ADouble Standarijfor Oup Clilldren

By Timothy W. Maier

The case of 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez has received attention at the highest levels of government, while the plight ofAmerican children kidnapped abroad isn't on the agenda.

Should he stay or should he go?That no longer may be thequestion for 6-year-old ElianGonzalez, because the U.S.Immigration and Naturalization Service, or INS, has decid

ed the boy must be returned to Cuba byJan. 14 and has been trying to arrangewith the ('uban government to transport the boy's father to this country sohe can clciim his son m Miami. Thousands of Cuban exiles responded bysaying they'd create a human chain

January 31, 2000

Poster child: Little Elian is the latestcause celebrefor anti-Castro forces.

around the boy's home in Miami to prevent his return to Cuba and demandeda local hearing to decide Elian's fate. Atpress time, word from Cuba was thatElian's father, Juan Gonzalez, steadfastly was refusing to come to the United States — arguing that Florida is too"hostile" and that under internationallaw it is the responsibility of the United States to return the child.

While the father's refusal to rush to

his son has perplexed American parents, there was speculation that itresulted from Fidel Castro's control

over the father and grandparents inCuba. Some news reports even suggested the father also had been planning to escape to the United States, buthe has denied the allegation.

Regardless, the case has triggered asticky international incident, withElian's Cuban relatives and Castrocharging the boy is being "tortured"psychologically and "bribed" with toysand Walt Disney World trips. His family in Cuba has demanded his returnsince he was rescued ThanksgivingDay after spending two harrowing daysand nights clinging to an inner tube onthe open sea following the capsizing ofan aluminum boat filled with refugeesfleeing Cuba to the United States.

He was one of three survivors res

cued by two fishermen near where 10Cubans — including the boy's motherand stepfather—perished. Elian sincehas been living comfortably with unclesand aunts who have been in Miamisince the 1960s. He attends a privateschool that has pitched in $40,000 to payfor his education. In Cuba, the boy's father claims the mother kidnapped thechild without paternal consent, whichis disputed by the Miami relatives.

INS Commissioner Doris Meissnersays the father is not being pressuredby Castro and wants his son back home."This little boy, who has been throughso much, belongs with his father," shesaid at a news conference.

Elian's relatives in Miami, as well asCuban-American politicians andactivists, say it would be a travesty torepatriate die boy to the country hismother died trying to help him escape.The Florida relatives claim the fatheris being controlled by Castro; theCuban dictator denies he would ever dosuch a thing, alleging Juan Gonzalezhas been offered $2 million by the "yan-kee dogs" to travel to Miami but hasrefused. Meanwhile, one of the boy'srelatives in Cuba, whose name has notbeen released, wrote a passionate letter to first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton,pleading: "Don't send Elian [back toCuba] to be the puppet of his mother'smurderer."

As the INS attempted to broker adeal to bring the father here, attorneysfor the Miami relatives said that would

not be enough. They wanted the child'smaternal and paternal grandparentsto accompany the father if sucharrangements were made to ensureno one is being held hostage to guarantee a return trip. The risk for Castrowas that, once here, all might defect

Insight* 17

What theLaw SaysSince Cuba is notaparty to the Hague

Convention — an international treatyto help solve parentai-abduction casesto foreign countries — the case of

Elian Gonzalez has been treated as an Immigration matter. That put it intoan administrative process inwhich theU.S. Immigration andNaturalization Serwce, orINS. might decide thefateofthe 6-year-old boyw/ithout giving jurisdiction to the anti-Castro courts of southRorida.

Thus. INS moved todecide who could speakforElian. Since heonly hasone naturalsurviving par-ent, his father. Juan Gon-zaiez—who had visitationrights after a divorce andhas been determined byINS to be competent —the father was named by %INS to speakfor Elian.

The effect was to givethe father, rather than his 'Miami relatives, standingto askforan asylum hear- Melssner: Siing—a federal courtpro- should be receeding allowing Cubanexiles to prove thatshouldtheyreturn to theirhomeland theywould be persecuted for theirreligion, race, political opinions or membership ina particular social group.

ButbecauseElian isunderage, noneofthisis likely to come into play, claims a sourcefamiliar with the case. The INS has ruled thathe does not have to have an asylumhearing,making the issue of whocoulddemand one

Melssner: Says Gonzalezshould be returned home.

in his name a crucial issue. Never mind thatit is unprecedented for a Cuban exile to bedenied an asylumhearing.

The INS is playing hardball. Ifthe motherhadsurvived she mighthavebeencharged ona complaint bythe Cuban fatherwith federalkidnapping because Elian was taken to theUnited States without the father's consent,claimsan insidesource knowledgeable ofthelaw. ShealsomighthavelostcustodyhadtheJustice Departmentargued that she failed toact in the best interests of the child by subjectinga 6-year-oldto such a dangerous trip.

Asa practical matter inanti-Castro southFlorida, however, neitherofthese possibilitieswas likely

While Elian's relatives mayseekasylum forhim on the grounds that

better medical care, eco-nomic opportunity andfreedom, this in itself

^ would not be enough toprevent him from beingreturned to Cuba, sayau-

jK thorities. The INS has reft turned children toparents

from countries with even„ worse medical care, and

seeking economic oppor-tunityis not legalgrounds

s Gonzalez for claiming asylum.rnedhome. Sohowmightthisboy

be kept in the UnitedStatesdespitethe apparentwillingness oftheINS and the Clinton/Gore administration to

havehim returned to Castro's Cuba?Simpleenough,says a longtime Senate staffer: AnyHouse or Senate committee chairman with aninterestinthe mattercould put himon indefinite subpoena for hearings to include theattorneygeneral and the director of the INS.

— TW/W

and further embarrass his regime.Castro continued to issue assorted

warnings even as the Chnton administration bobbed and weaved to try to finda politic way to send back the boy. TheCuban dictator ordered his countrymen to stage protests, which werecountered in Miami by protests fromexiles opposed to the Castro regime.Castro since has applauded the INSdecision but urged the U.S.governmentto control the "Cuban-American mafia

and the extreme right in Congress, whowill try by idl means possible to preventthe boy's return to Cuba."

President Clinton, who supports theE^S decision to return the boy, says hewanted to "keep this decision out ofpolitics." But according to the New YorkTimes, the ramifications ofeither decision were discussed at the highest levels of government because Clinton

wants better relations with Cuba. Gestures have included wholehearted support for Major League Baseball playingexhibition games against Cuban teamslast summer despite Cuban-Americanprotests.

Critics of the INS decision say it isclear that, if this were a Republicanadministration, Ehan would be stayingin this country. The Republican National Committee and the two leadingRepublican presidential candidates,George W. Bush and John McCain,angrily blasted Clinton's decision tosend the boy back to Cuba.

On the Democratic side, Vice President A1 Gore blamed Castro for forc

ing a choice between freedom and living with his father, while Bill Bradleysaid he wouldn't second-guess the INS.However. Gore's initial support of thedecision could result in serious poUti-

cal damage for his candidacy — particularly in south Florida, where thereis a prominent Cuban-American population that wants Elian to live in Miami.

After a poll by the Miami Heraldshowed 90 percent of Cuban-Ameri-cans there oppose returning the boy,Gore backed off, saying he would awaitthe court appeals before commentingfurther.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a FloridaRepublican who represents the LittleHavana neighborhood of Miami,charged, "Although we are all wellaware ofthe record the Clinton administration has of kowtowing to the Castro regime, I would have expected ourU.S. officials to abide by INS' statedcommitment to protect the needs ofrefugee children. This is unconscionable and flies in the face ofhuman

itarian principles."She added that the Clinton adminis

tration chose to ignore the needs andwelfare of Elian by making a decisionbased "solely on information providedby the Castro regime and on controlledinterviews with the father."

Ros-Lehtinen says there is a legalproblem because the INS, in anunprecedented move, failed to hold ahearing to determine the boy's fate."This decision by INS ignores its veryown guidelines on children's-asylumcases which were designed to protectchildren from governments such as theCastro regime, These guidelines specifically refer to a number of violationswhich apply in Elian's case becausethese are activities in which the Castro

regime is engaged. However, it wasalso INS' responsibility to look at thefuture threat which Elian would beexposed to."

The INS, which fails under the jurisdiction of Attorney General JanetReno, had not backed down from itsdecision despite a letter from the boy'sMiami relatives urging the Clintonadministration to honor the wishes of

his mother Attorneys for the boy's relatives were moving quickly to ask a federal judge for a restraining order, whichcould delay the deportation of the childfor months. Such delays in Americancustody cases often have ended with aruling that it would be too disruptive tothe child to be turned over to another

parent — even when evidence showedthe child was kidnapped by the parentwith de facto custody.

American parents whose childrenhave been kidnapped by ex-spouses toforeign countries tell Insight that theyare frustrated that Clinton has put somuch energy and money into this casewhile putting recovery of Americanchildren on a back burner (see "Justice

January 31, 2000

Ignores Stolen Kids," Nov. 29, 1999).Mitch Goldstein of Georgia whose

daughter, Kelly Michelle, was abducted to Switzerland by her mother in1996 says: "I have found it quite ironicthat so many people have becomeinvolved in this incident — all the wayup to President Clinton himself—whilethe plight of our own U.S.-born childrencontinues to be ignored. If our government showed half the resolve they havedisplayed in this case to bring our children home, I have no doubt the majority of them would be home where tiieybelong. Whereas I do not claim tohave an easy answer to this difficult situation, I do feel the fatherof the boy should be allowed tocome to the U.S. and decidewhether he wants his son toremain here or return with him toCuba."

The diplomatic flap has putFlorida Republiccui Gov. Jeb Bushin an awkward position becausehe is known to favor state legislation to help American parentswho remain abroad after beingvictimized by parental kidnapping. He sought to treat the caseas an immigration matter and toallow the federal authorities tohandle that part of the case beforestepping into it.

Most parents who have experienced parental abduction seethe issue as a no-brainer —enforce international law andreturn the boy. Under the HagueConvention, the United States isrequired to hold a custodial hearing and then return the child,though Cuba is not a party to thetreaty. But because of the politicalissue the U.S. government decided to review the situation care-

; fully before surrendering the boy.INS officials flew to Cuba inDecember and met wth the lad'sfather, who provided a birth certificate and other njcords supportingpaternity and status ofan involved parent. Elian now is listed as an INSparolee, eligible to apply for permanentU.S. residence in one year. But, becausehe is underage, a legal representativemust make the application for him.

In Washington, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman JesseHelms of North Carolina hopes tobypass any INS arrangement by introducing legislation that would grantimmediate U.S. citizenship to Elian.Helms sent a sharply worded letter toReno urging her not to bow to Castro,saying: "If an East German motherhad died trying to cross the Berlin Wallwith her child, can you imagine for one

January 31,2000

instant throwing the child back over thewall?" Helms declared: "Ehan mustnot be thrown back over the wail simply because his mother did not survivethe crossing."

But some American parents see itdifferently and note that, unlike Clinton,the Cuban dictator fights for his own. "Iguess politics will always be in confiictwith the law and human rights. Mychild, Nadia, was abducted seven yearsago when she was only 2 years old,"says Maureen Dabbagh of VirginiaBeach, Va., who founded PARENTS, a

LIBtRSH A

Fop the ctliid: Cubans in Havana Cityprotest to bring the boy back to Cuba.

group that assists victims of parentalabduction. "I do not even know whatshe looks like or where she is. So muchfor the superpower. There may be aconflict of poUtics between the UnitedStates and Cuba but, as a mother, I wishClinton would do for my child what Castro is doing for this littie Cuban child."

Oklahoma father Randy Rider,whose two children were kidnapped byhis ex-wife, also wishes the Clintonadministration would fight for American children. "I have two of my ownthat I have not seen in over six years,"he says. "They are in Mexico and my

government will not intervene to bringthem home to me. I know my childrenneed me and I need them, too. I knowthat father needs his son and his sonneeds him, loo. I feel for that Cuban boyand his dad."

