A plea from Carlos Moore

Dr Darsi Ferrer, beaten

Many of you may never have heard of the Civil Rights Afro-Cuban activist, Dr Darsi Ferrer. Yet, he is one of the most important civil rights leaders in Cuba today, and a tireless, courageous  fighter against social exclusion. Dr Ferrer was arrested more than three months ago, and jailed on absurd, untrue charges of having “stolen materials” from the state. 
What did he do?
 Dr Ferrer runs a number of independent programmes designed to help impoverished, marginalised and discriminated communities in Cuba (who are overwhelmingly of African descent). But because the government claims that there are no such things as poverty, racism or marginalised communities in Cuba, Dr Ferrer is regarded as a highly subversive person by the authorities.
Click http://www.cubaencuentro.com/es/multimedia/videos/vivir-en-albergue and you will see the type of work Dr Ferrer has tirelessly been engaged in.
Here , you may see a documentary produced by Dr Ferrer, showing the condition of these communities (residents of what are called “tenements”).
These are the people that Dr Ferrer has been assisting for many years. I want to make clear, that this is the first time in my life, as an anti-racist activist myself, that I publicly raise a voice in support of any Cuban dissident. If I have done so, it is only because the Cuban government has, once again, crossed another threshold in the sort of oppression that it customarily dishes out to its citizenry.
We have come to the point where to remain silent before such injustice and oppression, is tantamount to be complicit with it. That is why I raise my voice on behalf of those who have no voice inside of Cuba.
 I appeal to your own sense of justice, asking you to help me mobilize world opinion around this case where an honorable, brave, black Cuban citizen, has suffered detention because he dared place himself at the service of the humblest of communities in Cuba.
 I am asking for your help to free the black political leader, Dr. Darsi Ferrer.
 I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and beg you to sign the online petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/drferrer/petition.html