NEHANDA ISOKE ABIODUN: REVOLUTIONARY IN EXILE
Human Rights activist Nehanda Isoke Abiodun, talks to Ishmahil Blagrove, Jr. about life as a fugitive living in Cuba, the changes taking place on the Island and how musicians and artists are challenging racial discrimination.
What were the circumstances that brought you to Cuba?
I was accused of violating 32 Federal Laws. Anything from expropriations or as they say robbery of armoured trucks, to transporting arms across State lines. I never went to trial and I was never arrested. I went underground and lived clandestinely for approximately eight years and after 8 years of travelling around I ended up here in Cuba. To be honest with you I did not want to come to Cuba but it came to a point where it was virtually impossible for me to function because of the FBI. I was number three on the FBI wanted list.
Were you guilty?
This is not the first time someone has asked me that and my usual response is that, if I did do it, it is between me and my maker. What I was accused of, I’m proud of being accused of, because it was definitely in defence of our people, my people, and we did some really good work. Some of us were also accused of the liberation of Assata Shakur.
Liberating Assata Shakur! Tell me more about that, what happened?
I will say what the newspapers wrote, as reported in all the dailies in New York, November 2nd 1979. Two African American males went into Clinton Prison to visit Assata and once she and the visitors were in the visiting rooms miraculously arms appeared and they took Assata and two hostages and took what is the equivalent of a golf cart and went out a side gate that miraculously had a hole in it.
And then Assata later appeared in Cuba?
Yes, she arrived in 1984.
Did she have any influence on you coming here?
No, as I said, I didn’t want to come. It was basically decided for me. I have always worked with a collective and collective is not always what you want to do but what is best for the whole. You know, once I knew I was coming here I was glad that she was here, I had a comrade.
Why did you choose to go into exile in Cuba?
Because of the politics. Cuba definitely spoke about change and was in the process of trying to build a socialist society and that’s basically what we were trying to do in the United States as well, trying to bring about socialism in that country.
Are you concerned about improved relations between Cuba and the US, as this may one day lead to your extradition.
No, I believe that Cuba is a country that has certain principles and will live by those principles and as long as I don’t do anything to put myself in a position to be extradited to the United States I believe they will uphold their commitment to myself and Assata and all of us who they have given exile, refuge.
How are you supported, do you receive State support, a salary?
I have received some fundamental support from the State, for instance my apartment is State owned. When I first got here I was totally beholden to the Cuban government in terms of welcoming me and allowing me to come here. They were extremely understanding of what I had been through in those eight years of being underground, even more aware of what I was going through psychologically and spiritually than I was because I came here saying I want to do this, I want to do this, I want to do this and they were like, no, you need to sit down and rest. And I was adamant and arrogant saying no, no, no… and you know finally they got the upper hand. For about a year and a half, almost two years I literally did nothing other than reflect upon everything that I had been through and realised that it had taken its toll on me. They were also helpful in the process of helping me to reconnect with my children, yeah they helped me.
The United States has had an economic blockade against the Island for almost 50 years, tell me how the blockade impacts upon the day-to-day lives of the ordinary people?
There is a term in Cuba amongst most Cubans. “Estoy luchando” and what it means is “I’m struggling” and not as we use the term in the United States, involved in progressive politics, what it means is that everyday it is a headache to accomplish the most simplest things or acquire the most simplest things. Sometimes it’s because of the lack of funds but also because of the lack of supplies. For instance, I had to run some errands with a friend and he has a car, but we literally spent over an hour just looking for toilet paper, going from store to store, to store, to store and that is a very simple example of the impact of the blockade on Cuba. Medicines that could come directly from the United States has to go through a third country and this of course affects the availability of medicines, supplies, you name it. I mean, you get used to it after being here for a while, but you have those days when you think damn!
Did you expect President Obama to lift the blockade?
Yeah, I did. I really really did, especially because he won by so much. You know, him winning the election didn’t depend on Florida, it’s always a key state, but he would have won it anyway without Florida.
Then why do you think he hasn’t eased the blockade?
Cos he is who he is. He is the one who upholds the policies of the United States. It’s unfortunate, but almost 50 years of the US blockade has not stopped Cuba. It certainly has impeded it’s progress in terms of how fast it may have been able to accomplish certain things but the blockade as I said has not changed the policies of Cuba.
There seems to be a new awakening, a strong identification with being Afro-Cuban and the issues of Race and Racism…
I don’t know if it’s a new awakening, I think its just coming out on the table.
Is it the rappers who have forced the subject to be debated within the society?