New York mother Amy WheelerHughes, whose two daughters, Saranand Harriet, were kidnapped abroad bytheir father, notes other ironies: "Itappears to me that the father of theCuban boy should be held responsiblefor coming to the aid of his son in America. Ifand when my daughters are found

it will be my responsibility to goand get them. The father of thischild should be required to go toFlorida and show a sincere effortto recover his son. I believe thatthis would not only provide theemotional support that his boyneeds after losing his mother butwould also show that his son'semotional well-being is just asmuch a priority as his physicalcustody. In other words, show upand show you care" about the goodIof the child.

Miami mother Jean Henderson, whose son, Roman, was kidnapped abroad and returnedrecently because he is terminallyill with cancer, also believes theCuban boy should be returned. "Iknow nothing of Ehan's relationship with his father, but the mansays he wants to parent his childin his native country. Obviously,parents who abduct their children and leave the U.S.A. alsobelieve that they are taking themto a better country. The HagueConvention was intended to dealwith such issues. Some peopleargue that Ehan has expressedthe wish to remain here. What

g child of barely 6 years of ageI wouldn't want tostay where he ors she is getting so much attention,

going to Disney World, etc.?"But those who know Communist

Cuba firsthand and have hved with thissituation see it differently. The parentsof Miriam Hernandez-Davis fled Cubaand now reside in Miami with her andher daughter Yasmeen. The daughterwas kidnapped by her father to SaudiArabia but, fortunately, was rescued inApril. "Ehan should stay in this country because his mother risked her lifeand ended up dying in order to pursuefreedom and give her child a betterlife," she says. "I have had distantcousins visit and have heard the horrorstories about Cuban life nowadays. Ican understand how a parent would doanything to secure that her child getsout of there." •

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Cousin: Elian's dad wants him hereSuiTOgate mother says father called before boy's rescueBy Tom CarterTHE WASHINGTON TIMES T7I

lU The young woman who has be-kCome Elian Gonzalez's surrogate"mother said yesterday the boy isterrifiijd of being returned to Cubaand llial, de^Lte public calls to thecontrary, Elian's father wants himto remain in the United States. J

In etnotional testimony that haamany in the audience in tears,Marisieysis Gonzalez, a secondcousin to Elian, told the Senate Ju-diciarjf Committee that Juan Manuel Gonzalez called her family inMiami on Nov. 22, three days before Elian was rescued b ' fisher-

l^ke care of Elian " 'until 1 amflhte tn cQ|ne oy^ -Mr.

^onzalez requested, she said. yMiss Gonzalez, 22, said that

while Elian is adiusting remarkably well, he is terrified of beingreturned to Cuba.

Elian sleeps with her in herroom and if she wakes up in thenight, he runs to her side beggingher not to leave, she said.

"Every night, he asks Go<l to re-Jturn his mother tohim, so he canjstay here," said Miss Gonzalez,breaking into te^'s.

Elian, 6, became the center ofaninternational tug-of-war soon after

'.••-'""A ? y[ia

he was found clinging to an innertube on Thanksgiving Day off theFlorida coast. His mother aiid 10others traveling with him drownedin an eit'ort to flee Cuba.

After the boy's rescue and whilehe was recuperating-in a hospital,Miss Gonzalez said Elian's fatherreiterated in a telephone call hisrequest that his Miami relativespare for the boy in the Unite^States. IS

She said be changed his pubUcstatements after the Cuban government got involved. Even then,she said Mr. Gonzalez has tried to

see ELIAN, page A15

Phmo by Darie) H.-isertflaumm-aWashingJon Timw

Upset: MarisleysisGonzalez, a second cousin who cares for Elian, tellsa SenatD panel that Ihe boy, 6, should not be returned to Cuba.

N)

,r/ty/; •' 11' wbi^i-<3 f?e A-CflitVie=- fb i^oMr.si.

ELIANrrom pagB Al

''cammunicate his wish tlul thv' child <tithe United fitate$.* "J Hpt^recifi^e £v»rythiQ$

evwythinH —'hBt you are <kiinsfor EUbh.I am rou WKtet'^

m

ftUT 'd noti aa teUlns Imi- iii a ule-phone oanverai»tJon sh© believeaWflji btf C^ba'ft CoianMi-^

^^^ElSUJorifiOteegL sws&id,'daoSngher«ycs witi^andkercMof.

It w{t« «iesrtohsr, i^o aatd.ttaathe wssoffcrinE ia»supportforef«Ibm 10icscpKtiattfrom being m-liimfid tn Ciibii-

Sh& «Bid thai, iu her <q>inioDiiilian1» {ath«r is dieting utidtr guv-Brament pressure, soaietimcspbcning Die faouM three titn&s a(laj- in csUa fli9t 6be bi^ieves are

!nonjtffir«<i tiy Cubandufiiorities.She eoiddtat die mutt cosxeadi

c^dle dianto speak with his fa>|ther, who »o)netiiRe6 detiuuids that'

sinR Cubaa wvaiutionftcy•?0R8«-

1.ra2aro QfstzaJez, a grcat'iuwle,hs\« nKKt the immlgrainmandKfit-uratizatiuu Service in fedfiraicourt, ch^cnsinfftheaN«}i&y*s de*'ctsiontosendthe boy wCubs.

O.S. PUtrict K. MichaeJMooreplausi to iwar v Buiotuitii btiho federal case next

Rea. Onrln fi. K^. Utah B«'publiciin conunitt«8 chair<msu,saidthedispi;^"isjtotjuataa^ody mMter, but a cos? whereoitsof ihfl optianfcoiulderad is A-turning thischildtojk&fi ol^ thelast

'atritk Ji4«ahK

^CAp« fhMtt Cuba to 1993 fliad« in>{tffMtjoRtd headlines, toid him itvrould be a crime to send Eaionhomo.

"PaTBHtal righw, tmSl}f rightsdonot esoA{inCi^}" .4ie^aid."Ifthis child is retitrned to CuhOtwhsn ha i»11yean oldrhe wm bfcvaim his l^ndly mid ^sedin n M;hfioi where he i« allowed tovisit them three days a numth,"

!Sh8 said her£ath&rwaa dematid-im the bqy^ ratmn b«eaat« hewas pblii;1y embarrassed whenCubBB htunnn rights record wsaifttaelc&dby%feKlofl'sPmid«ntBr-assio Zadlnoat tho lb»tx>•Attt6^Icim Suminit that Cubs honed inHavanaaCew dayiiUeSliFe the <^iidwfts rescued.

"He h^ a tempw tawuum,"she5aid-

JuHji Carlos librmell, a GrjUQ'iiiV*nO[nuiat8d Cobao. miiSMHanwhflUsR «U& ofxnaterialltttury todefwtlit 1^3. conpflr^'Mr.tra%obsessionwithElisntDflffilii-

DeiudCMt, saidtbiTtCMibelongsit'illihisparentmi hereb^ds&d Ri-' iblicansforpolikiclztngthecase.

iBuiAllnarfemandea. «ddl Csa.tfo^dat^tbr whos6 dniroatie

lsm!l££gL

lela King Herod, whowanted tolijIthfilaljyJasitt.

Notii« UisrCubaVpatron aaintsfireaiwajtt picturedhddlng achildover water, and Cuban Santeri^Alidore venmicfi aiQ^vne rciwited«t ^^9,Mr FormeUsaid that Mr.Cmito }3v;eU ^twaie of the p«w-ftfttl syoibol BUanr6precu>iits ForCtibane.

"FSdclCMOTis bystftrical insiB-tence w th« t«tiuii of (h9 child 18bussd on hl9 knowledgt: of thU)cnn," he said. *'In his taind, thefuture of the regime rests on re*geming thischild." v

/jf M18S Gonsste? srtd ih*l CubaiWgovernment as«crdBito that Ihelbay ^ Iddfl^ped «re absurdJiiottogthatthctripvntspianttfidto,exK months.' i

She f&id that evaryono io iM/fftoaiiy in Cuba ktew ate Jtditmibrflfl4h had taltett cave of othercou^hia and dtoittyiUieittbcn whohadntadothe perilousraft jouriti^

IMiguel OoFualeZt futhdr tA

6Ban,wants kept in theUnilfid Siatsa, a ralativQ claims.

acnsB rhs Scrohu ofFltu-ida seven

"Mir Amaly is vuvy cbse," sha

00/03/02 15:19:25 TO: Eunice and Ron Ray/Ray FROM; 3im.Back1-fn

.-fl

r'""i She storv of Shui <innzaiez,• soon A be 4 maife-for-TYI mini$fTjeR,i<cittikoncKlKsl'ii

_L dt«air.:.Nothjog is as, it seeoiB, snd oar

familiar soiircss of trust ondverisimjlitwile are reduced toinsn-tanesE? ot propaganda anishaiJnw rnTr>'if«t(»deddert>«fate

v«CaurxiiodetT wtucacsiwt!brus^

NoiFitW Csatro. dearly. I recalltoo well clfidittod dnlb prei>ithngfor E! Fidei^ iKmib anacki «o myctsntrai TWida bome. Puoj^ whS?waot to kill ine are fbrovetmomdenied craciibilsiy

But 'jphat about reui.<qvi{;>fx editors? Q«jKfcnotheTTi?>hini^> Sui«Iynuns—diou^ipcrhi^niX. Hecentsturies out m Miasu have rtasfuBdany hopes tha': truthemei!^ TOclicifyr Theseconplicated inues.1^ Sunday, the Muuni JHi^d

csn astory in which SisterJeasnr'O'Laugblin. pscsdcat ofhmyVca-VM^ty and th ; quo vfiio fa«t«d iheoieetinv be^^it Eliau aud hisCuban gr«ndmolhers, esulaiaedwby ^ had (trilled Elian shouldicfncB^onUS.soiL

Ori^iiuMy, ihe had fctr thar thiboyshouidbc r«urncdta hiafethcrin Cuba, but 5lie changed her tcdnd

Twists ofElians^after Th2 ijrandjnothsrs' moetvie.She said shr fftlt fear from thegnndfljottiers and diou^t EtEcUiAvwlJ bv iiaTe-'' bei«. PaMui); xo givespecifics, she respoa^d^•Qeu^ vwfcco tjocstico/^d about berchange nf heart. >

Oa Sunda7, «he carai clun. Shemportedl)' SukJ the Herald badtesondd during a privaia meecm^«itth the tWD graadmothcrs thatdian^ fatttiis* utia abmrve to thechild's mother; that he knw inadvdoice about the plwued tscap«and that rau of the•AWJIBd to d<S&t3.

She rejiorttrdly said the two^aodmathcrs spoie itfch£seltim^ioherpreser.cr. A!(ho'^^i«he-xay»she xpeakSpaoish, sa^she tinderAands cnost of what issaid to faeria Spanish.

fiut tbets liljfida^' com?, zn<tQua recsottid. In a »ta:emenr.soid, "WhOfii some of the speedsrwEed in thB- flcraid cunrribLflcd t«my dcctsitrn t') sjippcrf teepiueEJtttu io Mianxi, it is tuiUue diat Ib^'d anyof »l«*t frum the grsmii-

Whenanuniscompelledby God tof^ak upy then by mantorecant, somefyngisseriously m'ong inHcmma.

inothem. Any infarroation attrib-vted to ch£tn catne from oth«rsimrces:'

What sourccjj ^Vl»t specifics?The plot thickens Mearrniuis, vho*^a teiliog the trutb'

Herald BxeoutiYe Editor MaitioBarttu ssid the stcn-y accuratelyreflects vhflt "Slater Jeanne t(^das" But the nun saysshe dtdot sajrftMwe things.'

Is !^. Baroa caJfing the sun aliar? Did Mr. CHBtm^ (^rativesget to the nu3? Did itoejratsdmrth-,tfrs float a w^^ssage bottle to the»uo ^ftefnlieircemiiloCiihajbeg-

KAXHIEEN PARKER

PAGE:003/006

her silence? Is the Heraldheiiv tbreatan^ by CEennwhahn;fictivists? Is Filian really a spy? bElian's Cfrther rr^ly Elris?

