The first Congress of the Independent Libraries organized by the Assembly to Promote Civil Society is underway across Cuba, and despite the brutal repression the librarians are facing.

The Assembly to Promote the Civil Society is civil society coalition of 365 Cuban opposition movements that fight peacefully for democratic and regime change in the island. From Octuber 10, 2006, to February 2007, a meeting of the 152 independent libraries is taking place in numerous Cuban towns and cities. They are informing the population about the goals of the civil desobedience and non-cooperation campaigns named ???????Yo no coopero, yo si quiero el cambio??????? (I don????????t cooperate with the repressive authorities, I want the change). The official motto is ???????We are gathering for democracy???????. Banned books, reviews, leaflets are being distribuited to the neighbors of the libraries where the meetings are taking place and to the population at large. There will be special events with youths and children, too.

Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello from Havana sent these first photos showing the librarians and libraries gathered in Congress for Democracy.

Below is the “Elena Mederos” independent library.

Miguel Vazquez Tamayo has shortly detained two times last week, but he has no intention to be intimidated.

The Cuban resistance is growing and these events can????????t be ignored. The independent libraries are gathered for democracy. Their meeting is part of the Civic Desobedience and Non-Cooperation campaign I mentioned above.