Haitians protest the lack of direct aid to the people of the Caribbean nation. An earthquake struck the country on Jan. 12, yet most people have not received the assistance they need.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
- Yes to aid and international solidarity!
- Stop the military occupation of Haiti!
- No to the attacks on Haiti's sovereignty!
Together with our sisters and brothers we continue to demand:
- The total and unconditional cancellation of all of Haiti's debts,
- The return by France of the US$21 billion stolen from the Haitian Republic in the name of "reparations" following the establishment of the first Black Republic in the world in 1804,
- The immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all occupation troops from the Haiti (UN/MINUSTAH troops, U.S. troops and National Guard, and others),
- For aid and international workers' solidarity with the Haitian people -- and for the respect of Haiti's right to self-determination, for the rights of all peoples to live in peace in sovereign nations.
* * *
These are the main demands contained in the appeal to the international democratic and workers' movements launched by Colia Clark (USA) and Robert Fabert (Guadeloupe) on behalf of the International Commission of Inquiry on Haiti, in collaboration with Fignolé Saint-Cyr, Raphaël Dukens, and Guy Numa on behalf of the Haitian Continuations Committee of that International Commission.
In response to the call for International Solidarity with Haiti, press conferences, rallies, demonstrations, and delegations to government offices will be held on June 1 in many countries throughout the Americas and some European countries. Delegations will be going to the UN; to the office of Brazilian President Inacio "Lula" da Silva, whose army is responsible for the command of UN/MINUSTAH forces; and messages will be sent from around the world to President Barack Obama, whose administration has essentially transformed Haiti into a U.S. protectorate.
This June 1 delegation to the United Nations will also be accompanied by a rally from 10:30 a.m. till 12 noon at UN Plaza (46th Street @ 1st Avenue).
Other activities planned include the following:
- Caribbean Conference on May 28 in Guadeloupe with delegations from Haiti, Martinique, St. Lucia, and Guadeloupe in the framework of the activities of the LKP coalition;
- Rally on June 1 in San Francisco de Macorís (Dominican Republic);
- Mexico: Rally/conference in solidarity with Haiti on May 27 with workers and unions, and delegation to U.S. Embassy (with press conference) on June 1 to deliver demands and conclusions of International Commission of Inquiry. Also: Rally and protest on June 1 in Oaxaca to the U.S. Consulate, and rally at the border between Mexico and the United States in Mexicali;
- Ecuador: Day of Solidarity on 1 June, act in Quito;
- Brazil: Rallies, protests and delegations in Sao Paulo, Salvador, and Brasília;
- Venezuela: press conference and panel discussion organized by trade unions in Maracaibo.
- Demonstrations in Chile, Uruguay, and Peru;
- Delegation in Algeria to the UN offices and press conference;
- Delegation in France to the Foreign Ministry and rally;
- Delegation in the Spanish State to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
- Haiti: Demonstration in Port-au-Prince.
*********************
LETTER from ROBERT FABERT
(For the International Commission of Inquiry on Haiti)
Dear colleagues and friends:
On March 31 a special meeting took place at the UN headquarters in New York regarding donations and the "reconstruction of Haiti."
According to Reuters (March 31), the UN Secretary General announced that, "the newly formed Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti expects to inject US$3.9 billion into various projects over the next 18 months."
The UN General Secretary also "demanded that the UN be sent as soon as possible the US$1.4 billion in humanitarian aid pledged to Haiti, given that half the pledged sum had not yet arrived, as requested."
This type of announcement is not new; after grand proclamations about promised aid to Haiti made over the years, usually presented with great media fanfare, most of the promised aid never materializes. Hence the UN General Secretary's cautious statement about "expected" reconstruction assistance to Haiti.
What is new, however, is the role of the international financial institutions of global capitalism in the disbursement and direct administration of all reconstruction funding for Haiti. The overall and even day-to-day management of these funds has been entrusted to the World Bank, whose president "stressed the importance of coordination to prevent the emergence of islands of development in a sea of deprivation."
This whole operation only underscores the absence of the Haitian State in any reconstruction effort. All of them -- the UN, the imperialist governments, the international financial institutions, the nominal Haitian government -- seem satisfied with this situation. But what will be the fate of the workers, youth, and people of Haiti?
Will every Haitian child be able to go to school -- to a public school, offering free and quality education? Will Haiti have public utilities and services available to assist the people?
"Will an emergency reconstruction plan be put into place to develop domestic production and the Haitian economy -- or will the only "development" funding go to the pass-through, sweatshop industries under misnamed HOPE programs?
Will the Haitian unions be able exercise their full rights without hindrance of any kind, and, most important, without repression by the MINUSTAH (or other occupation) troops and the police?
Dear colleagues and friends:
For there to be any real reconstruction of Haiti -- for there to be a Haiti at the service of the Haitian people -- it is urgent that the Haitian nation be able to regain its sovereignty. And it is precisely to support this process of permitting Haiti to reclaim its sovereignty that the June 1 International Day of Solidarity with the Haitian People is taking place. We urge you to support the activities in each of the countries where actions are planned.
For the International Commission of Inquiry on Haiti,
Robert Fabert
* * * * *
In support of the Haitian people and their sovereignty, I agree with the need to:
- The need for the total and unconditional cancellation of all debts of Haiti.
- The need for all governments that are part of the UN Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) to withdraw their occupation forces from Haiti.
Name:
Organization / Title (for id. only):
City & Country
Email:
(please fill out and return to
No comments:
Post a Comment