17496: White: Who's runnin from what?" (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Randall White <raw@igc.org>

Once again, it appears to be The Truth.

Contrary to the notions being provided by Martin Breguet, it appears, that the
facts are providing a different picture.

Maybe most folks missed this little tidbit from message 17497 "More migrants
being halted off U.S. coast:"

<< In the fiscal year figures, the largest number of migrants stopped was
Haitians -- 2,013 in 2003 compared to 1,486 in 2002 -- followed by
Dominicans with 1,748 stopped in 2003 versus 177 in 2002, and Cubans --
1,555 in 2003 and 666 in 2002. >>

I have to admit that I was surprised by the figures myself. This would indicate
that those migrants from "the Dominican Republic--[that} is doing so much
better than Haiti"--are making that same risky trip almost as often--about 75%
of the time--as Haitians are. I could exploit the bandwidth a bit here by my
subjective analysis of these numbers but I don't think that it would be easily
digested.

In short, this shows that contrary to the deluge of highly crafted (read
"professional") propaganda that we see on this list, Haiti has a real
opportunity to participate with the other countries in that region into
building a vibrant economy.

We're not really getting the clear picture about what the real majority of
Haitians know. It's crucial, that somehow, we empower the "illiterati" to get
their own message out. As one can see by the huge participation at a regional
conference in Le Cayes...

http://www.journallunion.com/news.cfm?newsID=3215 ('scuse my french)

...that the misinformation--that the popular movement and support is slippin
into a disillusioned proletariat rabble with unreasonable expectations--is
bass-ackwards. This was a regional conference in the country. The Group of 184
and all of their lackeys was hardly able to mobilize more than 184 folks
(according to some admittedly "biased" sources) for a major mobilization in
Port au Prince. (Least their name is accurate--unlike some of these
"democratic" groups with "democracy" web sites.)

They tried to bolster their numbers by giving their underpaid employees a paid
day off to attend their rallies. Most of those employees who did make it to the
rallies, did so so that they could support Aristide.

I digress..

What I really wanted to point out here is that the characterization portrayed
by the "opposition" and the corporate media--that the undocumented Haitian
migrants are fleeing an oppressive, despotic tyrant with a thuggish cadre of
enforcers--is simply part of the same worn out line provided by the sponsors.

In fact, if you really want to look at it, 2,013 Haitian "refugees" in one
whole year, just ain't enough to float that myth. (The reep-sponsored Haitian
Military murdered more *Haitian citizens than that, in the first three weeks of
the coup.) This is why James Foley is trying to bribe Fanmi Lavalas officials
and students into becoming "refugees:"

"...

Visas were also allegedly offered to students as an inducement to them to call
for the ouster of the elected government..."
                                      -AHP Dec 1

Hopefully soon, the people of Haiti will have a way to get their own message
out.



---------------------------------

"Are you going to believe me, or your lying eyes?"

-Groucho Marx

Guess I am a Marxist, after all.

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RAW