Recent cases of people being sent from Ghana for military or other training, willingly or by force, and cases of disappearances involving such trainees, 1990-1991 [CUB9914]

Please find attached a copy of Response to Information Request No. GHA6706 and its original attachments, as found in the IRBDC-Ottawa files. This response deals with the subject of Ghanaian students in Cuba.

The additional documents attached to this response provide references to cooperation agreements between Cuba and Ghana in different fields, including education.

One article refers to a bilateral project related to child education which was visited by the Ghanaian First Lady, who later reportedly visited a teacher training college and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial School on the Isle of Youth (FBIS-LAT-90-051, 5). Another article states that "over 11,000 young people from 23 Third World countries - not counting the ones being trained as educators - study at the Isle of Youth, mainly at the basic secondary and pre-university levels" (FBIS-LAT-91-188, 3). The same source refers to the existence of 24 "internationalist schools", although it is not clear whether all of them are located in the Isle of Youth. The source adds that most of the foreign students are from Africa (Ibid.).

Two other articles (listed below) provide information on defense exercises and farm work carried out by students in Cuba. The documents, however, do not indicate whether foreign students or trainees were included in these activities.

Additional and/or corroborating information on the requested subjects could not be found among the sources currently available to the IRBDC.
Bibliography

FBIS-LAT-91-188. 27 September 1991. "Foreigners Attend Isle of Youth" in Radio Reloj Network [Havana, in Spanish], 26 September 1991.

FBIS-LAT-90-051. 15 March 1990. "Ghanaian First Lady Ends Eight-Day Visit" in Accra Domestic Service [Accra], 14 March 1990.

Attachments

FBIS-LAT-91-188. 27 September 1991. "Foreigners Attend Isle of Youth" in Radio Reloj Network [Havana, in Spanish], 26 September 1991.

FBIS-LAT-90-225. 21 November 1990. "Numbers of Students in Farming Activities Given" in Granma [Havana, in Spanish], 5 October 1990.

FBIS-LAT-90-224. 20 November 1990. "University Students Conduct Defense Exercises" in Havana Tele Rebelde Network [Havana, in Spanish], 19 November 1990.

FBIS-LAT-90-063. 2 April 1990. "Risquet Signs Protocol With Ghanaian Officials" in Havana Tele Rebelde Network [Havana, in Spanish], 30 March 1990.

FBIS-LAT-90-051. 15 March 1990. "Ghanaian First Lady Ends Eight-Day Visit" in Accra Domestic Service [Accra], 14 March 1990.

FBIS-LAT-89-050. 16 March 1989. "Ghanaian Minister Inaugurates Cooperation Meeting" in Havana Radio Reloj [Havana, in Spanish], 15 March 1989.