TO ENGAGE, HE DEMURRED. IN THIS REGARD, LINGUA (PROTECT) CONVEYED HIS PERSONAL CHAGRIN THAT THE NUNCIO APPEARS TO HAVE "GIVEN UP ON POLITICAL CHANGE UNDER THE CASTRO REGIME." HE ADDED THAT CARDINAL ORTEGA'S RECENT STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE CRACKDOWN (AND, WITH A SOP TO THE REGIME, DECRYING OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE) WOULD HAVE TO DO FOR NOW.
¶3. (C) ACCORDING TO LINGUA, THE HOLY SEE BELIEVES THE CUBAN CLERGY SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON CHURCH BUSINESS AND AVOID ANTAGONIZING THE CASTRO REGIME IN ORDER TO AVERT ANY FURTHER REPRESSION ON THE CHURCH. IN AN EARLY MARCH CONVERSATION, LINGUA TOLD POLOFF THAT CARDINAL ORTEGA IS TRYING TO BALANCE SUCH "SOFT PRESSURE" ON THE GOC FOR GREATER RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, AGAINST MORE THE OVERT POLITICAL ACTIVISM OF BISHOP GONZALEZ OF PINAR DEL RIO. AT THAT TIME LINGUA FEARED THAT THE CASTRO GOVERNMENT MIGHT MOVE AGAINST BISHOP GONZALEZ IF HE BECAME TOO "PROVOCATIVE" IN HIS SUPPORT OF DISSIDENT ACTIVISTS. LINGUA WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AT CARDINAL ORTEGA'S STRONG PASTORAL LETTER DENOUNCING THE CONTINUING LACK OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN CUBA, AND CHARACTERIZED ORTEGA AS "COURAGEOUS" AND THE LETTER AS EVIDENCE THAT ORTEGA IS "LOSING TRUST" IN THE GOC'S ABILITY TO LOOSEN CONTROLS ON THE CHURCH. ¶4. (C) LINGUA EXHORTED THE U.S. TO BE CAUTIOUS IN HOW IT PROMOTES CHANGE IN CUBA, OBSERVING THAT HE WAS SURPRISED THAT USINT HAD BECOME SO ENERGETIC IN MEETING WITH DISSIDENTS, PROVIDING BOOKS AND SPEAKING PUBLICLY. HE NOTED THAT PRIOR TO THE RECENT CRACKDOWN, THERE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN SOME IMPROVEMENT IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION, NOTABLY AN INCREASING AWARENESS AMONG CUBAN CITIZENS OF THEIR RIGHTS AND AN GREATER SENSE OF CIVIC ACTIVISM AMONG SOME -- PARTICULARLY AS A RESULT OF THE VARELA PROJECT. FOR THE CHURCH, HOWEVER, HE BELIEVED THE SITUATION HAD ACTUALLY GOTTEN WORSE COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE OPENING OF THE BRIGITTINE CONVENT (SEPTEL), THE CHURCH HADN'T MADE ANY PROGRESS OBTAINING GOC PERMISSION TO DEEPEN AND EXPAND ITS ACTIVITIES. THE HOLY SEE CONTINUES TO FEAR THAT THE CHURCH IN CUBA REMAINS VULNERABLE TO RETRIBUTION FOR THE POLITICAL ACTIVISM OF SOME DISSIDENTS WHO OPENLY ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
¶5. (C) COMMENT: DESPITE THE HOLY SEE'S COMPLETE REJECTION OF THE ONGOING CUBAN ACTIONS, THE HESITATION TO SPEAK OUT PUBLICLY REFLECTS THE INNATE CAUTION OF THE HOLY SEE'S SECRETARIAT OF STATE IN TAKING ACTIONS AGAINST REPRESSIVE REGIMES THAT ARE ABLE TO MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR VULNERABLE CATHOLIC COMMUNITIES. WHILE THE VATICAN IS TROUBLED AND ANGERED BY CASTRO'S SUPPRESSION OF DISSIDENTS AND CRITICISM OF USINT COM CASON, THEIR REACTION IS TO KEEP THEIR HEADS DOWN AND WORK QUIETLY BEHIND THE SCENES. LINGUA TOLD US THERE ARE CUBAN DISSIDENTS WHO "TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHURCH TO PROMOTE THEIR POLITICS" SUCH AS DAGOBERTO VALDEZ, AND OTHERS, LIKE OSVALDO PAYA, WHO "ACT AS (GOOD) LAY CATHOLICS." LINGUA'S PREFERENCE FOR QUIET GAINS OVER THE LONG TERM FITS WELL WITH AN INSTITUTION THAT FEELS IT HAS MUCH TO LOSE IF IT TAKES A FALSE STEP. EMBASSY WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS U.S. CONCERNS ON THE CRACKDOWN, ESPECIALLY WITH FM TAURAN, WHO, AS AN OLD CSCE/OSCE HAND, HAS A SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF THE BENEFITS OF A STRONG AND PUBLIC APPROACH TO CALLING FOR ACTION
AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY USINT HAVANA PRIORITY
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