23744: (pub) radtimes: Haiti activists take their anger to Bush & Powell (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: radtimes <resist@best.com>

Haiti activists take their anger to Bush & Powell

http://www.sfbayview.com/110304/haitiactivist110304.shtml

by Judith Scherr
11/3/04

Targeting the U.S. role in government-sponsored repression and civil unrest
in Haiti, about 100 people took to San Francisco streets on Thursday.
"Democracy must be respected," Pierre Labossiere told those assembled at
Powell and Market streets. Labossiere, a Haitian American, is a founding
member of the Haiti Action Committee, which sponsored the protest.

George Bush and French President Jacques Chirac are the "intellectual
authors" of the "coup" against democratically-elected Haitian President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, he said. Aristide was taken out of Haiti Feb. 29 on
a U.S.-supplied jet and calls the act a "kidnapping."

The U.S. contends, however, that Aristide asked for help to escape
ex-soldiers who had taken over sections of the country. These former
soldiers, who wrecked havoc on the island nation early in the year ­ and
who continue to control parts of the country today ­ represent the same
military that first overthrew Aristide in 1991 and murdered at least 3,000
people. Aristide disbanded the army in 1995.

Before "taking their anger to Bush and Powell" ­ Bush and Powell streets
cross a few blocks up the hill ­ Labossiere brought protesters up to date
on the most recent civil unrest. Police killed two Lavalas (Aristide's
political party) activists demonstrating for the return of their president
on Sept. 30. Responding, activists have clashed with police for a month,
resulting in the deaths of more than 100 people ­ some reports say up to
600 deaths ­ including police officers, bystanders and Lavalas activists,
some of whom have been taken from their homes and executed by Haitian
police. The government, appointed with U.S. support after Aristide was
exiled, denies police responsibility.

Labossiere said that in recent weeks, peasants who had been given land
under Aristide were kicked off the land; schools and literacy centers he
had founded were shut down and Lavalas sympathizers jailed: Fr. Gérard
Jean-Juste was arrested while feeding poor children in his church; and
former members of parliament were jailed after criticizing the appointed
government on the radio. Newly-detained persons join hundreds of jailed
Aristide supporters including the former prime minister, former minister of
interior, celebrated folk singer Sň Anne, union activists and journalists.
Most have been jailed for months without being told why they are under
arrest and without a trial date, Labossiere said.

With educator Doug Spalding on the megaphone, the crowd marched up Powell,
many of them carrying crosses bearing names of persons killed in the recent
violence, including Phillipe Eliphete, murdered by an armed anti-Lavalas
gang April 4, and Wendy Monigat, age 15, killed by police Oct. 1.

On their way to Bush and Powell streets, the demonstrators briefly joined
picketers at three nearby hotels where workers have been locked out of
their jobs during tense contract negotiations with hotel owners. The Haiti
activists join hotel workers because, according to Charlie Hinton of the
Haiti Action Committee, "It's about class issues. Aristide represents the
poor and working people."

For updates on Haiti, see www.haitiaction.net.

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