We may cievsr kww whac oap-pected bai-k in Cuba, <jr whst thesrat^motlteiT really said, «f %vh»t.EUW»&ttier'kncworMti3t:thenijn >iKard. But 'ive Ioktw this: 'fruth isanafbenut — and uuissba^e —incnojniuu^t Cubfk-11iitiifiri)keQ isaholv is th« refugee's bost. .-

Like t^e nun, my firatrcsponse totragedy was ifcaf the boybe reMrcc«d to hi^ father

audiKiinelaritl, jwu^et^, t,too. wita«stied iriy deathwd am I ha^ a.fother iombe me. My reaetioa'fo EUan viaiiMven by aa holdstkmily alrave p(^\tl^ But now Pm,eot so stint.• Whatever happch^d'^ Quc,.forciog her to recast ai\i go ic^tudl/u^rprumptaamkhorin^mct—&(av(v^ V^li^ naun t^c^MDpeUodby GodID ^ak ui>.' th^ torecant> soiaeilu^ Is.'&efiousl/wTtMifia livvaija. scoda 4^id intn if)e^:^bi£&t3>

^ KaOtlteo Patlcif is d H^vnvJiysyndi<xtted «>rzwJii4tst ';

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C vm/nuims -T"EDITORIAL ' Ri/LS^ MJkA Stan*

Don t BelieveGranma

It's now Three months since little Eiiin GoDzilez V9aRdiscovered lashed to an tnner tube rhree miles off the

Florida CQ3SI, after a croesii^ in which his mother and11) other Cubas niitcrs died while attenipiiog lo reach theUnited Scaies. In recent day^thecase hasb^on to take onthe biearre coloriog uf a Latin Amencaa covd—packedwith ombiguhies luid suireaiisiD. But the central ccuiii hashecoise less ambiguous with each passing day: Eliirfs rela-'tives io Miami-:—the ones who wish u> raise him—degefVQiciuto^ Whatever the intentions of Elian's father inHavana, C^tio'sQtbawpotafitplaccimrihebo^AndtheIzmaigrBtlDQand Naturalization Service was wroog when itnUed that Qiin should be Rpaoiated.

Consider the derelopmeius. of the past we^ For one,Ban; University president Sister Jeanne CyLaugfalin spokeoat at length. The liberal nun, who had provided the "neu-txai" site for a January meeting bciwcm EUan and bis twograndmotho^ gave three reasons why she soon threw offher neutialhy and began Id plead lhat EliSn be allowed tostay in the United States. Ftrs^ she believed ooe of thegrandmothers—^Raqnel Rodriguez, mother of Elifin'sdrowned mo^er—had wanted tu ddect. Second, she badreason to think that Eliitfs fecber had beaten bis late ex-wife. Third, she had discovered that Eliin*5fiaher's bmilyin Cuba had contactcd his fatha'i family in the UnitedS^tes, 10 days before the ^al voyage to announce that^ian and his mothei were on their w^ la Otherwords,Elian's lather knew and must hare approved of his boy'sdeparture fen* America.This last revektioa, iftnu^ scuttlcsany rationale fiM- sending Eiiin back under any circumstances.

Thai^s why the left-wing Natioiml CoundJ Churchcs,which has been agitaiing fox Eliiii*s return to Cuba, wasquici^ to try to discredit Sister Jeanne. Robert W Ed^,general secretary <rf'the NCC, said "Sister Jeanne has to liv^in the neigliburhood"—as if anything but full-throatedadvocacy of Elian's remaining in the United States wouldleave her vulnerable to mob vic^cc in Miami Criven thatSister Jeanne herself comes from this same sliver of thehand-hoiding left (she calh the golf cart in which she travels her "hug-niobile*Oj it's unJiicdy she was thinking aloii;;these lines.

March 6.2000

TbeOf in the wake of an eipos6 of past drunk-drivingarrests of Eli&zi's relatives in Florida (which led the Castrogovernment to describe them as "a bunch of dnmks"),Ellin's bther, Jos£ Miguel Gonzilcz, allegedly sent arequest from Cuba asking that Eli^ be sent to live with lessanti-Castro hunily members,., sych as his great UncleManueL We say "aUegedlj^"because when thelNS tried tocontain Qiaa's &ther about die mane^ he was incommuai-

<=cado far feur days. That kd to understandable speculitkNithai the request came not from bim but fioia the Cubangovemmest

Puidng the Cuban gOYcnunent's behavior tognh^with SiAterJeanne's bdiefthat (a) Eliin's &ther planned hisflight and (b) one of the grahdmotiiers wanted to emigrateled some Miamians to a new line ofthinking Fierhapswhathad looked like inopltcable bdiavior on the part of EUSifsCuban family—the grandmothers' biting EUSti's tonjpieandgrabbinghis poiB, neither of them a "Cuban cusmm";the filther's direat to get a gnn and start shooting Americanpoliiidaju ifhe evergot to the United States—was merelyafaked irrationality for l,he consumption of the fUry thatfdecideson F3i5n's custody;Thai is, Eliu's &niily wasdi'iiugall iheycould,in the coctcattofa cbtalitarian sodetj^m keephim out of Cuba, l^erhaps ^e Justice Department rhraighrso, loo. It denied Jose Miguel's re^iest to have Elian moveO bis Uncle Manuel's house.

The case for returning IHian to Cuba has alwaysdepended on an optimistic vi«v of Castro's regime; on abelief that it is no longer a Stalinist redmibi; and on a con-viction that it's time lor a thaw in U.S.-Cuban rdacions.

Inconveniently fi>r the party of normalization, and comingon the hcds of the Cuban government's attempts to manipulate the EMn cas^ Mariano Fa^—the son of a hard*lineand-Communist in the pre-Castro Batista n^im^ and ium'-a^igh-ranking ufScial of the Immigration and Naturalizft-tion Service in Miami—was arrested on February 17 forfeeding classified information ii> the flamboyant Cuban-American businessman Pedro Font The FBI affidavitsreleased did not point to an upen-and-shut of spying,as Castro's harshest detractors in Miami said—luuch of

Faget's conduct was consistent with a desire to start aCuban-American business OMlsortium after his impendii^

The Weekly Standmid / 9

00/03/02 15:19:26 TO: Eunicc and Ron Ray/Ray FROM: Jim.Backlin pa6E:005/00S

tcQraaBcm. But neither was it without r^evance lo theEU& af&ii; Castio's 8iq>poneR in the Amarican pzostried to daiin. wo resetted yvtaa^plkations

Cubaa haciesis socriofiwhom die SoSBDepaiunentidentified asRa0n*&Gonfia£t and orderedvulofthe ctmstijii |was the man who flew with Eli^*s gntndmotheis from j

CO Afiami.Wlialevn-tbedtqxnitianafJsgec'scaseyjtWBsoiilydie f

latest in a wave of Cuban spy qpnodes thathegan bdore IElian washedashoK.lbnQities were aorcMed in &{itcmber ^199^ in coanecDiMi with Oiha's^aooytswii of twoplanes jbeloasin? to Brothers to ihe llesiiu^ a .Mjaaai gnrap dedH icated tofiiidhigCiAanrafcefs. TheFBltcpoitcdlyhas 30 |moie Qiban imnis^^ts under suretillance fiir suspidous :-jcdvidcs^

XteEiiinGaseniaTikotbetfaeceaispofCab^tbTBdins jespioiBgeacti^ty But it hascertainly piovidedGistiuwith \a dkaaoeto dap srotincl the itisndcsa3» who m.8tia trapped 'in Cuba. Osvraldo Pays of Cuba' Cbristian ijhcfation ;MoveiaentandI1cctorF^bcio6ofth^Deiso^ticScdidari> j^PSuQrhave beenati6Stc{LDi:€hcar£liasfii9oei;» who was Iarccsied12 tines l»l year jbrcaixyins plaeaidr protesdng ^thedeath poi^ has juscreoeivied a lO^yeariail 5ente<ic& ;"Hie mde^deot CiAwn CDiranisuim.iiK HoinaDQ ftl^hts :smdNaaosail Hcooociliarion bas idessed evidence that2620dissidents hadbeen'detained in Cuba in November and^December tSont. And lesser day-co-diqr htuniTiationg ooa-timip. space.This month in CBntagQc^ ^^ctor Maand Garcia l&que wasoqpelleU &un the Camilo Cienfuesos loili-tosyschool&r Kltin; a iote about the styvemmrat.Thidmmtb in GuaniiiBnia womei/a piisonj YesefriaHodi^guaE

Agoilar—sening Uuce years for "illegally atiemptiiag toicaw the (^untzy'mucli as Eciin did-^^ipas denied medical

^itzeatmentfor a kidi^ inftctkm and cysixiis inanattempcgelhsr to aSxBc ^ baby shet»caxryin^ Una mcmlh in

I Omaitetaprison nearMmsnzasjtheinsiatejtimCarlosCar-liUo Mafthic9E was beaten to deodi andionties. Such out

rages are becoming better fcaown ut the weat^now that rbeInternet is helpiag dhsidentd to break the infoxnutioafnoQopoly of cbe Cuban gD^nuneat's pmpesa&da sheetGnotHMw

The nasozu fixr the crackdown are deac IVvp-thirds ofCabana iveie not even botm when Castni came KD power in1959.TherevoInxioaazysTiBigi^ oifatmosthalfa oemtnyago axe—quite pcoperly—meaningless to them* wdghedagainst the world of terror pentitss aid stupidi^r thfiyiohahiL Fidd has seiaedoaanQr cbaobe £a%ehispe(^ npagain—even sending tn Bolivia fis Ch£ Guevaitfs body tobe displayed as a kind of earlier is the deca^ Sodiere'ago^ reasiMk tobdieve tiiaiiHdd doesifc particularlywish to have JEti^n bs^ and woutd noher hare hun at li»diqtdsatasapfOp^an^tiKd. ''

AiBi theevcnis ofc£e1stsevdal weds-'^&iHn theingioifachana8e<ifpe6$*^an*.iotheiBeiveotioo6td thedubiotiszeQiKSls for coshxly chao^Ba—naakc it dearcf th^Castit/s ^ri^cs arethe oady ono-distommt iuat& Tha^swhyEli^ case should be dedded inw Ametic^with his'reiatives knaHng ihdr cases hem Ic would becliinlish n>dirabc the sinoeziiy ofhis fisher^fr or his grandparent!^love fiir him. Uiiibminairiit that love do^^t putthea i*.« posidoir co pcUMciElite ftom tbie jgovernsBeattthdeirwhs^ they live.^ —ChriitppkerCidAoeSf/ririke

00/03/02 15:19:27 TO: Eunice and Ron Ray/Ray FROM: Jim.Backlin

CUBA

Nun's commetits,Vrumor

case

coxtiewfaaeHviptttj^j/yMIAMI—Hie t(99y-tiirvystory

of Cuban raftor ElianGofizalei hxtk new twists yesterday as a fedendiudBehandlxtiglttscase fQ& kD, evenas a South.HoHiSamm wbo plswed a tey.tole in the£ag& made <bamatic new revela-tiouSw

Vncanftnned reports a)9> cir-culatedtii^ fatherIravetto die Unitiea States toclBimhis son.

taWyers argumg whetherttte Ikv'Bhottld fitay here or xetumto Culia ne« scheduled to tak^ optite key issue ofjurlsdwtion todaybelbcc Its. District J^dge WiUiaaHoevolor, hut the 1r7-year'Oldjudtee euflbred a stxote' o«er tbe

