Fidel Castro : Rest In Peace or Rot In Hell ?

Last week, as the news of his death came out, my social media feed got full of posts related to Fidel Castro. The obituaries were highly contrasting and polarised; some with words of praise wishing for him to RIP while others wishing for him to rot in hell after death. I wondered why.

After successfully overthrowing an autocratic government through a guerrilla warfare that lasted for several years in the 50s, he ruled over Cuba directly or indirectly until his death in 2016.

Although Cuba always had a fairly good healthcare system and a high percentage of doctors, even before the Revolution, good healthcare is one of the first things that attracts about Fidel's Cuba. With a high literacy rate of almost 100%, GDP growth rate of over 4%, low unemployment rate of 1.5%, all despite years of trade embargo put up by the USA I wondered what could be wrong with this leader ? Everybody, at least in the neighbouring Caribbean islands must be dying to go settle there, right ? Well, some more reading suggested that the case has been the right opposite, with millions of Cubans trying to escape the country and become refugees almost all these years of Fidel's rule. Human rights violations, censorship, political detentions and executions, forced labour and restrictions of assembly are some of the reasons why Cuba as a country has been more of a jail for any freedom loving individual.

Castro allegedly conducted over 3500 political executions via firing squad. A tugboat named "13 de Marzo," while carrying 72 Cuban refugees to the USA, was attacked by one of Castro's boats and sank into the Atlantic. Reluctant revolutionaries, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, hippies and other groups were rounded up and sent to "UMAPs".

No wonder people were ready to risk their lives to escape from the dictatorial rule. From 1985 to 1994 the number of illegal emigrants is estimated to 82,500, with an additional 7,500 up to the mid-2000. Even discussing illegal emigration carried a six-month prison sentence. Exit permits were difficult to obtain. However, from 2013, a new law eliminates the need for an exit permit but increases passport costs to 100 CUC, the equivalent of 5 months of average salary.

Cuba's ranking was on the bottom of the Press Freedom Index 2008 compiled by the Reporters Without Borders (RWB). Cuba was named one of the ten most censored countries in the world by the Committee to Protect Journalists. The so-called powerful leader who defied the States was so insecure of his own people that he had to ban the free use of internet all these years. I wonder if this is the kind of freedom the communists ask for ?

After all these years of evolution, do we still need to be forced between choosing either the bread or freedom ? No matter what good you did - if even a single individual was forced to sacrifice his freedom because of you then yes Mr. Fidel Castro, you were a monster and I do wish you rot in hell, if there is one.

Grow Your Own Food

It is said that growing your own food is like printing your own money. If you print your own money, you might end up in a jail but by growing your own food you are only going to be a healthier and a wealthier  person. One would wonder then why so few of us actually get to grow our own food. Well,  people have reasons. "Where is the land to do so in my apartment ?", "I have a job to do.", "Where is the time ?", "Why not buy it instead of getting your hands dirty ?". But then, people have reasons to counter the reasons. "I wanted to remain connected to the roots (literally) and eat healthy. That’s why I decided I have to find a way to grow whatever I can in whatever space and time I have", says a Lipsi in a chirping voice, showing the fresh red tomatoes plucked moments ago from her own balcony.

Lipsi has a full-time job as a software engineer and lives in a small 2BHK apartment in the suburbs of Portland. But that did not stop her from becoming a farmer in her own right. "As the summer approached, I knew that I have to grow something and I looked around for space. My roughly 40 sq. ft. balcony was all the space that I had. I decided to make the best use of this limited space and began sowing seeds in March. Soon, the balcony was full of small plants". The list of harvest from Lipsi's farm includes tomatoes, chilli, french beans, cucumber, watermelon, jalapeño and mint and this is her way to remain connected to her childhood memories of growing these plants in the backyard with her father.

One would wonder how so much can be grown in so little space ! "Growing vertical was the key. As the plants started growing, I realized I had sown more than I could reap in the small balcony. So I made two layers for the roots to thrive and then used an extensive network of strings to hold all branches of the plants vertical. Soon many of them, even tomatoes, were growing taller than me. Now I don’t need to buy tomatoes, chilly, cucumber and mint for several months."

It was not just growing of food, but in the eco-friendly and cost-effective way that it was grown was special. All the containers used in holding the soil and the roots were recycled containers. The initial small ones came from the empty containers of curd and milk used in the house, the larger ones were picked up from the confectionery section of Fred Meyers, which usually throws away such empty containers after using the cream they typically carry. All these containers were brought home, cleaned and filled with soil. All seeds, soil and fertilizer used in growing the plants are organic.

 

"The most exciting parts of this entire project are the 'community plants'- the tomato plants planted in common spaces of the apartment. These plants are watered by us but anybody who sees the tomatoes red and ripen can pluck them and take them home." says Lipsi when asked about what she likes the most about this mini-farming. "Several of my friends have loved the idea and next summer, we are hoping for many more balconies, with many more plants."