put the wig What you know Cubans on the UMAP? Conversations with my father Several days after the conversation I had with my father about the UMAP decided to take to the streets to ask people if they knew anything about those fields turned-prison work that became popular in Cuba in the early years of the 60's. I knew it was a taboo subject and that it would be easy to make me talk about it but had to try. I went to the corner of the dairy where many gather to play dominoes, talk, or phone. No submissions were needed, many already know me ... are the people in my neighborhood.
Trabuco Alejandra: TdA
Interviewee: E
TdA: Do you remember the UMAP?
E1 (18): UMAP?
TdA: Military Units to Aid Production.
Silence.
TdA: A kind of military service to which they were placed some during the 60 ...
E2 (34 years): Yes, I know what they are ... there were Pablo Milanes and Silvio Rodriguez.
E3: (40): No, Silvio was never there. Paul did.
TdA: And what do they know that?
E3: Well, girl, really not much there ... they took the "freaks", homosexuals ...
E2: Also religious and those who were in against the government.
TdA: What were they doing there?
E3: I really do not know well ... people do not like to talk about it. They say they were put to work in the harvest.
E4 (55): I had a friend who was there. He says that the thing was not easy. Working from sunrise to sunset and really bad conditions ... if you do not behave you get punished ... but does not like talking much about it ... I do not the truth ... "he said and walked away.
E3: I think it was something as correctional farms.
TdA: Correctional Farms? But what was the crime to correct?
E6 (52 years): That I told you this, were homosexual, religious, or were against the government ... na 'that if you were a little pa' there were embarcao ...
TdA: And that was good?
E6: Hey, Alex, you know the answer to that question and you also know that we should not be talking about it ... we put the picao bad, my child.
laughs.
TdA: Sorry, not my intention.
E2: Bah, do not pay any attention to this being a weight.
E6: Anyway now it's over.
TdA: But there are still people imprisoned for expressing their views on the government for exposing the problems we have here.
E1: Political prisoners? But not many, right? Most end up leaving the country. My uncle went to Miami as a political prisoner.
E2: There are still some prisoners here. For my girlfriend's house every Sunday passed a white-clad women who are family members of those political prisoners. I've seen ... breaks my heart.
TdA: It's Ladies in White and certainly take to the streets in peaceful march to demand freedom for these prisoners, men whose only crime is expressing their opinion.
E6: Oh and if people prey so you say, that I do not recall, what we do p ... talking those things with you and in the corner? I keep saying, sir, come knocking that goes and then we stayed.
TdA: Excuse me, what I have said is not going to leave here and if I publish in my blog is not your names.
E2: For me I can put my name.
E6: Do not be stupid, you'll end up in Mazorra ...
Laughter, silence. After a few seconds someone brought up the subject of the ball. I felt sorry for my neighbors and my neighborhood. I talked a while ball with them and the soap opera and time ...
TdA: And do not forget the UMAP, or Pamphilus, or that nobody has the right to send them to shut up ... - I asked as I left.