25122: Komite Chalo: (press release) Haitian Community to March down Eastern Parkway on Wed. May 18 (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Komite Chalo <cjaklen@yahoo.com>

COALITION TO DEFEND THE HAITIAN FLAG
P.O. Box 100614, Vanderveer Station, Brooklyn, NY
11210

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 17, 2005

CONTACT: Jacques Dossous, 917-337-6702; Kim Ives,
718-434-8100; Jan Stefan, 718-629-4050; Marguerite
Laurent, 203-829-7210

HAITIAN COMMUNITY TO MARCH DOWN EASTERN PARKWAY
TO PROTEST COUP AND MILITARY OCCUPATION OF HAITI

On the 202nd anniversary of the Haitian flag's
creation, hundreds of Haitians and their supporters
will march along Brooklyn's Eastern Parkway on
Wednesday, May 18, 2005 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. to
protest the United Nation's continuing foreign
military occupation of Haiti and to demand the return
of exiled President Jean Bertrand Aristide.

"Since the kidnapping of President Aristide by U.S.
troops on February 29, 2004, our nation's flag has
been hostage," said Jacques Dossous of the Lavalas
Family party, one of the organizations calling the
demonstration. "This Flag Day we will demand the
reversal of that coup and the return of a free and
sovereign Haiti."

The coalition of groups sponsoring the demonstration
also includes the National Popular Party (PPN),
Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network, KAKOLA, Komite
Chalo Jaklen, Patizan Jezikri and Pawòl Fanm.

Human rights organizations say that the U.S.-installed
government of de facto Prime Minister Gérard Latortue
has killed thousands, illegally jailed hundreds more
and driven the vast majority into unprecedented
poverty.

"They are trampling our flag and constitution," said
Berthony Dupont of the Haiti Support Network, another
demonstration sponsor. "Just as the people in Haiti
demonstrate every week against the government, we here
in New York are also going to let Latortue feel our
outrage and determination to fight for a return of
democracy in Haiti."

The demonstrators will rally at the corner of Eastern
Parkway and Franklin Avenue from 3 p.m to 6 p.m. and
then march to Vanderbilt and St. Mark's Avenue, where
they will rally from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in front of
the offices of the Haitian Times, a Latortue booster.

"We are demanding an end to Haiti's military
occupation and puppet government, an end to the
slaughter of the Haitian people, and no sham elections
this fall," said Jan Stefan of the Komite Chalo
Jaklen.

On Saturday, May 14, the same coalition of groups
organized a spirited 7 hour demonstration in front of
the Puck Building at 295 Lafayette Street in Manhattan
to protest a gala organized in part by the de facto
government's consulate.

North American organizations such as the ANSWER
Coalition and the International Action Center (IAC)
are also supporting the demonstrations.

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