18058: Ezili Danto'c corrections on two items:ratification and return of funds (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Erzilidanto@aol.com

One e respe to all:

I've posted this factual correction at:
http://haitiforever.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1149#1149 and attach it herein in its entirety.

Corrections: No ratification needed for Haiti's new child protection law,
and, Haitian civil rights and other civil rights groups, not the Haitian
government (to the best of my knowledge) are the ones demanding that the United States
pay reparations for plundering Haiti's national reserves - 1915-1934


One e respe to all;

Please bare with me here. I have a moment now and I’d like to revisit the
above-post (entitled "It's our SUCCESS as a people, not our failures that
scares") so that there's absolutely NO factual misstatements. I wrote:

Quote:
That there are about 3 million Haitians living outside of Haiti who CARE
deeply about Haitian rights at home and abroad;

Who today send MORE than $800 MILLION dollars to hold up their families and
give them more choices;.

That's true, but it should have been stated as: $800 million per year.

I wrote:

Quote:
We may celebrate that the Restavek child-labor law has been repealed and
awaits ratification by the next duly elected Parliament.

That's wrong. It's law now and and doesn't need to be ratified.

In addition, I did not mean to indirectly imply there was such a thing as a
"Restavek child-labor law" in Haiti - that is - a law that sanctioned the
traditional mistreatment of tiny Haitian girls (mostly) and some boys. No, never.

But there is/was (don't have the wording of the new child protection
law/admentments in front of me), but there is/was Chapter 9 of the Haitian Labor Code
which sanctioned child domestic labor - that is a law allowing for child labor
in Haiti. The point is, the amendment/repeal or clarification of Chapter 9 of
the Haitian Labor Code is what I was talking about when I noted achievements
Haiti may be proud about.

I have to make this correction though: This new law, passed by Haiti's
Legislature, for the protection of Haitian children does not need to be ratified by
the next Parliament as I stated in my post. NO. That is only relevant when the
Haitian Constitution is being amended. Laws can be amended by the Legislature
without need for future ratification to make them legal. Ratification by the
NEXT duly elected parliament only applies to the dual citizenship issue, which
requires an amendment to the Haitian Constitution.

I don't have the law handy to quote from but, know that, there is a new child
domestic labor law, now on the books in Haiti, to protect Haitian children.
And, it is one of the accomplishment the Haitian people may celebrate this
bicentennial year.

(Anyone interested in more on the Restavek issue may see my postings under
the Subject topic: "Pou nou koute istwa Ti Sentaniz la" under Ezili Danto post
dated Wed Aug 20, 2003, post subject entitled "Ti Sentaniz -the QUINTESSENTIAL
Haitian Restavek Story" found at
http://www.haitiforever.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=741#741 with references for more posting #720, #721, #722 on the Restavek
issue noted therein.)

Thus, the new law clarifying and reforming Haiti's Child domestic labor rules
is now LAW in Haiti. Said law is intended to help the Restavek children, and
Haitian children, in general, by strengthening some laws of protection already
on the books, adding new measures and overall to clarify the nations
intentions to protect its children. For instance some practices, such as corporeal
punishment in schools have been made illegal. The justice system shall be more
involved in the protection of children, etc..... I don't have the time right now
to look-up the specifics but would be happy to if anyone wishes further
clarification.

Finally, I wrote, in the above-post entitled "It's our SUCCESS as a people,
not our failures that scares" that:

Quote:
Truth is, thought its made some unwise choices and failed in many, many
areas, the Aristide government is the only ONE to have ever demanded, on behalf of
ALL Haitians, that France repay the 21billion debt of independence and that
the United States make on behalf of ALL Haitians, that France repay the
21billion debt of independence and that the United States make good the money it
plundered from the Haitian national reserves during its 19 years of (1915-1934) of
occupation in Haiti.

No doubt, the first part of that sentence is factual.

But NO, the current Haitian government has NOT demanded that the United States
 return funds, make reparations for the plunder of the Haitian national
reserve. That is an incorrect statement. I should have separated those two
sentences and written it as follows, "...The Aristide government is the only ONE to
have ever demanded, on behalf of ALL Haitians, that France repay the 21 billion
debt of independence. But, there are, today, countless pro-people-empowerment
civil rights groups in Haiti and abroad who are pushing for MORE - that is,
demanding, as well , that the United States make good the money it plundered
from the Haitian national reserves during its 1- years of (1915-1934) of
occupation in Haiti.

For a list of some of these civil rights groups and their stated commitments
please see press release dated January 3, 2003 attached below in its entirety.

Thank you for your patience.

Ezili Danto

***
Press release from the organizers of the Solidarity For Haiti 2004 Conference
January 3, 2004, Port-au-Prince

On Saturday January 3, 2004 Fondasyon 30 Septanm (Haiti) with the Haiti
Action Committee (USA) convened the Solidarity For Haiti 2004 Conference. A 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:
_______________________
Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine
Fondasyon 30 Septanm

*****