21647: Esser: Tues May 4 NYC-Struggle of Haitian Workers After the Coup (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

NYC--Eyewitness: Haiti Under U.S. Occupation

The Struggle of Haitian Workers After the Coup

Tuesday, May 4,2004 at 7:PM At AFSCME District Council 1707, 75
Varick Street, 14th Floor NW Corner of Varick & Canal Subways 1/9 A,
C, E to Canal street

A just returned Emergency Labor/Religious Delegation to Haiti will
provide an eyewitness report on conditions in Haiti today. These
union/community activists attended the Confederation of Haitian
Workers National Congress, April 28 - 30, met with unionists and
community activists and joined in a militant May Day March in
Port-au-Prince.

Hear: *Dave Welsh, Delegation Coordinator, San Francisco Labor
Council Delegate and Vice President of the Letter Carriers Union,
Local 214. *Reverend Doctor Kwame Abayomi of Baltimore City Council
and Senior Minister of Unity United Methodist Church in Baltimore
*Johnnie Stevens, International Action Center Staff and a Co-founder
of Labor for Reparations. *Sharon Black Ceci, Steward with United
Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 27 and Maryland ANSWER
organizer

Also: *Thomas Griffin, a human rights and immigration lawyer will
report on National Lawyer's Guild human rights delegation to Haiti,
(March 29 to April 5,) *Omar Sierra of Venezuela Solidarity Committee
will give an update on the NYC Saturday, May 8th Demonstration on
Venezuela and Haiti (12 noon, Times Sq) Special Greetings from Brenda
Stokely, President of DC 1707, and Ray Laforest, Organizer for DC 1707

Conditions for working and poor people in Haiti are growing much
worse since the U.S. coup on February 29th. Dozens of bodies are
piling up in the morgues in Port-au-Prince, Gonaive, Cap Haitien.
Gunfire is often heard after the 10 pm curfew. People are arrested
and taken away in unmarked cars.

Beyond the political repression, wages --already desperately low--
have fallen by 30% since the overthrow and U.S. kidnapping of
President Aristide. The price of gasoline, the price of
transportation needed to get to work and the price of food have
soared. Working people are on the edge and poor people are facing
famine. Yet resistance to occupation continues.

Also: Update on Resistance in Iraq Building Opposition to Occupation
from Iraq to Haiti Plans for the June 5th March on the Pentagon

Sponsored by: International Action Center, New York City Labor
Against the War (NYCLAW), Haiti Solidarity Network, NY ANSWER For
More Info: 39 West 14th St, #206, New York, NY, 10011, 212-633-6646,
www.iacenter.org

Tuesday, MAY 4, 7:PM At AFSCME District Council 1707, 75 Varick
Street, 14th Floor NW Corner of Varick & Canal Subways 1/9, A, C, E
to Canal street

For information: 212-633-6646
.