19539: radtimes: Oppose Bush's Coup in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: radtimes <resist@best.com>

From: "A.N.S.W.E.R." <answer@action-mail.org>
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2004
Subject: [ANSWER] Oppose Bush's Coup in Haiti

OPPOSE BUSH'S COUP IN HAITI

The A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism) Coalition condemns the
U.S.-led coup carried out today against the elected president of Haiti,
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, as well as the U.S. occupation of that country.
U.S. marines have entered Haiti tonight (February 29).

Whether President Aristide was actually kidnapped by U.S. forces, as some
sources have reported, or was just presented with 'an offer he couldn't
refuse,' there is no question that Washington played the decisive role in
this regime change. The coup in Haiti is reminiscent of similar deadly CIA
operations in Iran, Guatemala, the Congo, Chile and numerous other
countries in the last half-century.

The removal of President Aristide follows more than a century of U.S.
intervention in Haiti, and years of destabilization designed to bring about
the destruction of the Aristide government. This negation of Haiti's
democracy and sovereignty by the U.S. comes as the country is marking its
200th anniversary of independence which followed the heroic revolt against
slavery and the creation of the first free Black republic in the Western
Hemisphere.

Since the election of Aristide to a second term in late 2000 with 92% of
the vote, Washington has maintained economic sanctions against the poorest
country in the Western Hemisphere. Sanctions have had the intended effect
of wearing down the people and popular support for the Aristide government
by denying food, medicine and other necessities of life to the population.
Haiti's poverty today is a direct result of centuries of slavery and
exploitation for the benefit of corporate interests in France and the U.S.

In addition, the U.S. has extended financial and political support to the
so-called "Democratic Convergence," the right-wing opposition. According to
a story in today's Miami Herald, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher
said today that the U.S. "facilitated" Aristide's departure. Ira Kurzban,
an Aristide spokesman in Miami, said he believed "U.S. intelligence
agencies were involved in the ouster. ... This was a major operation by the
intelligence agencies of the U.S."

Congressperson Charles Rangel, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus,
said that the U.S. government is "just as much as part of this coup d'etat
as the rebels, looters or anyone else." (ABC's "This Week," Feb. 29, 2004)

According to Reuters, U.S. civil rights leader Jesse Jackson called
Aristide's resignation an "American-assisted coup," and U.S. Rep. Maxine
Waters, a California Democrat, demanded to know where the Haitian leader
was being taken one day after he told her "he would rather die than leave."
"When I last talked to him (Aristide) yesterday, he was not going to leave.
He said he would rather die than leave. And then I wake up this morning and
I find out that my government has landed at his home with Marines. How did
they get him to leave? What did they do? And where is he?" Waters said in
an interview with CNN.

The Bush Administration has arrogantly and illegally embarked on a policy
of "regime change" in Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti and elsewhere. On March 20,
the first anniversary of the start of the unprovoked war of aggression
against Iraq, people around the world will take to the streets in massive
numbers. We will demand: Bring the Troops Home Now and End Occupation from
Iraq to Palestine and Everywhere. We will also be marching to oppose the
criminal role of the Bush administration in ousting the first
democratically elected government in Haiti's history.

* * * * * * * * * *

PLANS ARE UNDERWAY FOR EMERGENCY DEMONSTRATIONS:
*San Francisco - Monday, March 1, 5 pm, Powell & Market
*New York City - Tuesday, March 2, 4:30 to 6 pm, Times Square to the UN

* * * * * * * * * *

To read the background statement on Haiti issued by the A.N.S.W.E.R.
Coalition on February 11, go to
http://www.internationalanswer.org/news/update/021104haiti.html

On Friday, February 27, a press conference on the U.S. role in the Haitian
crisis was held in Washington DC. For a report, photographs and the UPI
article, go to
http://www.internationalanswer.org/news/update/022804haiti.html

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

Email circulated by:
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
Act Now to Stop War & End Racism

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.InternationalANSWER.org
info@internationalanswer.org
Washington 202-544-3389
New York 212-633-6646
Los Angeles 213-487-2368
San Francisco 415-821-6545


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