US President Barack Obama shakes hands with Cuba's President Raul Castro. AFPWhat was termed as impossible a decade ago has now become a reality. The US and Cuba have re-established their diplomatic ties.
America, which chocked Cuba with sanctions, for more than five decades have woken up to reality. This follows the historic meeting between American President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro in Panama in March.
Cuba, the small but developed country in the Caribbean islands, has caught the attention of the whole world. Cuba had always attracted Indians, especially people from Kerala.
In 1959, young revolutionaries under the leadership of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara overthrew the dictatorship, which had the support of America to form the first communist government in the American sub-continent. Kerala remembers this with lot of self admiration.
How did this dramatic change take place? Last month, when I visited Cuba for a conference, I got an opportunity to hear different views about this. Majority of people in Cuba thank 'Francis Marpappa' for this historical achievement.
Let us hear the words of Marcelino, who was my driver and aid during my five-day stay in Hanoi.
"Fidel Castro had predicted in 1974 that US and Cuba will have a normal relationship when White House gets a black president and Vatican gets a Latin American Marpappa."
Fidel Castro's predication has come true. The people of Cuba are thanking Obama, Francis Marpapa and the Castro brothers for normalising the US-Cuba relations.
Raul Castro took over as President in 2008 when Fidel Castro stepped down due to ill health. Raul visited Vatican in May and thanked the Pope. Raul reportedly said that he was attracted to the Pope's thinking and he was contemplating abandoning his communist belief to become a Catholic.
The bloodless end to US-Cuba enmity has made Obama defend the award of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to him. Obama may visit Cuba at the end of this year.
The Cubans also praise Raul Castro for making brave changes to foreign policy. Raul showed courage to put an end to the old Soviet system, which was dragging the country towards poverty.
"Fidel tried to change the world but Raul tried to change Cuba," said Mark Frank, the long-time Reuters correspondent in Hanoi and author of the book, Cuban Revolutions.
As there was no incentive for good performance, a sense of laziness had crept into Cuban workforce like it was prevalent in the old Soviet Union.
"We can change the perception that Cuba is the only country in the world where you can live lazily without doing any work," said Raul after coming to power.
Raul eased the government control in jobs and encouraged people to earn more. The people shed their laziness when they were allowed to have private wealth. The opening up of beautiful beaches in Cuba to private sector led to revival of economy. Tourists from the US flocked to Cuba.
Now what remains to be seen is how the normalisation of ties with the US is going to affect the Cubans. There is no doubt that there will be development in Cuba. But will Cuba become another America?
There are many people who doubt the country's ability to sustain the dream achievements made possible through revolution by Fidel Castro when Raul relinquishes power in 2018.
Cuba is far ahead in terms of social security. Education and health care is free in Cuba. In fact, the health care sector in a poor country like Cuba is much more advanced than that of a rich country like US.
The infant mortality rate is 4.2, while it is 41 in India. Cuba is training doctors not only for them but also for the whole world. It is estimated that more than 60,000 doctors from Cuba are serving in 103 countries around the world.
When Western Africa was reeling from the dreaded disease Ebola, Cuba dispatched 500 doctors and nurses to help them. They are being considered for Nobel Prize for their admirable service. Last month, the World Health Organisation named Cuba as the first country in the world that eliminated mother-to-child HIV transmission.
Let us all wish that Cuba, which is aiming for a big changes, achieves development. Let us also hope that Cuba will be able to leap towards a better future while sustaining its earlier achievements.
(The author was the media advisor to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee)
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