Dear sisters and brothers As we meet here tonight, the Bush administration is furiously mobilizing troops, its armada, and the largest array of weapons of mass destruction ever seen in history, to wage a genocidal war against Iraq. After a cowardly US Congress capitulated this week to a resolution that backs unlimited action against Iraq, it is clearer than ever that only the people mobilized can stop the war, the people across the US, the people in Belgium, in every country possible.

The faint opposition by politicians in the United States is only a difference in tactics with Bush, Cheney and the ultra-right, they do not differ on the objective of annihilating the Iraqi government and people in order to take over Iraq, its resources and more completely dominate the Middle East. With every day that passes, international leaders are shamefully surrendering to US pressure, from Putin to Iran to Arab governments.

But the so-called leaders do not speak for the people of the world.

In the days and weeks ahead, we must use every opportunity to mobilize, organize, march, demonstrate, conduct civil disobedience, fight to stop the war before it starts. And if it starts, we must make sure it is the last act of aggression that Bush makes. The very survival of millions of people is at stake, not just Iraqis, but Palestinians, the Arab masses. With every military victory the US believes it possible to conduct another war of conquest. No country is exempt as a target, North Korea, Iran, all the Arab world, Venezuela, Colombia, and certainly Cuba, any country that resists.

I am happy to be here, to let you know that October 26 promises to be a huge gathering in Washington, San Francisco, and many countries around the world. In the US, all the peace, anti-war forces are united in the call against the war. On that day we will be thinking of you in your peace race. We wish you great success.

The response among the people in the US is very encouraging, the strongest we have seen since 1991. There is tremendous cynicism, fear and anger. It is our job to turn it into action and deeper consciousness.

Thank you for inviting me on behalf of the US national committee to speak on the struggle in the US to free the five Cuban companeros, a struggle that is very much linked with yours.

In the US, days after the unjust conviction of the five companeros, we came together to form a support committee in June 2001, very shortly after the unjust conviction of the five companeros. We publicly inaugurated the committee in August with organizations such as Pastors for Peace, Venceremos Brigade, National Lawyers Guild, the National Network on Cuba, and my organization, International Action Center. And since our modest efforts began we are receiving encouraging results and support, certainly not at the pace we would like: But if all the committees can build our network, coordinate, share resources and experiences, and plan joint actions we will be able to accomplish more and win the companeros freedom.

Although the struggle for the Five is greatly dependent on what takes place in the court with their appeals, we must not forget that the most important factor in winning their freedom is the political struggle to pressure the US government and federal court.

It is after all, the US government that persecuted the five heroes. The Cuban Five stood in the way of the fascist Miami groups that were created by the CIA.

Just like the fight to stop the war in Iraq, we must appeal to the people, yes, the people of the US, to know, to understand and to help free them. Why? Because we truly believe that once the people of the US and the world know of the existence and motives of the heroic five, they will demand their freedom too.

How shall we do this? How will we break the media blockade?

First, in the anti-war work many of us are involved, we link the struggle of the Five to the fight against war, and for other prisoners like Mumia. Everywhere there is a protest, if we are the organizers, there is a speaker on the Five. We ask other organizations to have speakers on their case. That way thousands more can learn about them at other events. At every event we take petitions to collect signatures. When the appeals are filed; we want to strengthen the legal appeal with a show of support of thousands and thousands of signatures of people who say, Bush, Free the Five! The appeals date has not been set yet, it could be delayed for more months.

We are producing a video on the case that we will distribute to the committees, to dozens of cable stations; to people around the world. The idea? To inspire people about their cause, to expose the crime of US-sponsored terrorism that has killed thousands of Cuban people. And our website, www.freethefive.org has become a great organizing tool.

The struggles for political prisoners in the US is very difficult because the U.S. denies the existence of political prisoners and wants to treat them like common criminals. It is why the Five Companeros have been so mistreated, denied the right to stay in the same prison together, denied to two of the brothers the right to see their wives. Like the rest of the more than 2 million prisoners, they suffer the cruelty of US prison system, denial of conjugal visits, the fostering of violence in the prisons. The US prison system is one of the greatest violations of human rights in the world.

And yet the revolutionary spirit that the five companeros were raised in with 40 years of workers' power, through the heroic example of Che, of the inspiring leadership of Fidel and the great Cuban revolution, all of this has steeled them to resist the terrible punishment that is the US prison system. All the repression of the US government, the court, the FBI, the prison, can never break them.

But sisters and brothers we need to free them. They never belonged a day in prison! Let's work together as much as we can, to get them out of prison to be home with their families and people. Today's event is a great beginning in that effort.