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[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Tttnhm@aol.com

Stand Firm, Caricom – Facing Reality - Monday 03, May 2004  - Barbados Daily
Nation
by David Comissiong

THE CLEMENT PAYNE MOVEMENT recently held a coalition of Caribbean Civil
Society organisations in intervening at the meeting of CARICOM’s “Council For
Foreign And Community Relations” (COFCOR) in Barbados on Friday 23rd April 2004,
in order to demand that CARICOM stand firm on its call for a United Nations
investigation into President Aristide’s ouster.

A three-person delegation comprising David Comissiong, Thelma Gill-Barnett
and David Denny, all of the Clement Payne Movement, and representing a
substantial number of Caribbean non-governmental organisations, presented letters
addressed to Caricom Secretary-General Edwin Carrington and to all of the CARICOM
Foreign Ministers who were present at the COFCOR meeting at the Barbados
Pavilion.

Following is the text of the said letter: -

Dear Mr. Carrington

Re: Haiti

I write to you as the representative of a coalition of some 11 people’s
organisations from the Caribbean nations of Haiti, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago,
Guyana, Antigua, and Barbados, which met in Barbados on March, 20 and developed
a Caribbean people’s analysis and statement on the situation in Haiti.

The central component of our analysis and statement consisted of an
expression of approval of and admiration for the position taken by CARICOM in issuing a
call for an investigation under the auspices of the United Nations into the
circumstances surrounding President Aristide’s unconstitutional ouster from
office, and a request that CARICOM take immediate and effectual steps to
actualise its “call” by piloting an appropriate resolution in the General Assembly of
the United Nations.

We are now extremely concerned however, that CARICOM appears to be guilty of
undue delay in making any concrete effort to officially place this matter
before the United Nations General Assembly or indeed before any other relevant
organ or officer of the United Nations.

Our concern has been heightened in recent days by the following reported
developments:

(1) United Nations Secretary – General Kofi Annan has declared that he is
unable to act on the matter of a probe into Aristide’s ouster unless he has a
formal request to do so either from the Security Council or CARICOM;

(2) United Nations spokesman Farhan Haq has informed the IPS news agency that
– “We have read news reports that CARICOM wants a United Nations
investigation, but unless we receive an official request . . . from CARICOM . . . we
cannot act on it,” and

(3) Reginald Dumas, the United Nations special adviser on Haiti, was quoted
as saying that he is surprised at CARICOM’s delay.

Now, we are only too well aware that the governments of CARICOM have been
subjected to enormous pressure and evil threats by the governments of the United
States and France in order to intimidate our governments into backing off from
their just and reasonable demand for a United Nations investigation.

We therefore wish, through your good offices, to say to all of our CARICOM
Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Government that the people of the
Caribbean are watching them intently and expect them to rise to the occasion and
to demonstrate the strength, courage, integrity and vision that is now more
than ever required of the leaders of small, black Third World nations facing an
aggressive threat of re-colonisation and disregard of their independence and
sovereignty by the governments of the United States and other imperialist
European forces.

Should CARICOM back down from its call for a United Nations investigation, it
will be sending a dangerous signal of weakness to those forces intent on
dominating our region, and will expose our regional organisation to worldwide
ridicule and loss of face.

In addition, CARICOM will be perpetrating a colossal betrayal of the people
of Haiti and the Caribbean that will be recorded in our history as an episode
of infamy and disgrace.

We therefore call upon the Foreign Ministers of CARICOM currently meeting in
Barbados to use this meeting to decide upon a precise and urgent deadline for
the submission of an official CARICOM resolution and demand to the General
Assembly of the United Nations and to Secretary General Kofi Annan, and to urge
our Heads of Government to accept and adhere to such a deadline.

We look forward to hearing a public official announcement on this matter by
CARICOM as a matter of urgency.

– David A. Comissiong

President, Clement Payne Movement.