I know that I’m not the first to write about the wet-foot/dry-foot policy with respect to Cubans fleeing Castro’s Gulag. But I’d like to let my opinion be known to Publius readers. I’m totally in favor of the abolition of this absurd and inhumane policy. For those who don’t know what this policy is about: Cubans who reach dry land in the United States are usually allowed to remain in the country, while those caught at sea are sent back. Why is it absurd? First and foremost, because it’s enforced only with respect to Cubans. Second, because sending freedom-seeking people back to a police state is inhumane before than absurd.

Last week, some 15 Cubans have been repatriated even if they reached dry land in Florida. Federal officials are claiming that the old bridge,through which the Cubans entered the U.S. territory, is no longer connected to the Florida Keys. Yet a federal judge questioned the claims and we’re reading reports stating that Fla. governor Jeb Bush is working to set up an meeting between a Cuban-American religious commission and White House officials. President Bush is said to be planning a meeting. If these reports are true, then we should hope that the President listened to the non-violent protest by Ramon Saul Sanchez, a prominent anti-Castro freedom fighter, now on the 10th day of hunger strike. I believe that President Bush doesn’t want a Cuban dissident to die before he takes some important decision as to the dry-foot/wet-foot policy.

What are Sanchez and the freedom-loving Cubans demanding? The total abolition of this policy.

Our friends at Babal???? have two must-read posts here and here.

Meanwhile in Cuba, fascist mobs keep harassing freedom fighters. The Assembly to Promote the Civil Society informs us (in Spanish) , that Martha Beatriz Roque has been once again victim of harassment by a pro-regime neighbour.

My friend Darsi Ferrer, whom I am in touch with, sent me another report via email where he explained the kind of systematic tortures many political prisoners suffer while in prison. If you understand Spanish, read it all. Ferrer has founded the Center for Health and Human Rights “Juan Bruno Zayas,” which is member of the Assembly to Promote the Civil Society.

On January 6th, Cuban Independent Libraries celebrated the “Three Kings’ Day” with lots ofkids, many of which don’t even know about the Three Kings! It was a lovely day, as shown by these photos.

Finally,the U.S. Interests Section in Havana runs human rights messages on a news zipper . Kudos to our men in Havana!

It’s all for now.

UPDATE: Ramon Saul Sanchez ending hunger strike? It seems so.