16203: (Hermantin)Miami-Herald-Letters to the Editor regarding NAACP-Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Posted on Wed, Jul. 23, 2003

NAACP an advocate for Haitians, Caribbean

Re the July 18 story Haitians complain about treatment from NAACP: Anyone
who thinks the NAACP ''insensitive'' or ''disrespectful'' to Haitian issues
or concerns could not have attended the organization's convention, which
just ended in Miami.

Kweisi Mfume's opening press conference highlighted Haitian-U.S. issues of
aid, trade and immigration, as did my opening speech and Mfume's keynote
address. Our main speakers -- the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Charles Ogletree --
also mentioned the U.S.' poor record on Haiti. The six presidential
candidates who appeared at a forum were asked to respond to a question on
the same theme.

We scheduled the NAACP's first Caribbean summit of diplomats, which included
a representative of the Haitian government who expressed her country's
concern with great passion. No day passed without some reference to Haitian
issues.

On the convention's closing day, we passed a unanimous resolution asking
Congress to free aid for Haiti. These are hardly the actions of a
disrespectful or insensitive group.

JULIAN BOND

Chairman,
NAACP

Washington, D.C.

•

In a historic move, the NAACP brought the Caribbean-immigrant community into
its civil-rights agenda. The first Caribbean Summit welcomed the consuls
general of Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Jamaica, Belize, St. Lucia and
Barbados. The deputy secretary general of the CARICOM Secretariat also
attended.

The message was clear: Caribbean immigrants share similar experiences with
other persons of color in America in fighting for equity in education and
business opportunities, access to quality healthcare and liberty and a
quality life in America.

The NAACP highlighted equity in immigration policy, increased foreign and
military aid to the Caribbean, protections for the Caribbeans smaller
economies in the wake of FTAA trade deliberations and partnership with
Caribbean diaspora communities.

This bodes well for the long-term progress of the black community, both
locally and in the Caribbean Basin.

Miami was the perfect place to begin this dialogue and action.

MARLON A. HILL

President,
Caribbean Bar Association

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