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21153: erzilidanto: Haiti's Sacrifices Unite World-This Week in Haiti Progres-22:03 03/31/2004 (fwd)



From: Erzilidanto@aol.com

IN OUR BICENTENNIAL YEAR:

HOW HAITI'S SACRIFICE IS UNITING THE WORLD

by Marguerite Laurent


So much innocent Haitian blood has been spilled since January 1,

2004. But throughout history, Haitian blood has paved the way for

African dignity and survival. It's a crushing weight, but one

that we and our ancestors have borne as Haitians over the past

200 years.


We have witnessed a river of blood and senseless killings,

detentions and arbitrary arrests. Despite it all,  2004 is

already Haiti's miracle year: she has united the African Union

and CARICOM.


Like founding father Jean-Jacques Dessalines' army, we are

rising. French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin has

suddenly cancelled his "triumphant visit" to Haiti because his

government suffered a major loss in the French elections. We have

to wonder whether the French electorate is sending the French

government a message about its military intervention into Haiti.

The French are beginning to realize that the Haitian people's

demand for $21.7 billion in restitution hasn't gone away, despite

the coup d'état orchestrated by the U.S. and France on February

29, 2004. In fact, the cycle of debt, dependency and foreign

domination tearing Haiti apart for 200 years has been highlighted

by the intervention. All the world can see  how the constant

interference by the Euro/U.S. nations is intended to keep Haiti

impoverished.


The blood of the African ancestors is at work.. Frantic and

desperate pressure by the neocon clique   Roger Noreiga, Colin

Powell, and Condi Rice   has failed to move CARICOM... for now.

Its 15-member nations, along with Venezuela, have refused to

recognize the de facto government which Washington set in place

in Haiti.


Dessalines' army is rising.


Despite ten years of a constant U.S./Euro destabilization

campaign from 1994 to 2004, Haitians still built more schools

than ever in Haiti's history. We built hospitals and public parks

in the poorest neighborhoods. We put more electricity in more

towns than ever before. The government recognized the Vodun

culture. It brought the literacy rate down from 85% to 48%. It

recognized Kreyňl as one of our official languages, and Haitians

wrote more books in Kreyňl than ever before. Haitians from the

diaspora sent to Haiti more than $850 million a year. These are

our accomplishments. We may celebrate them. They are the facts

hidden behind the headlines. Let's not forget our miracles

accomplished despite the past ten years of U.S./Euro

destabilization.


In 2004, despite imperialism's coup d'état in Haiti, let us

commit to:

1. Celebrate our ancestors' great victory and our rich Vodun-

based culture. Despite the lies, Black civilization, beauty, law

and justice in Haiti shall rise.

2. Empower the poor and now disenfranchised in Haiti. We shall

continue to mobilize human rights monitors to help save the lives

of the Haitian poor, who are now in the greatest jeopardy since

the last U.S.-backed dictatorship years in Haiti.

3. Mobilize the vote against Bush, Jr. We shall continue to

mobilize the Haitian-American vote and to connect it with the

grassroots U.S. movement working to reclaim U.S. democracy. We

will lift the boot Bush has put on our Haitian dream for

democracy, on our people's neck in Haiti and on those

"indefinitely detained." This time the Black vote shall count!

4. Support the people of Jamaica for their stand for Haitian

democracy. Let us thank the nations of CARICOM and the African

Union who recognize that the will of the Haitian majority was not

respected by the powerful nations in the world.

5. Call for the $21.7 billion debt owed by France to Haiti not to

be forgotten. This restitution, on the contrary, should be

expedited;

6. Call for the murderers, ex-army and FRAPH mercenaries to be

deported to the U.S. or France where they may join their bosses;

7. Use this opportunity to show the world that democracy in Haiti

is not just about President Aristide. The Haitian people, and

Haitian women in particular, have a right to life, shelter,

security, education, health care, justice, and freedom of

association and speech.


Coup d'état or no coup d'état, Haitians have the richest culture

in the Western Hemisphere and defeated Napoleon, Britain, Spain

and a U.S. embargo back in 1803. We were the first to put liberty

into application in the Western Hemisphere. No other. That is

part of what it means to be Haitian. That is the Haitian identity

that has survived embargoes, 32 U.S./Euro sponsored coup d'états

and slavery before that. We shall overcome this U.S./France

orchestrated coup d'état also. No matter how many dollars and

euros France, Canada and the U.S. mobilize against us, we will

continue our struggle for liberty and rights for the wretched of

Haiti and the earth.


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

Marguerite Laurent is a Haitian-American poet, author, dancer,

and lawyer living in Connecticut. She heads the Haitian Lawyers

Leadership Network.


All articles copyrighted Haiti Progres, Inc. REPRINTS ENCOURAGED.

Please credit Haiti Progres.

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Dessaline's army is rising....Our Haitian blood shall not be poured in vain.