A ^K^sesmaa sMd Chief Ji^geEdward & Davis would meetvtttiattorneys in the casc today — batonly to officially inform tbem^mu the pla^ to replace JudgeI uasy.HDt:««ler asA'to anaunsiee iA ied^kmo&t^iaDeii^Bgtbf whevr ludge \rill be seH^d ren*! cision and asUzig that tbe boy bedcMoily by oemputer. It-iwas un-l granttd an asylumheark^lauramhwhMigtiiedeveloinnent^i l^egal e«^rts say ^ law isvrottld dd^ Btian's case. sqiiiat^ bound fte government's

^ge Hoeveler, a vettran federal jtfttee who prcnded OFver thetrial of fcrmef Panamanian ittcta*tor Manuel Norissa, was assignedthe Elian case after another judgewithdrew last nmodi because of aCDSsibte conflict of inttrest.r Meanwhiler Slater JeannercLfnig^iUii, vmo hosted a hl^-profile reuniMt between Elian and

Cidsan grandmodiers in Jan-uai% mid that OM of thft

(juirar&iiiniylS^ long inadvanc«''&Sl&t'the btqr's mother•fanned to flee tite island with bbnt^boat* Sister O'Laughlin — vi^io i£presidentofBarry University andwas asked to hiHt tlte reunion hjr

i^her friend, US. Attorney GeneralI Janet Reno alsosaid that Elian^

1 fafter, Jtian>Ogue] Gonzalez, hadLphysically abused the boy's

Sister OXaughlin made Chestatements in an interview w&hthe Miami Herald. After the Heraldstory waspublished on Sunday,

leased a statement saying Aearli'ckf contained some nushafonna-tion. She said she never metprivat^y w^ the grandmothersbutl^medofthe details about die

Gonzalez family from **othe(souroes.

null hvthe atn.^_jIiA fitalBzne&tj)

are mililtelyto ha^'a ma$*eS6eioa the court proceeding su^rotUMfing tbe Iw Bitt thiy wgilikely (^axkansnrroimdln'meDStr

war of wonfe bel^recn Miamnvototfle esiles sndtbe Com-rounistgoBernnientrf C3iiba---hbtto xttcamoa the tvro brandies offli'eGOmailes fenily:. Win" wa5 finind Ooating in anfauier'tube'off the coast aS FbiiUtiid&rdale cn l^aalc^vinsHi9 mother and 10 oOw pctfsoittdrowned after their jmoaU.

Qfian hrip fnnnSisicetfaen,Ettantet Uved

with rdativieaiaBdiaini^liittteHavana.'

Fbderal officialshanniledttual^m aStonldl^tt-turned to bis iiatberiaCuba; a de^cisioauiiheld t^AfissRttioinJan-

MiamifiulDiilbr ffled. a

case. -

"There is absolmely no ques-tionT said David iAraham,. aXFni-vvcsSHy of Miami law parafessorwho spedalizes in immiexatiQamatters, ^lomigration atbnisBi<m8dedsionsaEenQtreview^ebythficourts. The law is.ciear and hasbeen dear fipom tteoutset"

If a jiulge rules ttiat the federalcourts have no Jorisdietian andthsK inonugralion officials wMcorrect in sagrtqgBlian diould m*tuin to tusteflier,theMiami ftwnilycould meaning the boy^return would be delayed for several more weeks.

In additiim to oanting an asfr-. )lum hearing^ Elian's Auami /adves want die dedefal courts ts IrecogameacoauuwrsialnaineiaA^nd-Dade CountyflamilyCourtin which :a judge awarded custodyof the boy to his Miami grrat-uncle. Lazaro Gonzalez. Mi^.-Reno^ however, has ignored thatruUng, sapi^ the Flozida courthad no junsdictioo.

, — ,^Also yesterday, a coluini^ fiirhowever, Siter O'Laughlin re- ^Snother South newspaper

dted another journalist as thesource of itpnts that Ehanlfthen Juan Bfl^nel. may travel tothe United States to meet secretlywiA his soA.

pace:006/006

00/02/28 09:09:11 TO: Eunice and Ron Ray/Ray FROM; 3in.Back1in

UMCOLN DiAZ-eALART2'aTDisn>i.t. FionOfc

CCMWtnaONHUM

YKf CMMimV,Suvec^iynn on

g^iKHAia*

GCBUrilTTESO^

mmwnoksL ieoatiows

tttwooKV

Congrefia ot tf)j ©nfteli States^Qtat of JUprttfematibcfi

SaiasljmgtQii, ac 20515-0921February 17, 2000

Uear ToUeague:

PACE:001/006

asncromcb

wsthw sawTsiuMeuit^u

Mii«ii.aM1W

Please take a Cew rr.orr.cnta Co read this recent JVP wire storypublished in the Naples Daily Neva. Sending 34ian back, withoutgiving the family court the opportxmity to d^ide what ia in hisbest interest, would constitute a tragic injustice.

Vj'Najjlts Diiihj ^awsi

CordlalW, >

J,^Linroln Diaz-Balart

C_ Elian: Evangelist says boy's father wants son to stay in the U.S.Wednesday, February 16, 2000

Associated Press

MIAMI • Elim Gonzalez's fatheru beingpresjureH by Cuban utlkiab andwantshis sonto remun in theUntiedStales, the leadn of an intriimiiunul hiunanitahaa groupsaid Tuesday.

U.S.-based evangelist Kilari Atian Paul, presideat of Global Peace Initiative, said he went to Cuba to meet aloiit;with Elian's father, Juan MiRuel Gonzalez.

the (^year-old'9 father "^wts his son to remeio in a nation

Elian returned tohis father,' Paul saiil. "IIcfi having found.L ij ^ j- I Tf I I • * ^ U.S,-t>a»ed •vangellst Mlart Anan Paul, prgtldantthe Havana retime Bigagcd uiil«coW. cakulaltng and g.^bal P«ace Inltltrttve, addresses the riTAdiaC>TlicBl use ol Elian Gonzaler.'^ father for tbe poipose of Tuesday at a rastaur»nt In the Uttia Havana

.L ij ^ j- I Tf I I • * ^ U.S,-t>a»ed evsTigellst Mlart Anan Paul, pretldant ofthe Havana retime Bisagcd uiil«coW. cakulaltng and g.^bal Peace Inltltrttve, addresses theriTediaC>TlicBl use ol Elian Gonzaler.'^ father for tbe poipose of Tuesday at a rastaur»nt In the UttIa Havana

. . . . . netgHborhoed of Miami. Paul says CUan Conznlez'sscoring aninternational propa^n.la victory unseen since the fattiar w»n»» tri* six-year-otd son to stay inthe U.S,Bay of Pigs invasion." '>"*'* being pressured by Cabnn gowemment

officials. Witfrtaa f.ee/As^ii9tsd PtBss

EHnn'a relatives in Miami have iwcn caring foi ihe boy since he was teseued from a tire tnbe oO" the South Floridacoast List Noveiiiljer. Lauro Con7alez.the ^real-imcle who hastemporary eustudy of theboyinMiami, li^s fifed alawsuit seeking to block Elian's renmi.

Paul, bomin India and now living inthe\ Iniled States, fuimded aninteioarional evangelical mmstrycalJcd (jospeltotheIInirnchcd Millions in 1953. More recently, hecreated theGlobal Peacc Initiative, wiih hcadquarrers insubutbanWflshit^on, D.C.

Irhe group planned to hold s prayer rally inMiami this weekend.

ro

Justice Depa^-Umrn StUlInsists EUdn Musi Return toCastm

StateDepartaient Has Certified Cuba asChild-AbuserBySoottRmuc

The Oimon Dqnatiaunt's most noent asuunflunton lights icpoit dewnhne Cas&o's OAa «& avtcnMi pulira state wIkib daldnn, in pmknlac a» niga-cdfa abuse by the(pxvemmem.

But (hat a[ipiDenlIy tntfillii iwdung tn (he {anugmtkip<sd NatunIi?.i>i*o>l Service ONS). an«gEii^ cfAay. C<uJsMfRtOO't Mdw{7q»itioeitf.v>faLchi«Riamii()0ii!fnii^

<leoy even anh^Q] potUtksl ftqihan bsadi^ lo&ix-yetff-o<(< Ckmzillnv teCtthmbaywhosnividkRsridsmntaaksghdng Day cBi^t;

As ]NS^nkeMiHa (uiaKummBvsns fast wHd( ibuttto agcwj) win out«(ti)rtapo>ilii»l)eetnstiof«9uitor-ina^btheSuttDrfwinKot'siein^ Th»lNS1u»<|eicr-taiied said sptrfttttnm Majia Cmioa^ ditt 6e'11^uf(l»lx)y'if«)bGri«it)AtbebcRRjmod. "bkln^jowbte,"iihe atloM) idietoncoSy, 'ithats llttfeboy cndd gmw xtpiaAloviag ftoBly tn

"PtMUleat ObIip exetdses ttmttnl owr all aspecttGilsnlifethtMgh tbe ConunimiA Piatty aid.,. ittc ssmleeaiqr ^ppomi^," says die State D^artnenl iqwrt, |rab-Ibluxliii l-ttinuaY Alttwre{Mttbdittinaraw«rni^

I« * Pfvww iO.'SOOO

netaaoatb

a "pctvaslw system ofv^fOniicc."Jsileri {bsUe&U {oo» apdsoD ^tem dcagrad lti ttoui^

l». 'IViKsi guenk «ij natewoBiiy oflSdaU." says thr-StelelJepa«nw^*^wl3ccwl... Bcdvisfijtothiwlacfphyscal vkdence; sys/emmk psycfaokiaMl intitisdMtuci;And wtA (kientica oc unptfaoiBiKni in cetlk wtd)ctMBoonaid violoacrimiDsb, aggEBshne hotitgstnuab.«statesa»>% pasixig « piiloiKQr

laovtn collect lotaL

him. {JRiRBiunist Icftdem nui govctnaieut ofliuiukcoowipttd (ucal wodnaandgrate (sclwol aaihigh »cl»otmtagi ia nfly {» ftait o*' thofianajy'* hnwo and itwutnlqceaicies (be oocu{ianta bdfmt ^t^kKtus jeoutiijia^joibtlnified domilite itecrandbeat 6»atyineiuban.

OibmyoufiM atealaoforced toprovMe labot fothe NCUR• . '"Tim fi«wain*w craplc^fs fcnad labw. teduinj dcat bv

dii)iiiv».''iqu((stl>cStat&D(i^ "Alf anti&filsMftuiiio ^ .1,1 , . ^.IZT:«8eU»w«*pw«BdtD4cwte30to45(|»ys<rfthttrgamian8sd nulKKrttkm mCastro't jsitoss. wc8jwoi»&aiiwotlt.blM<lt»«ptt>a h/wwwrdwr

or nwH- ^ Hew a» mmi vaaia US. cS»W.Einebravj^topoSti^imivsambythebTBhtiv^^ ' sinKAyiA«to»Wdft«Cibaflt6tugteiewto

ACt8 OfRcpualatHMI i^a*'«Kfl^dedii!iv(ifpas«c»Btan"bK!kbauae.^n]tofitnpijsi3iinie&i,Oib«idiEsidcnififltDlhMp^ JoKtSmohaa^toctcteu^fldftlawby ddioinBilutt

targeted tosystRMticlieaauomcainpa^ oror I oi^Efiin^sisawIiaa lhastsarfiiig wj^)ply forasyliuaoarepiMSgtioa" Ca$tn>n»il^yc:qi]scdpOchildtm 1Bli4n'$tjehitffa ftftUnlttd States. If the State Dqpartmaitcjp«c in dtete csiqalgte ii which -nei^hwi, fcUow Bi« nghl. q< coose. fef Bliia's fiaher mi x^ly cwiMvvoriuva.RQd ntetiibenof (UtCi^oiitiiiMmg^ r « a mhHittom, loan "401 ^ ropuillailiaj'' In ihaii ofhitoMtallMf in IhMit ofataxf^a bouse. Once in placc, they hommMttbedtoy(^ob$cciiities,ctasM^{)top«fty andevM V Ujebasod to CWw as loet Roto wishe*. ElUit aho^ ^plqvkallyuiadcttetaiset. Pwmld bave » repudiate bM DiodMww^

bim£we^pif^C»dzntati:^te£3n% <iw»i<ctofrep(id!silngQutmga\«(ttiE&(ot]iifl£i)er«jntnAoxaita.

