In Raul Castro's reforms in Cuba, Internet remains restricted

In Raul Castro's reforms in Cuba, Internet remains restricted

Sat May 17, 12:55 PM ET

HAVANA (AFP) - Cuba's recent social and economic reforms do not include
allowing greater access to the Internet, authorities in the Americas'
only one-party communist state said.

"Cuba is not concerned with the individual connection of its citizens to
the Internet," said deputy minister for Computer Science and
Communications, Boris Moreno, on Friday.

"We use the Internet to defend the Revolution and the principles we
believe in and have defended all these years," added Moreno, quoted by
the official Prensa Latina news agency. He said preferential access to
the Internet went to medical centers, scientific facilities and schools.

Rights groups such as Reporters Without Borders and the Inter-American
Human Rights Commission have criticized Cuba for its tight regulation of
the Internet.

Internet access is available in some hotel lobbies for short periods of
time, but paid for in hard currency. The price is astronomical for most
Cubans who earn the equivalent of less than 20 dollars a month.

Cuba blames US sanctions for not allowing more abundant and affordable
Internet access, claiming it is forced to use costlier satellite access.
But potential capacity may get a boost in a few years with the planned
connection to an undersea fiber optic cable by ally Venezuela.

Raul Castro, 76, took over as president in February after his ailing
brother Fidel Castro, 81, left Cuba's helm after almost 50 years as leader.

In March Raul Castro authorized the sale of personal computers to
Cubans, and sales began this month, drawing new attention to
restrictions on the Internet. Computer sales were banned in 2003 with
Cuba blaming a nationwide power shortage.

Raul Castro also has launched other reform measures including allowing
Cubans to stay in tourist hotels, take out mobile phone contracts, and
buy appliances such as computers, motorbikes and pressure cookers.

The government also is carrying out some farm reforms hoping to boost
food production, which Havana calls a top national security issue.

But Cuban authorities have refused to give a travel visa to a Cuban
blogger who was to have flown to Spain to receive a top journalism award.

US President George W. Bush on May 7 urged Cuba to free political
prisoners, dismissing as "cosmetic" social and economic changes Raul
Castro has made since becoming president.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080517/lf_afp/uscubapoliticsrightsinternet_080517165512