In terms of vocalising and articulating some of the frustrations of being Afro-Cuban, especially amongst young people, the rappers were very instrumental in pushing it out, in saying this is something that we haven’t talked about for a number of reasons over the years but now its time to talk about it. I don’t know if it’s a new debate, I’m not sure I would characterise it as that, but it is certainly one that is more open because when I first got here if you would talk about racism in Cuba, you got, “There is no racism in Cuba!” That was the standard answer.
Have you experienced any racism?
Oh, yeah! I’ve had a couple of run ins with authorities that I’m sure were racially motivated, but as I was saying, I think that it was for a number of reasons the issue of racism was not put on the table. It has to do with the United States aggression against Cuba and not wanting to divide the country and people not really wanting to step up to the plate to start the debate.
How different are the struggles here compared to what you were fighting in the US?
That’s not a fair question to ask me, you should ask a Cuban that.
I have asked Cubans, but you were actively involved in the US struggles and can therefore give a better comparison.
The difference is that in the United States I struggled for a different kind of government policy. Here people are trying to bring about certain changes within the governmental structure which is a precarious position to be in, cos how do you struggle for something and not be seen as anti? I imagine for Cubans it’s a tightrope to walk. I mean, I’m not involved in struggle here, I’m a guest here, I’m still beholden to my struggle in the United States and trying to make a contribution as best I can whilst living here. But its different, what else can I say.
A lot of the young people in Cuba are demanding changes, what is your opinion on that?
I’m going to quote this young woman who is a psychologist, we were having this conversation and kinda touched on the question. She said to me: “We are a generation of some of the smartest young people in the world and from the time we enter into school until we decide that we don’t want to study any more, we are taught that there is nothing that we cannot do given our capabilities. We finish our studies, we enter into the workplace and we realise that there is this ceiling and it’s frustrating to us.” So young people in my opinion want to break that ceiling to use the learning’s and the things that they are taught in a way that maybe their predecessors and their elders didn’t do, they want a chance to prove themselves, just like the July 26th Movement did. This is not to say that they want capitalism or a different change of government, they just want to bring about certain changes that are relative to today’s life.
Many people feel they are not being heard.
I agree. I agree.
Do you believe the Revolution can survive in its current form without listening to the voices of the young people?
No, it can’t. I look back at my organisation in the United States and of course the founders of my organisation are my age or older and for the most part my generation don’t want to listen to the young people. I think one of the reasons why I get along with the young people is because I do listen and I’m an advocate of them being able to make mistakes. You cannot live without making mistakes and you learn from your mistakes if you are somewhat intelligent.
How do you think Cuba compares to other countries in terms of its Racial politics?
It is not a country built on the premise of racism and oppression. This is not to say that they haven’t made mistakes around trying to eradicate it, but as I said, it is not a country that is fundamentally based upon oppressing anybody. If we are going to be honest with ourselves, if they were trying to uphold a certain racist policy, there is no way in the world they would have sent their people to Africa. There is no way in the world they would have allowed myself and Assata to be here because our politics are very very clear. So I do believe that given a chance they will in a steady, progressive, logical way, deal with the issue. It’s not something that is going to happen from one day to the next.
What are your personal thoughts about the Revolution?
I think given what they had to work with and work against, they done a damn good job. There is always room for improvement and this is not the party line speaking, I’m serious. They’ve had to hurdle a million and one obstacles and as I said given what they have had to work with I think they have done an excellent job.
Are you hopeful that one day you will be able to return to the United States?
I always say that, I always say that.
What would it take?
This is where I say you’ve got to have hope in Obama (laughter).
Do you believe America needs to turn over that page in history and reconcile with its past?
When you look at the activities that we were involved in and what we were accused of being involved in, you can see that it was a question of self-defence. We were trying to survive. Trying to bring about human rights not only for African-Americans but for all of us that lived in the United States, to bring about some sort of equality that was humane.
Was the sacrifice worth it because now you are exiled?
I came here in 1990. It is a question that I believe most of us who were involved during those times ask ourselves and I will be honest with you, there have been times when I have honestly felt maybe it wasn’t worth it. Those moments come when its just been a god damn bad day. You know, nothing is going right, you miss your family, you miss walking down the street. Those kinds of days, you know, when you think, damn, maybe I should have married a Doctor like my mama wanted me to. But then when you look at the big picture and you look at how in some small ways you see how we have been responsible for some really positive changes, not only in the United States but around the world and you realise that it has been worth it. It also has been worth it because if you believe in the creator and you believe that there is a day when you will meet your ancestors, you can look them in the eyes and say, I did what I could. That’s not to say that we didn’t make mistakes because we did, but we did what we thought was principally correct, so yes, it has been worth it.
Interviewed by: Ishmahil Blagrove, Jr.
August 2010