• • ^t

(0*

wn jiL

14«

00/02/28 09:09:13 TO: Eunice and Ron Ray/Ray FROM: Jiin.Backlin

^

-S 'd tn, I

The Hon. ConstaQce MoreUaU S.House ofRe{xre5cntative5

Deai C<mgre3swDnianM0Tella.

With the miwal decay Bxperienoed onr society inthe pa^yeafs itseems fliaiiyAinericans are havingahflid timeseiring iwhat is really in theElian^iBaleicase. This is an opportuni^ for our representatives to speak out and helpthe citizc&s<»|-this nation get back on track. This youngfcltow needs all ^ help be can so lOewthink hard on the following points. Fiist aad fonnost, this isnot about the &thsr, itisabout the best interest oftbeb<^. My son works with aCiihanyoungman who had anappliancerepair business in Cijtoa. His monthly income was SHJO.OO^ He lodc to serv^je.

onabitewith asaddtehagofspare parts, mosliy feran discarded parts. WlafsuMtft-scaxy fe the that he was consideiod wbU off. Odds areastronomical ^ win beElian's future inCuba Dowe want this for the child? Wouldyou want it for yours?

Thirty yeais ago, when people saidth^ would die for their children, (esepaiatwnfat the child's wsl&ie). ttey meam it Kow we ^peak ofthe fedjers love for the boy^continuing the sepaiati<si is wrong. Wdl. loveas proactive and involves doing whatright for the loved one even when, or especially when ithurts. You don't say *11^someone solshouldhave Ifaemii^aidleag ofotiiffl'issiJe5\ "nris isflpineless, selfish,has no basis in motality. The separationoffitthH and sonisvery sad. but IS supersedtfAby Ibis young boys right tolive a lifo offiesdom.

As you know we all have inalienaWe rights by virtue ofbeing human. Youmember ofour government arc aprotectorofthese rights. TOey cooifi ftom God, or^you wiU ahi^source above and beyond govcmmcnts. Elianhasth^ It is hisbe free not ororesseA Itis nothds fotheis right to dei^f him this. Itisfliej^vOTime»tS j/moral obligation, asset forthby founding felhsrs, toprotectElian sfounding iSwfsmeant them for all, not jostihe citizens ofour country, inat is wby vy'imposesanctions againstooumries violatinghuman ri^ and wby we grant politic*#asylum to adults anyway. Why not children? . a j

Parents have inalienable rights, but thev are not iadeljMe. Aparents n^tso^don achiles wel&re. We can lose &em ifwc prove to be abi^vc fw example. Weno evidence fliat Elian's fether is Bba$ive.but we do know his bfe inCuba would be. AjajOTtectoiofiiiaUenable ridiB.lbeavootosae^oatforEHaaTlMS would infhien<«thBCOintsandatihesametiine^wyOTTOii^i^ySaOTiaiiitiBertlolIieprotection ofthe inalienable ofall people iodudingdaldren. Please feel finee-fcecontact me ifyou struggle widiany ofthese points. Thaiik)^^

PAGE:003/006

00/02/28 09:09:14 TO: Eunice and Ron Ray/Ray FROM; Jim.Backlin PAGE:004/006

THOMAS SOWEIX

"WIMfjA question yet to be askedI y T That, if not fear,• • \ A / could keep b per-

y V SCO frvmoudcing aT T 30-minute trip to.

«4'ec)aiiii his son?"This question was asJsd by Sis

ter JKannc O'Lauf^iHa, a Dominkannun and president of the colleKeivherv £Ului Gonzalez met wtth huiitmts fnim Cuba. It is the key ques-ilon tiiat sinub] bave bean asked b>'iill lh(»c are calling fbrthw lirtjAl>oyto be sent back G> his m<;:uba.inthe Ranie of parental rigl)L<i.

I- We know what EUan^ mother^vanted because she rislced Iwir iiTe(0 get it and paid the price. But we(^n never lincm' what hix fatherloaUy Honts, so long as he is stilliitside. a tntalitarlBii dictatorship.This IS aot rocket science Morelhan half >ic«niury of bitter Msto-

bos made it painfully «^ear that|)eo{il« are not free tu speak theirminds under communism.

' \Vliy pivitrnJ we know what tb&i>oy^ Iflthcrwarts? Or evea whathis{•rwxltniith^rs want, since they had:i Cuban ^-crnmcnt escort witbihMii nil the time.

If Elian's father had come toMiami, accompamedhy his family,and declared in opencourt t^hewanted w» tate his soa back with

1lioc.itisverydoubtflilmast Amer-:lcans would oppose that. We nuebt

W ** Affnwe

SKSir

« not agree witb)i father's decision, butI most ofus could acc>!}M Hjl itaea decision behod a 9 ^ Jf right to niakK MII The father would1rroifn nmi wBsqjMK^ '

A(lecStsQg^sncerctaiiatioa against any

r family marabers left\ back in Cuba would be\ cerlHin if )k saiduhing that went against)wtttt Fidel Castio want-/od.After New York Van-(kae pitcher Orlandof Ilenuuulcz escapedL from Cuba, bis brotherF was then prextsntcd

from coDtlcuiog to playbaseball there.

None of Qu£ ie new.'"d it. Josaf

'fang it will •Qj^SSSi• ttus tmiial rualityttn&l ^|u ly slak iji on who arelofstu-t^ atBd with foreign despots? I•V When youthinkofallOie Ble^V immigrants to tbb courUr> wbo

have been BHou'edto linger bera foryears, making .a mockery of ourcourt ^stem with the help of left-wing imtnigr^itioD lawyerrii and

Nl0T^/>U^ T//AY Efc-c Dipn^oKrC/f- c t Lo//ur.<:/ A :>

u- Pi.'-.tjtir a:.-!,-.-- uj'/'T/V 'TV/ti < jT 'T>/'/ C

yfJ'iJ:''(

'Soy_,"

' Activists, the Clinton administra-'lionis indecent liaste tn gel tWs little 6-year-old boy back to Cuba ha« ibeen d painful spectacle. I

Sending LIS. immigration ofll-dais to Cuba to Interview Elian^father behicd Mr. Castic% iron curtain would be a Joke If it were notso (*>9cene. The bor^ fattier is no

J '• more tree'lo speak his mind therethan were the prisoners of war wbo

; were forced to meet with JaneI l^nda when she visited Hanoi dur

ing the Vietnam War.Anyone whodoesn'tunderstand

thatjslncorriglblynalve.Anda^y-^) one who willingly goesalongvitli |' Mr. CastroScbarade is incorrigibly jr cynical Nodxing that Bill ClincciQi\ did with Monica Lewinsky was as\ curnjpt as what he is doing now^with the lifcof this little Cubaaboy.

How vou treat the helpless is the.1 rcoI^sToT mgraLty.iiOt3 olpeople% arfeHimking that test time.g Whyis it SO important to mem-

bers of the Black Caucus and togroups like the National Councilor

•(X^0 Churches ro send Elian GonzalezBaHTTotTuba? What is really impor-.

Ufltant to them Is the liberal agenda!InjlK andtheliberal visnnoftheworld.

Politically, it is going to loiA bad, if Elian sta^-a and worse yet if hisfather and his fbmilV CKtetTiSre

V re a ReaHn^ IflflffiJ5a.nt

Ifberals haveput in to prepare^epublic for ofRcial recognition of theCastiu regime. Indaed, it wtxjld be

a black e)e for librraLs in genera) ftu*the role they h3\-e kmf? played as".aefiil idirrf?''fry Castr^i and

agiir^^otsottheleit^»i<'' tf_.-]An argument can bt niaile'n^

^hbargaes, such as that against -Cuha, are wrong both morally andpolitically An argument can bemade that diplomatic reco^iitioiiis

- nothmR more than a pragmaticdeci5ioi) ^mliI who <u:iually cuo-trols a given country. But do areu-iiient can be niadtr Hubllcly Ihat a

• bov iatobe gacrificedjn ^altar UipuUtics. ~

insfeiuL.we'g^thecie&Cwnof theappearance of parental and familydesires to get Elian b£dt in Cube, uthat desire were teal, the boy'sfather could have coiae over on mesame plane as hissrandmothers, sothat there would be no questjou asm what he leaUy waats.

e'^-When Sister Jeanne O'l^aughlin[JuTote of the "trembling, furtive•jlook-V and "ice crld hai^^' ofallIthe family members who met in^h^hotne with tittle l^ianGonritlez,

she gave us a glimpse cfwhat total-V itarianiiun inean» in human tenris

X and what freedom means, or.^houidinea]i,K>U5all.

Thomas SowoU is a natimalfysyruHcated columnist

00/02/28 09:09:15 TO: Eunice and Ron Ray/Ray FRCW: 3im.Back1in PAQE:005/006

REVIEW & OUTLOOK

Fidel's Human FootballMaybe Mr. G<*izalezdoes wart Ws

boy toleave America-tho^h it is aty least wOTth noting tMt he didn't reallyf / start insisting on it until alter I'laeli-j did. BVittbisii some^ningihe uviicaji-r V^^Tknow, becauseithas allowedFidel

to compromise the investigatoryprocess. Had Fidei aHowertMr. Gonzalez and his new family to come toAmerica and answer these questionswithout a gun effectivelypointed to btsh^, the EMS niight have someclaimto know what he really wants for iiis

'son.

Of couFj«j that's soniettiing-FidelwouWnev« permit, because it wouldrun the risk of havii^ them all defect.Recall that this is the same man whosegoons only five years ago rammed atugboatfilledwith desperate escapeesuntil it broke up and sank. One survivor would later tei the Washington

-Post that Cuban officials continu^ to-"spray them with watCT cannon andwatch them go under even as mothersdesp^teiy tried to keep their chii-dren's heads above the water. Does

Ianyone thinka man who considers escape a criminal acthas Elian's welfare

•Juan NGguel Gwizalezloveshis SOTEliBn. More than six weeks and manyheoidlines after the six-year-old boywas fished out of an inner tuhe floatingoff tfee Elorida coast, that's the eonelvi-sioft. of federal INS CommissionerDoris Meissner. Accordingly, Commissioner Mcissnerannounced yesterday, the lUS.has (letenniDed that Mr.Gi:>nzalez Is the only one with the legalright, in the whole wide world, tospetdcon iwhatf ofhls slx-yearoldsoB.And because Mr.

asked for the boy to

just as soonas, Mrs. Meissnerand Jier fellow INSoMcials can per-suade Fide] to givethem some fig leafimdftr which to doit. From the Wht^ S^^tsl^mfSHouse came, word dq^ofionIhdt BUI Qinlonsupports the INS's decisioa to deportthe boy.

For Mr. Goniaie-i is by no meaDSj^atheart?» f>nlv nnc aclriliir r'jir TTJiftn mmf ' Tnrtpwthe only oneasking forElianto co^"

home. Almost ance little" l^ewassplashed across American newspapersfollowing his dramatic Thanksgiyir^r>ay arrival on freedom's shores-, FidelCaslTO has been leaciing mon^r rallies in Cuba calling for his return. Thepoint here is that the INS has, predictably, resolved what was never really an issue. No one who thinks theboy should stay assumes Mr. Gwzalewdoe.sn't likehis son. What-we all won-^rter is how free Mr. Gon^Alez is to saywhat hereally thinks hacR inCuba. ^

Leave ^icle Idr a moment anymention nffflia]]'s rrmther. who mighthave IhnuBht that her life wis "wiflrm•Vif>r htri? hnv's ^repHnih! Put youreelt"In Mr. GonKalez's shnes. You live in aone-party Communist state whosemetuluiuariacal ruler hds let thewhole world know that wresting youi*little boy from his haven in America^

''is l/ie national priority. Moreover,since divorcing the boy's mom youhave remarried and have a new family, still in Cuba with you-peopJewho might not fare an that well if you

Lwere to declare lor letting your sonstay in America.

