BY MEG NOVAK
CHICAGO - As delegations of young people around the country make their final preparations for the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students, activists across the country have stepped up the protest campaign against the U.S. Department of Treasury's denial of travel licenses for young people planning to attend. The festival will take place in Havana, Cuba, July 28- August 5.

Over the last two years, the Clinton administration has tightened Washington's already severe restrictions on travel to Cuba. Under the Trading with the Enemy Act, U.S. residents aren't allowed to spend money in Cuba except for in a few cases, such as full-time journalists and those who get specific licenses to participate in international conferences. In this case, Treasury officials claimed that the youth festival is not "within the scope of clearly defined educational activities," and on that grounds denied licenses to 50 youth who applied.

Nearly 10,000 delegates from 133 countries are expected to participate in the festival. Topics of discussion will include anti-imperialist and antiracist struggles, women's liberation, protection of the environment, and how to stand up to rising fascist movements. Many of the people involved in protesting the denial of licenses are also involved in protesting the recent bombing of two hotels in Havana (see article on page 3). In Montreal and Toronto, activists planning to attend the festival held news conferences to condemn this act of terrorism and to protest the denial of licenses to festival delegates in the United States.

On July 17, the D.C. Organizing Committee for the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students called a picket line to protest the denial of licenses in front of the Treasury Department building in Washington D.C. Local activists from different political organizations attended. Michael Key, president of the Democratic Socialists of America at James Madison college, stated that even though he wasn't going on the festival, "I support the chance to assemble youth from around the world and build solidarity." A staffer from the Service Employees International Union also participated.

On July 15 in Chicago, dozens of people assembled in front of the Federal building to raise the same demands. Young people going on the festival from the local affiliates of the U.S. Organizing Committee, the Venceremos Brigade, and the National Preparatory Committee, the three largest groups organizing delegations to the festival, joined in the united protest, which was covered by the media.

On July 10, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California hosted a press conference in Los Angeles to protest the denial of the licenses. Graduate student Karla Alvarado, who is planning to attend the festival, told reporters there, "I demand my right as a U.S. citizen to travel to Cuba to meet with other students from around the world and talk about the issues that concern us."

"The Clinton administration is holding these students hostage for its own unsupportable and hypocritical political agenda against Cuba. We demand that the visas be granted as soon as possible," said a written statement from the National Lawyers Guild that was read there.

The panel also included Sam Mistrano from the ACLU; William Paparian, the former mayor of Pasadena; Joe Harvey of Orange County Irish Northern Aid: Dr. Maulana Karenga of the African-American Organization US; and Debra Antscherl, representing the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the festival. Several local media organizations covered the conference, including the Los Angeles Times. Written statements were also received from actors Ed Asner and Martin Sheen, and Los Angeles City Council member Jackie Goldberg.

Press conferences are also being planned in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for July 24, and Boston, Massachusetts for July 26.

While some people have decided not to go because of the denial of licenses, the majority of youth who have applied still plan on going. Over 700 people will be going to the festival from the United States.

In addition, about 75 are planning to go to Havana with the U.S.-Cuba Labor Exchange to attend the International Workers Conference Confronting Neoliberalism and the Global Economy. This trade union meeting will take place August 6- 8, immediately following the festival.  
 
 
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