17795: Saint-Vil: Haiti Solidarite 2004 (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Jean Saint-Vil <jafrikayiti@hotmail.com>

I participated in this solidarity conference and I can confirm that the current
situation in Haiti is not as hopeless as the international media is trying hard
to portray it - Some folks are trying to make their projection become reality.
The real struggle is definitely not a simple brawl for power between political
parties. It goes deeper than this. It involves RACISM, Classism and a whole lot
of planned confusion. However, it is not hopeless. There is no civil war here
---- yet, and we can avoid it still.

Nonetheless, those of us who witnessed how Patrice Lumuba s Congo, N Krumah s
Ghana, Nierere s Tanzania were attacked, destabilized and practically
recolonized by the historical enemies of black people, we realize that what is
needed at this stage, is the mobilization  of women and men of courage to act
as bridges of peace within the Haitian community and to expose the hypocrisy
and double play of the white supremacist powers that are fomenting social
unrest among Haitians  - just like President Thabo MBeki, Ron Daniels, Randall
Robinson, Black Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Danny Glover and many more
respected personalities have done here in Port-au-Prince during the
bicentennial celebrations. The people of Haiti want peace, they are striving
for peace. However they refuse to settle for fake peace at the cost of foreign
imposed white (and white wannabe) minority rule. We did not accept it in 1804
under the french. We shall not accept it now in 2004, no matter how many
dollars the European Community and the extreme right wing forces in the U.S.
spend to finance social unrest in the country to profit the small but
economically powerful racist minority that holds a nation of 8 million black
folks hostage. Haiti is no Rhodesia and we shall never let it become Rhodesia.

White progressives, Pan-African militants, this is your cause. Dont turn your
backs on the people of Haiti. All sweet talks about Martin Luther King s dream
is nothing but empty rhetoric, if today you do not heed the call for solidarity
of Haiti disenfrenchised, downtrodden but heroically resilient people. We do
need friends - but true friends....!

Jafrikayiti

Your brother ALWAYS in the struggle

-----------

                         Solidarity For Haiti 2004 Conference

                           January 3, 2004, Port-au-Prince

                                    Press Release

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />



On Saturday January 3, 2004 Fondasyon 30 Septanm (Haiti) with the Haiti Action
Committee (USA) convened the Solidarity For Haiti 2004 Conference.  aiHHA group
of more than 100 people, from Haiti, Africa, Europe and North America coming
from over thirty organizations met to discuss how to support democracy in
Haiti, and to fight disinformation about current events in Haiti.



We sons and daughters of Haiti and true friends of Haiti, who came and saw with
our own eyes how the vast majority of the Haitian people celebrated the
bicentennial with pride, and in peace, declare:



1) Our engagement to work with the people of Haiti to end social exclusion in
Haiti;



2) Our commitment to work with the Haitian people to protect their sovereignty,
including: a) the right of the Haitian people to elect their own leaders; b)
the obligation of foreign diplomats to respect national and international laws
(including the 1963 Vienna Convention) concerning their activities in Haiti; c)
the right of the Haitian people to be free from foreign meddling, including
financing of groups fomenting violence and social conflict in Haiti;



3) Our commitment to help the Haitian people force the former colonial powers
to return funds taken from Haiti (reparations).  Especially France, which
crippled the Haitian economy with the so-called debt of independence, which
Haiti was forced to pay over 100 years (restitution of $21 billion); as well as
the United States, which plundered Haiti‘s national reserves during the
nineteen years of occupation (1915-1934).



4)  Our commitment to help the Haitian people achieve political stability, and
our unequivocal support for the Constitution‘s 5 year presidential mandate- not
one day less, not one day more.



5)  Our commitment to help the Haitian people invest in peace and overcome
fear, making 2004 a YEAR OF PILGRIMAGE FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO LOVE FREEDOM to come
and support Haiti, the Mother of Liberty.



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

Members of the following groups participated in the Conference



10th Department Organization for Haitian Empowerment (USA/Haiti)

AKASAN: Ayisyen K Ap Soutni Ayisyen Nètalkole (Canada)

Association Jeunes, Ouvriers, Universitaires, et Paysans Haitiens (AJOUPA)
(Haiti/USA)

CIJ (Haiti)

Coalition Against Police Abuse (USA)

Collectif Etudiant Haitien (Haiti)

Crowing Rooster Arts (USA)

CSTP/SSH (Haiti)

Confederation des Travailleurs Haitiens (Haiti)

Fanm Viktim Leve Kanpe (Haiti)

Fondasyon 30 Septanm (Haiti)

Federation des Transporteurs Publiques Haitiens (Haiti)

Global Exchange (USA)

Global Justice (USA)

Haiti Solidarity Network (USA)

Haiti Action Committee (USA)

Haiti Progres (USA)

Jaku Konbit (Canada)

KONSA (Haiti)

Let Haiti Live Campaign (Haiti/Canada/USA)

National Lawyer‘s Guild (USA)

NOTA (Haiti)

Oganizasyon Fanmi Lavalas (Haiti/USA)

Partners in Health (Haiti/USA/Peru)

Pax Christi (Haiti/USA)

Radio Ginen Dizyèm (Haiti/USA)

Radio Nouveaute de Boston (USA)

Rezo Kominikasyon Pou Avansman Demokrasi (Haiti)

Rezo Intenet Kreyoles (Canada/USA)

SODIMIN (Haiti)

SOPUDEP (Haiti)

Tele-Haiti Diaspo (USA)

Urban Institute for Pro-Active Social Change (USA)

Veye-Yo (USA)



For Authentication:





_______________________