Indeed, thougli there lias been agreat deal ofbreast-beating about howCuban-Americans have" "politicized"Elian's case, mfact i^^ been theother way'round. "Who^s it thatsug-gested on nauonai t^evision that theboy shoiUdbe sent back? Bill Clinton.Whichgroup was it that made a high-profilevisit to Cuba where it endorsed

Pidel line? T1\bNational Council of^Churphes. And AfhJh^i {JiTV^JITifftenlillBo^rbrouglit MS to where we are todayby saying itspH^nal decision leavingElian eligiblff for parolR wa.s a "mis-talce." In smrp contrast, all Elian'sMiami i-el^ives had asked foi* was thathis fate by resolved hy a Flnrida state j

-family co^, which is set up preciselw.to sort ofit tt^ese kind of competing'claim^garding a child's best

ests.

^ Then again, maybe there is a perverse logichere that does explain why16 PuertoRicanterroristsget freedom ^ar.d a six-year-old boy who miraculouslysurvived aimost twodays at seaalone gets sent back to Fidel. PoorElian. If only IfiUary were running inFlorida, he might have bad a reaLchance.

00/02/28 09:09:17 TO: Eunice and Ron Ray/Ray nW)M: Jira.Backlin PAGE;006/006

<4>When in Cuba...I iCidMfisdisagreevrifliMr.Castro, bitetfieirI tDg3gues.l?^lsiiiel)kna«iii.WliatvBasn%conBnm

JLknoudsd^ untfloow,isdte CabeuiTrasticeofbit-ii« ofter pec^e^ tongues. Thatseems CO be ahifliertDiinfcaoyn) ciKR»!n.ABO(hBrnew Cubanfrft-dhtniTi ia ihrgraidmnltiers to onzipttie pantsoftheirgrandcfaildimaidesiamiiie^ieirpn^lBparts. Ftaqr-ing between grandma ani gninosliM mayseem wimisonae to inaay,but some "eDqiertB insistitisjusta hanale^ Ci^jian culinr^ traiL

Ibese so-caiUsd custsans came to the fine eadisrtlus mmith when one of Elian. Goozak^ grand-motftexs describedina tdtevision mterviewhervisitwithber grandsm in MiamiSix-year«ld Elian vsnoQbrraelittDthsUniiiedSiafiesafterGurviviictirod£Qrsandni^itsatseagrippingan InneF-ti^on Xtonks-givingDay. His moftherand step&liier perished aitsea,aiterdK3rIl&-boiiml bDatcapsstedIteboyJiasbee»living with lelatii^ in Aifiami, iwtao have petirtioned fbr pern^mem custody of the boy. Elian^Cathcr, wlio lives in Cuba, has repeated^ aakt tewants the child sent badsto biin. lliebotr^ giand-motheis visited Ite Uiuted States firom Miami tnpress fin-return to his &i1ber. .

As it turns out, (he irtsitcould baeebeen oomncr-.|in>diKti\ne. In an iiUBTview ivitb Qihan .staletelevi-sitm,Elian^grandmottieiMaridaQuintanasaidifaatdie triedw dieeriipbergrandchnddaringherviat

heginning£ribouth0WheUIo8tfaistongue.soIgMhistongueout (tfhis mouth andlbitit, 1started teaamghim, I even opened hisfly,1said,'Letine look'... athas parts... seeifit'sgniwi ' youlouiw, teas-iUgUm tocheer him up«* Sfrs. Qoartanasaid.

Elian^ fiamiiy in Mtami was outraged at thegrandmother^ account of the visit. They havefiled a pahce oomploiitfagainstMrs. Qnatana. bithe fecc ofrepiMtsthat Siarf!8greai-im^ ^zaroGonzate, the patnarch of the boylsMiami faro-iy,has has a record of being anes^ fbr drtvii^untfer the influence cf alcohol. It is impoortant to

talse a closer look at the Eaonily EBan ^TOUld bereturning to In Cuba.

Hasre are a host of experts \^o argueb^iaraor ia of no ccHicetn. r'

^^profissorattiieUairetsilyofJiCatnil^and a Oubam-AnierLcan» said "1 ttmk it is a

rural liiiug, a (jass or cultuia! tbii^ reported TheW&sfaingnoTiniB& "Itisnotsomeihaagthati

CiA«ivouldxegHrdas a great tran^ressKHQ^Thanearemany Cubans wfao-mndd taite I

atMr Castroi^statement"IwmildcfariPei^aiqraneto find any referenceto playfiil tnn^ie bitingor^1-ital in^ecticMi in the thousands ofboolcsthat havebeen writtiaiaboiit Cobmi cuBure," said l^hk Cal-

thecRfiCiitivedixectnrofPEeeCdia. •'ff/•ntereactiontD Mrs. Quintana^ "teasing" ofElian

deuxonstFates just how politicized the case hasbecome. It would seem that the grandnaotlieffs'behavior would generate wide consensus onpotERtiallyfaamiMeifectonBhan.Instead,thosein&nqr ofsending Bianbadk to Cuba wiOuTut a cus^^

bomemcuBe.

j axe also oOKT signs of how.EBan.debatehisbeccanBL GhordyafierSisterJeanneO'Laughhn, tte president ofBany Untvecsity,waschosen as a nsutrd host lor the meeting between

andbas grandmolfaeis,shedecidedsbe codd-ntnanainneinKaLShewxbieasedanaiUBoffearov^^fiergnitthnaTwithe mifletaiiig,infnriveplteflmce<rf

IMr.Castxn^Rien.aief^arespfltrahmtytDvoiQelier1in^r^sioosabou;wliatshewitnessed.Eurthis, shetl»s been soumed.

"Never iii my wildest imafflnsti.ww" said Rep.MoidneWaters,C^tli£HiiiaDeiooaat"wouldIt]i!nkthat anwi who was supposed tti be a neutral p^i^wradd lEiderminetl^neuftrBlit^'^l^s. WEieis*jmag-inatkmisaf^iarentlynoti^enoughto&tix»naper-^ vaidng thenr coovictkos. a

Eliai^ro^ Rep.McCoUum to chai^haMngatoughimtnigcation pali^wh;ieallying widia $ouih Eorida immignuitRobert ScUesii^r and

[ BetarRpBcMnRep.BillMcCk>num'.<i (Mia.) Ic^ilative

careerhas| been markedb7tou^ stancesonimmig^atiflEi policy, firom ]^dng timelimits uu asylum applkadom to Itnuiingeducadonal iccesi for children ( 'illegalInuiiigianu.»

But the arriva] ttf fryear-old Cubanrefugee ElianGonzalezhasgivenSenaxecaniSdatejMcCoiluma high-prolireop-poritinitytosuppon Miami's povrerfidCuban e^ecommunitya.s bepiubrs tokeep thelioy inAmerica.

Tlie apparent rontradicoonbctsween

cMnmonii

Cuban sin die staterspolitics.Years beforeGonzalez became the cen

ter oTanationaldebateoverfamilyvahies,imnugradon policyandOiS -Cuban rela-tiom, McCollumwBsestaUishii^aposi-don ofbeing-tough on imntigranls. Jn1996,for example,McColluni. supportedtheHouse'simmigTalionreronQ hiH.asking,"^liyshouldjiut beingarelarivebedieprimary reasonyon^ttocome here?"

McCoOuoihadca/herofferedan

widiin30days. Hispcopusalaiso mandated thac,ifanodiercounttjro®eredasjatmi,the refugeehad toacceptit.evenaithecostof splittingfemilies. Healsosupported den^ix^puUiceduutdonto thechildrenofill^alimmigrants. ' V

'•''' 'henCoimlez.aTiTOdonihescenein JNovember.McCoSum movedtnhti|> jkeep theyoungboy indie UnitedSlates. /Lastmonth heintroducedle^siadon {

tionfix>m thelnuK^donandNaiuraUxitionService (INS) to theBorida statecourt

amendmentthaiwould ha-rc requiredall FloridaSt^nibGcanSenatecandidatea&yluiuseekerB toGleiheirapplications • comunufo on PAOEta

Membera are urged to attend this Important briefing.

MEETING WITH SISTER JEANNE O'LAUGHLINREGARDING ELIAN GONZALEZ

Members are uriged to attend a moetino with Sister Jeanne O'Laughiin today.l.fi, Igjgp pjip. ip foopTFrTsy ofthe

IIS0US8 the cas«of8-ye6r-oid ^an Qonzaiez.

SbterJeanne O'Laughl^ is theDominican nunpersonaiiy selected byAttorney GeneralJanet Reno and INS as anobjective neutral paiiy entrusted with hosting the meetingbetween Elianand his srandmothers last month.

SisterJeanne O'Laughiin wilt brief Members on her observationa and experiences duringthismeeting; her fear fbr Elian; and the reasons whyshe Is advoc^ing Congressionalac^onto ensure that due process be served and that a fairhearing be held in a lamllycourt.

PRGDEaiCSK, MD., MONDAY, FE8RU/I^Y7,2000

Former child diefector wi^es in for ElianCHICAGO (AP> — WftHer Polovcliakknows,

quite a Htabout t>eing torn between two coun-jtries — on« comniuotet, one democratic —

cai idealsbattle over his eustotity.TXvo decadcs before Elian Goivsalez wa^

T 'found dinging to An loftep tub« oB Florida's<!<iast, Poiovchak» then 12,earned the nicknaine"littlest (tefector" forreftislng toreturn with hisparents to Ukraine, part of the former SovlistlUnion.4fWith a home in Chicago's aorthwest sub^s^Pnlovcbak has bccorne a veritable spi^smanforAmerican patriotisin. And that love ofcoun*wy colors his opinion about ESUan^s father andbis b$tUe to return the bov from the United/States to Cuba. ^ £

"He's under tnunendoaspt^um &x»n thel

government tp make puMic demands for hischild," PolovchaksaidofJUAn Miguel Gonzalez.^T^(ton't ttittk he' spetddng from his heilrt, and

tb e^K^^^^^ErPolovchak saentioiKIs ownson, Alac, ifrho is 6 - the sfln» as

EUan: r"If I would be in &e same situatiofi, i wqiUl

10 whatever it.todk tobewithnv fem%^ tny^oti,"* hb !uild. But if couldirt ^ome to theInited States he said tie wjOuld leave'his son

ibehihd, Jmowing a better lifewas In Btbr« for /

. ,Mr. PoloYchak will eageViy t^ you he's biel^"living the American dream" since IBBO, whenhetan awsy from his family's home in Chicago^ther thanreturnwith hie Mrentsto Ul^nq^His de.dsion"toui?hed"6£r s higfi^pjibU^^ 5^I/2-year custo^ batije that ended when Mc

•w

Polovchak turnedISand wasgraniEMl U.S. dU-zcnship.

In theyears since, he got tiiarriad. changedjobs a few times and tr^iveledtho wtrid witiihisfiamily. Theyjust got b^ck6vm Jamaica., 'IthAt^Godeveiydsyforthecboiceandtheopportunities and thepeople who tnm^ into mylife to help me stay in this counby," said Iifo.

whose trace of lui acfent soundsmoreChicago than amyllung 6l.io,

There are differences, thou^, ietween lhesiorie9ofWalterPidovchfJc and Eiisn Gonealez.

