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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 1 december 2020

Artists say Cuba government agrees to dialogue, tolerance

By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ which is suffering through
Associated Press the pandemic, an eco-
HAVANA (AP) — A group nomic crisis and impending
of Cuban artists and intel- economic reforms, as well
lectuals say they won an as waiting to what policies
unusual government vow the upcoming U.S. admin-
of greater tolerance for in- istration will adopt toward
dependent art on Saturday Cuba.
after a demonstration in The demonstration fol-
front of the Culture Ministry. lowed a Thursday night
About 20 artists had gath- raid on a house where
ered Friday and the crowd a group of activist artists
grew to 200 by late night, were staging a sort of sit-in
when Vice Minister Fernan- to demand the release of
do Rojas and the directors rapper Denis Solís, who had
of several associations af- been sentenced for prison
filiated with the governing for insulting a police officer.
Communist Party met with Officials said they acted to
delegates of the demon- enforce COVID-19 health
strators until after midnight. restrictions because one of
The officials agreed to talks Young artists protest in front of the doors of the Ministry of Culture, in Havana, Cuba, Friday, Nov. those inside had recently
on “an agenda of mul- 27, 2020. returned from the United
tiple topics with proposals Associated Press States and was violating
by both sides,” said writer arrested hundreds of them. tion took place and power uniting ... (on) a series of the required quarantine
Katherine Bisquet. In addi- But those who turned up at went off for a time in area, demands, “ said Michael period.
tion, Friday’s demonstraton in- though it wasn’t clear if Bustamante, a specialist in None of those removed
“We will be able to meet cluded people with a long that was related to the Latin American history at from the house was report-
without being harassed in history working in the gov- demonstration. Florida International Uni- ed arrested.
independent spaces. There ernment-run culture sec- “It is time for dialogue and versity. He said that the de- Officials earlier had de-
is a truce for independent tor, including actor Jorge I think it is important for you mands “are very general” scribed the San Isidro group
spaces.” Perugurría, a star of the film young peopleto be heard, and said “not everybody at the house as lacking true
The demonstration, and “Strawberry and Choco- and we are going to work will agree on how to pro- artistic merit.
official willingness to deal late,” director Fernando for that,” Perugurría said ceed.” But numerous well-known
with the participants is un- Pérez, playwright Yunior before entering to meet Even so, “In some ways it is artists and performers had
usual in a country whose García and feminist activist with the authorities. unprecedented in recent publicly urged the govern-
government historically Dianelys Alfonso. “The thing that struck me history” in Cuba, he said, ment to show tolerance
has had little tolerance for There were moments of most was the diversity of noting that it comes at a and hold a dialogue with
open protest, tends to la- tension on Saturday when people from the cultural, complex time for the island, the group.q
bel dissenters as tools of its police surrounded the pla- political and social fields
enemies abroad and has za where the demonstra- in Cuba who have been
Sri Lankan prison riot leaves 8 inmates

dead, 59 injured

protests in recent weeks at
several prisons as the num-
ber of coronavirus cases
surges in the facilities.
Police spokesman Ajith Ro-
hana said inmates created
“unrest” Sunday at Mahara
prison, about 15 kilometers
(10 miles) north of Colom-
bo, and officials attempted
to control the situation.
But “the unrest situation
turned into a prison riot,”
A family member of an inmate pleads lying at the feet of a he said, adding that prison-
policeman as she seeks information on the condition of her ers tried to take control of
relative outside the Mahara prison complex following an the prison and hundreds
overnight unrest in Mahara, outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka, attempted to escape.
Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. The inmates “reportedly
Associated Press destroyed most of the
By BHARATHA MALLA- on the outskirts of Sri Lan- property including offices
WARACHI ka’s capital, officials said inside the prison,” Rohana
Associated Press Monday. Two guards were said.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) critically injured, they said. The guards opened fire,
— Eight inmates were killed Pandemic-related unrest and the clash left eight in-
and 59 others were injured has been growing in Sri mates dead and 59 injured,
when guards opened fire Lanka’s overcrowded pris- he said. Two prison officers
to control a riot at a prison ons. Inmates have staged were critically injured.q