Harvey Grossman^ who represented Mr.BolovchaK's parents In the cust^yease and isIhe legal directorof the American dvil l&o

lJJ*U^_of_IlIind8,-aotas-.Po1o\viiak's casicduringthe low point ofU.S.-Soviet relft-

00/02/16 18:30:57 TO: Eunic« and Ron Ray/Ray FROM: 31n.Back1'in PAGE:002/006

PAGE A12 / SATURDAY, FEBRUARYS, 2000

PAULGREENBERG UAr// 7!^^^

N""othine surprises the 20U3-ctntury mind more thantlitt siu^e, solitary iiidi-

A vidu^ wIkj cud tiu longerremain neutral oa a maiKr of con-

k >scieacc. i^ Ttat describes Sister Jeanne

O'l^auKhlin. She^ the president ofBarry University who wlunteercdher home In iVliami Bcacb for amecdng between little £UaD Gofl-7^\ez and his grandmothers, whowautcd to take the 6-year-old backto Cuba with them.I Afterward, 3bl«r Jeaiuie liad ajiarniouaccmeDi to niaRe: "I am nolonger neutral."

JeanneU'L&u^linnotonlycameout for lettioE Master Elian stay inthis country, but off she went toWashington to plead his case with

i Attorney General Janet^qf course was unswaveH^StS^1 Jeanne also' endorsed me tnove in

Coi^css to ^rant little Elian citizenship if that^ what it takes to lethim stay tiure. «-

Why the change of heart? "Thechild has been in the torment oftheseas," Jeanne O'l^ughlin saiid inher statement, "and now he's beenin the torment ofpolitical agendas.Somehow wb must find for himcalm seas, at least for a while." '

Nor did the nun sccra to appreciate Fidel Castro's launching ahuge propaganda campaign turecapture little Elian, completewith the usual "spontaneous"demoH^tratioBs. Tne sccne mHavanatBaf^reeted the grandmothers on ibetr return was something out ofGeorge Orwell^ "1984."

^dd a nun's storyto the unfinished sagacomplete with .agitprop, mass rallies and three-mimite hates.

TlKkse in this country who arealso eager to. ship the boy backsmmd shockod—sbockcd—at Sister Jcamic's speaking uul on liiabehalf. Fbr exemiple, there's Rep.Marine Waters. Califnmia Derauc-

TSTwMhaasBemBd the sort who

imsiiarofa unttedsoviet atatea orArtlfifical fbr sne' is the tanQ orSWn^kleologue rfigtriarly mn-¥idered apoplcctic by any display of'princijlis Ac can't understand, tikethe overriding importance offree-dam. " ~ ~i•~niis time she was "bewildered"by Jeanne O'Laughlin's stance."Neverinmy wildest imaglnailoa,"said Mrs. Waters, "would I thinkthat <1 nuo who vas supposed to bea neutral party would, underminethat neutrality" Yes, nothing surprises the 20tb-cehtury mind morethan the single, ariitai^ individual jwho can no longer remain neutral jon a matter of consciencc. i

Why would a nun who till nowhas been a model of neutralitydecidc to speak up? Maybe it hadsomething to do witii actually laying eyes on the little boy. Maybeafter tbcirmeeting. Elian Gonzalezwas no longer a nolitical or diplo

matic problem, another cate file inthe hiilginp files ofthe Immigrationand Naturalization Service, but ahuman being whose fat£ is abouttobe dcterniincd.

By coiucidcDce, ur maybe not,Uiedtury vfEHianGuiizalezbrukeasthe world was learning cnore abouta Japanese consular official tnLi^uania din-ingthe Second WorldWar who disobeyed his government's insiructioDs and issued thousands nfVT.Vis to fl(>eing Jews. Allowing them to escape the Holocatisl.His. name was Ohiunc Sugihara,and he was told oncc, twice andthen a third time to cut it out in theinterest of diplbnuicy. for he wasinfiiri^iDg both the Nazis and Soviets, Whose unbcdy alliance was stillintact in 1940. ^C But noth^ deterred him;Chi-iune Sugihara worked 20 hours a \day, writing visas till his govern-ment transferred him to Bertin. Thefirantic people he bad helped, oftenwith little children in tow, remembered that not only did he helpthem, but he did so ungrudgin^y,kindly, welcoming them tn, servingthem tea while he did the paperJ

iwork. %r E\'en as he left, the quiet litde

diplomat was tossinc visas out ofthe train window tn refiigeeft run-

"k-i. WUAf ^«16 W aAV6,6RA(lPMA,..'i .laved 1 Ais story J O'L

ning alongside. With those preciousslips of paper, they could head Easton The 'Brans-biberian Railroad toVladivostock, where they might getpassage for Shanehai — the onlyplace in the world at the time thathad no immigration quotas forrefitgees.

After the war. when he was repatriated to his homeland, ChiuiicSugihara was summarilydismissed

Japan's foreign service. Helived the rest of his life in obscuri-

r ty — until those he had .lavedLsought him out and toldhis story

A2an old man, Chiune Sugiharawas asked why he would defy hisgovernment's rules and regulations,and help all those strangers. And lieexplained; "It is the kind of Maui-mcnt anyooe would l»ave when heactually sees Uiu refugees face toface, begging with tears in theireyes. He j ust cannot help but syni-

I pathize." Chiune Surihara roiildn'fhelp butsyJhWMri!

And neither can .leanncO'Laugblin. But jt'gdoubtful shell,change Jancf kcno's minn^TTTTrattorney general luay claira" she'sgoing by the letter of the law.bm inthe process llie .snirit hri-'i hrnn IfwrThey'requite ctiftrent^ teerm^dthe attomev ecneral. .Siwer .fp^tnnphas a heart —

Paul Greenber^ is a nationallyindicated coltarmist. ^ j/

00/02/16 1S:30:59 TO: Eunice and Ron Ray/Ray FROM: Jia.BackHn

(T. i

The Honorable Roscoe BartlettHouse of RepresentativesWaslngton, D.C. 20515

Dear Mr. Bartlett:

(EB 0 3 2088

HageiidHtown, MD

January 29, 2000

PAGE:003/006

Blinded VeHTWu AMOciaionS«fviiigAj]-irnc2's RETtded Vets siDCc 1945

It is quite apparent that God saved _litlle,^lian Gonzales fromdeath at sea for a purpose —since it "was nothlcg less thaTT^^nffaPTff forhim to be rescued from death floating alone in the ocean.

It should also be apparent Co anyonei^th^amind to understandthat that special purpo'se^aimo^Te^uTfalled in. the

repressive atmosphere of the present Cuban government.

Furthermore, ha^^^d^^^hreacen^igstat^meiits ofviolence — to the effect that he

i^noliticanB. That sounds as if he 1^ not fit to be a^fattiji^^ toanv child Irear /or^Elian if he is returned to the care o^^ucl^^^a^er.

As you well know, OUR OWN government chinks nothing of takingchildren away from their parents when It is- deemed better, for the children!welfare to do so !!

I ur£e_jrou to vote to_gifia£_2^Eldan citizenship in the U.S^ SLalKierthan being conc€nera5ou^T5^^anie^^-^'r?g!its''''^^^!^^R5t!T!rt!^^^'ery con-. •cerned about Elian's welfare, opportunities^: and. the fglflllment of hiiispecial purpose in life. Let's at least treat hiBL-ss well, as we treat our own.

Thanks for listening.

Sincerely and Respectfully yours.

P.S. One further thought:

Two Cubans in that tragic voyage did make it to shore and were givenrefuge and citizenship —but not Elian. A refugee should not be discriminatedagainst because of his age and the fact that he could not swim as well asadults. If his mother had lived, she AND Elian would have been given citizenship —with no regard for his father. Why discriminate against him now?

hl«ii&DTIlleS<M jn fAamfft

a

•' 1 f/rehim up.

i«fliit so

CUBA

Grandmother's conduct stirs MiamijfeCritics call Elian codlact abusive ''

— ..—l. .. I.'— .1...-i" -''MflBilBSM* /\. ^ Thi; jnrtl(i«ija(nmftn fnr (?!• ar*«

kmomcnts with T'iiAn tii ii-eiit luiall'hin vraj '

Thejpottc.swnman foriheSpiiu-uh-iangHage 'ftlcmundt? iiffilistein .Miani, wluch oij'cd th«; tsjje,wliU^ elation' lalkjyto, ev-

etjijiw who onw t*ic thoughtThU was iiiapprapriate behaviorfor (trandmotboiK" saul Mari^Lewis, mttii^glng srfitor nt 'UsiB.-miinilo:! WSCV-J'\',

F.l:an'j grarcmolhera vWted U»e•ynitcd StalKS 1h«wrek m |ire-?sforthe iKiyIc Ik rwurrftd tn hU ffitherm Cuba. Blinn aiiia'ivmI n .ihjp-wiviik; ill wiiicJi hi.s mnthei* atidstcot'a^ljer ilrownfU.

Culwii Pi-ptidciU Fidtil C££Ci<ohas lufned Klian'^ uaw iwla a nu-tinoj) c;iisf,iie. s^yjisorii^a dailyanti-ll!>. Ar.d aEuusIng th« ;United States of )'4diiAl>pbigi liia 'boy,

Minuel Gviixaliis, Ktiiin'vfathw, sent a Icitvj' .riiuraday to its Atjomep-Ovuiwat Jatwi Riinoeud htuI i-iHUirallM-tion Serv'ica C«fnml»,'tinn<ir )"WrtiMvifisiivr, ih»: his sort bbi:io\"«<d to tJiB lioiiK af a tliflunsm

, Muifii rtfiaiivu who riiwr> )'<itufn-

INS liafd yuiterrfay it ivciiitT"iOM»idei thgrguue8t.4«TffS'tWlUr'iV iiuaott-w

- mte j,Oav- ms i

Tiid ouilu-Jy Vialtle uvu- EltuiUmaisz tv^k a bkam turu ttiibweekv;b«ti onevf his grnndinmh-erE t«)(t CubATi tclevlekinthoi *5

»a)P. tfltjCttfanimwmseein^Ismirin^ iheu-meeting in Miami tiMU^jfcirt toBHMhH^vto relaa. V, rf

Eiuni! patern&l grflnainirthttfMarina (}uintAQa uiu th« Iwywiui»jd and tiinid at thA iit then>ii(Uuiilast wek al the home d'aM>an\l niuv

Mrs. QuiMftnasa(<S tlmt Uian ef*fw-t to get Elian to wnrm up tothem, Ihpboybv bltii^tiis tor.eueTa^ unzippiDg liispanla; ' f

"WeH jokvd at the beglniiliiiiabout how he'll li>st hii» so Ieot .his tQiiffuo oitr of bis m«xitbnnCfbltit i3MmrttftMjfighlm,I«vcn(fianod his fly, I wd, 'Let tn^look'... 'Lcrt aeo if pnvm,'"

Mrfi. Quluuiia aaltl 5he wns;leaidnk; Uift boy "to oht«r lUni Up.'B«cauiie Ml that DT<un6nl, vn T^ltnomuch palit."

The Intervic^v, airv<2 iin C-jbanttlevision "nie^dAy rtighl, itHElian's M-nntl relatives fla^fctr-

I'T^e in ohocked siwi flis-1

lurhed," Arniontlfj fJiitiei-MZ,epokeunanftirthe Miami relslivea 1

uiiiWicivu aiu^d fbr£-3iEui sinca hev/ri resciwiJ from the ocfanThiittlifiylTtncrjRy.

"Thai is set a Cuban casrom,"Mr- Ontkrrfiz sjid ycsicrdey.

I Id Miami's rtiviiliirt Cuban-rtmftrtflflji commiinity; thoje whonppusfl J'irfpi nrrf ?ii[5iyirtan Aiiam\>i h^' tlic boy^i US. r?J-atK-M10 gain custody swsre quickts !7ei2e on rhe; incldimi.

"J cttEuv^t Umlerstfod thai idndof 'j«ha\^ur fi*aui a OTundmutiiertviiii a 6-y«iU^ul(lchila liXiJ In ibiscounicy tiiaU miJoi^uud hs childluulesUiiIti' fistd Ninu^itii a

•spukeBxvomiia t'nr (he CubanAmcricon Natiotial lA]\indatiQn.

t'Tanic CjJ^on, director of, Wa2liiticton-bfiS«d Ccnt«r i'ortYec Cuba, vho also grew up in

.liitvana, calkd the Incidetic "verydiflturtimg."

"It jl is a C\ibi\Rcullurnt thing,tiicn it is OIK thai 10 million Cu-bon? or.ivwnothinfi abcMl. H is notnoi'e cuUuml in Cubfi thitc it ia inJSinnsylvnnia or Ohto," aswi Mi-.Colzon.. Bui sume inleTj/rctcd the incident ^fthftrmlcaa tca&iiu)ij'46ta» it«<fls dctcnbed by thu Biano>mother,

, ^^•a dc iVri^cnj a Cutan-bcm>histuien A MonkU loairnsllODal

"TfuU is not a Cubancuspni'*^ —Afrmfx/o Gufi^njf'

UrdvSMity. Mid sh6 did Hotbeliftvethat the jticidont V9a> a ea«e ofobu5c but iirobobly wQccted dif-ftrent ctiltural vflluea. porllcularlyslnsc thu groAdmoibcn are fi'on aprovinelfir town nort arc. noiespe-ciflUyJ6ph;stlcatcd.

"It woiiJfi i\eve»- ncDir to mr to(10 ^his ^behw*In ihi/< wxyj hul 1

.con nndwstsr.d where fhe>' aw;cjmlngiwwjtsl^g

Ma:i<^su^ a professor at theN<u-th'&tuth

'•<'.i?niBr iiml a CubHn-Aiuorican.alstj shruKU ij.iifT the Utciduitl.

''JTli nitl hwOtiUvlt^ fnal i auifttrKUiw Nklllv I tftew upiuHaVsiu1 Uiink it it> 9 ruml tluiuc, a dau ct-cullural l^ig," )Hi said "h is not;'jtn«;hiuv ibAl uiiywie in Cubawbuld regard as a grenr trmugrca-

..itwi"t Kllaii's S^i«nl ninttves said Jii 3St<ii«Tiiuijl (buy were"yl}T>bk[!d{iDd|(JiKlurbad .., Vtiry upntrC Ittal tii«eraadmoibera used tnidr preuinuti

00/03/03 18:27:19 TO: Eunice and Ron Ray/Ray FRfiH: 3in).Back11n PA6E:001/002

FAii^A19inUDAy;MARCH3.2000

]| k apasitiixii?iiiich-crillmost]ikdya]rpflse,andper-te^angei; some(tfhisDenioareticoollee^ues.^.L^lq?resonimc5ndedtfafl|EUan^feflia;JuM3digQeIGfiEDzalez, shouldtravelto the UnitedStates aocom;:paused I77his wife ami in&ot soa so tbat he amyTSreety eapress what he troly ^vants for Elian—out-sids tiie caahrol of Fidel Castrob osendve regime.

&&:Leahy^rBConimendatiixiwasiff^-ooncciveiIt balance anacl3U)u4edgmetttc€tbecTud.repre9-aioa of Mr. CastKO"^ regime witfa eespect fibr theirttrinineriefatofaiiararitnoerhlgchfld. H^taypurg

Xcriwai jticlator onIhave bent~0TOr

WESLE>'PRUDES'; BShraChtif

5.611x5, iOm^^&SSorHEL(£.BEmNG. E£trci»vE£kiieSfiigeMARY LOL' FOrasS. SaartfCdtmiaar.-

WOUOYWm AsaAa^mff

aRNADDDEBORCHGRAVE EdSoraiLarffTEDAQR6S FRAKOSR COOMBSJR.

Ikpu^-Sfaaaff>^£iiL'oirB$RBi»^T^-U(a WSE?HWSCO«N

GBOfFRarEnwRE »a?<NETHM.M»^fNma;Astttao/Afen^j^Eifiloa

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%aifed^America'sNew^cq^

Ac-/z.a//v/ n7

KiCHARDH.Ai4BEf(GJR„ytixnesldatt.Gaiemfiliiaasp'G£:>FJ^EV'H.RnVAROS. VhxPrakieK

KHDICOCffERRIDEK Oulfkanad0^MICHACL1(.MAHS. AAsiSsufl&sMrARTHURDLFiRBEK CntdtHofiDottatPETERCOURTRKHiT /ifivfioligAfrscau-CHSISAMBROSVn. PttduteMOrmer

HARAOyOPmSDEK CmpuSerSenkaDi/tctor•iAMES BOBER.AaxkAniiirQesZISRtt-

RIQiAKD aim loxTdia Ototsr

Fm-tiie sake ofEian/In room 226 of tbe Senate Diiks

Wednesday, Elian Gonzalez becaiobserver, a fleshiszid-bkiod 6-y&

himself present b»t his cousinGanesleK^ described to lattmaters,aifaa:anIodkenlhebay^^piu4(Sand

Tfas lestinioiQ^ofMariel^js aades be&rsliieSe^tBJudiciary CitkmaL It moved tn^ in the tnom.alar^ noteworthy in theoa^aDemocTatfh>m^fez?n<sitSe£)respoK^ Mr. Leahy expressed his]ieaf!h9 Itis in&hunale thatrtfiiirtpgri^!pft1fiir«^l fa^tinjiTTiytlPQUtbori^fta'partisan g^'he saii

Afterthelinftpaneileysis, had spofia^ lEiwever,apfunociatBUiattiia hafflriiiga positiixi "viiiich vpillmost likdy

Housebackwatds tryingto avoid.

It is difinidt CO identic wh^ tcstimooy inspiredMct^abytoxnake^nrnfitoonstructivesuggBSlimxP^etiaps it was Marisleysis^ descr^tioa oC Pf integrity asteadfast desire tostay inAateoca and herp3ea g? ^^uldn^sellqnttfaisvotroglifej^..hav&biswish£esi)ected.Maiideysis8aidfhfitinDfn& ^bacanibeinaie^tiis iasr olber coimtT>L'

iTbttilduiirto man/Id. SUan

pi3es8 and

rUdtness- cannm taitPeCttban his |wasenm- J son tt^ oaimu^here becausehe has a in& aiidan 1

waspartn:- I in&olsoa" . ' - |tickLealQf; ' EUan^mfld^andstep&tbwcfiedafiertfaeirll^^

witnesseshad bound boat ca^isized Btm was rescued Qtim theto de accideittOQThanluKiiving Bayand wasbtoti^to

n^'hjsiiig -Afia^vttenBMari^-sisacdheir&milylwecaredjudiciai fortiiebajtTli^havBflledforcusiodyofEKanibut

hie &therin Cuba hassaidhewantsthe bosrr^umedfAfaris- to him.

led to^ In her own, gen& way, Manslsysis coontered

tstephowcoiiEversatiap.l^EiiaDbJi^^

son.

M,JjanAU^elb.poiisiaiB^bei

'«pectilati(»ilha£5h6andh«a'£unilrwiesrestriTin^t)Dadopt Elian ftr selfish reasons. "AHtiiis &milydone was to be there because his &ther could notcome here"shasaid, "Ttnnllnw

young boy&custa^Shouldn'tbedeaded,howe^Juntilhis&ttiarandbisDew&aafi^harobeeiibrou^totheUnitedStatEs,aaditbflsbemt3adectesrtbgy jmas* stayif li^

The president. Congress and people of ^ Unit-^edStBtesahouldntgpn&mMr.Castro25dkxatDisfaipti»

mocsl eqmval&nceofdemocratic80twrQS3ieQts.l£lianis only one child, and it is true that there are many

^ePthe White Hou3^-»

00/03/03 18:27:19 TO: Eunice and Ron Ray/Ray FRON: Jin.Backlin PA6E:002/002

Tomd is dimcteH'ofthe Free Cong/ess Foundation's CentBrforLawand Democmcy.nqufrles, contact Robert McFariand 202.546.3000 / rmcfaTran<lfltflre>conarBgs.ofg

let^Queqtiopg^y comineirts^^ntact AnnieWheeler awhaalei@freaccnqress.oig . tJL

o ) «» »<#/«-ptExcel

ElSan's Case Should Be in State's Hands"\A^eil. its certamly the most confused situation I've seen in a long time, the way ifs been handled. Itseems to me that we ought to look at what kind of a case it is, and look what,would have happened if ElianGo|nzales' mother had lived and the two of them had gotten to shore, or had been rescued asElian was -It appears, at least my understanding is, that once they make It to. shore, then they're accepted asrefugees in this country and are granted asylum here. If thaTs the case, then it seems to me that whenElian makes it by himself, heshoujdjto ac^ted thesame wav as his ha*/o^ hoen" saidfor^r Attorney General Edwn'lt^eese in response to Tom Jipping's question on 'Legal Notebook": 'Istiiis an immigration issue that should involve the fMleral courts?' Meese added, "And therefore, ifs realtynow a custody battle and a custody issue. Now. custody issues have always: been decided by statecourts - just as all family matters - divorce, mam'^e, a!) Hiose other aspects of people in their family lives,ar^ amatter of state law."Jipping queried, "There has been a rulino bv a state court at least temporarily, on^na custodv to hisgr^tjjncle In MiamL Attorney General Reno appears simply just to disregard that and wants to gofoiwfflxi with the fiederal government Involved. Is that proper on her part?" Meese replied, "That's what 1can't understand. I think ifs anther case of the federal government arrogating it to itBelf powers itshouldn't have. We should not have the iminlgratlon and naturallMtton service decidino custodv matters.The only decision they should make is, islhe properly within this country or not properly within thiscountry."Jipping asked the former attorney general. "Wiat could be driving Reno wanting to take It out of thatordinary custody context and just turning it into something much differentand much bigger?"Meese stated. That I don't understand either. It may be that because you have a lot of left-Awino ^

^X^rganizations like the National Council of Churches, and people ike that who've meddled in this thing,lhatmere may be some political forces. But. ifs hard to understand just what the reason It But I think it oughtto te clear that the INS- the inunigration and Naturalizatkm Service - has a very limited function Inthisand that ifthey say that he is not going to be sent back as an Illegal immigrant then Itought to be a matterfor^e regular courts ofjustice todetermine."Jipping asked, "Should Congress get involved?' IMeese saki, "I think ifs bett»- notfor Congress to getInvolved and to go through the regular processes first which would be the court determining custody. Jfs ^

^otjat all unusual for state courts to determine ^tody jggifftg even when thev involve people in foreign ^^ounttsss^ so, I think that the custody issue ought to be decided tirst tne same way it woukJ be in ariyother case - and that is, what is the best interest of the child. 1also would feel a lot bettei^^ quite frankly,as to the tier's good faith if he came to the United States. I can't understand if grandmothers wouWcorjie to the United States, why can't the father coma to the Unitad States? Ifs avery curious case and Ithipk that there are a lot of suspicious motivattonsinvolvedwith the people v^o are meddling In the caseand itoughtto be left to the normal courtprocess." «C ^Jlppng asked Meese, "Has the INS become too politicized?" Meese smswered, "I don't Imow whetherthey have ornot. Ithink the whole Dapaitment ofJustiee_has had the signals called too fteouentlv by ,V

whteh isa politicizatton ofitself. \Miett)er this has affectedj^e INS, Ican't besure, i>ecause ^I n^en t nao that much contact with them. But I think it is a danger that ^e whole department hastowateh very carsfufiy to guard against In the enforcement of the law, the ^fninisiratibn of Justice - theDepartmentof Justice - has to be clearly separate and independent to cany out their duties faithfully,even tiiough they ultimately are raspon^le to the President ...I think thera's a difference t)etweencanp^ing out the policies of the President - that Is, what^ould be your priorities for entorc^ent, whatshoukJ b^ your policies with reganj to leglslatton. thingssuch as that Butonce there is a violation of [aw,an^ once there isthe need toapply the law, then the Department has to be independent in order to carry

' its law entorcement function without political jnterference from theWhite House. That is the Importantout

thing.Contact: Legal Notebook Proclucer Joseph Stans 202-548-3000