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25668: Saint-Vil (news) True Solidarity with Haiti's Impoverished - HSBC (fwd)




From: Jean Saint-Vil <jafrikayiti@hotmail.com>


VANCOUVER, July 10, 2005 – An emergency demonstration was called Saturday, July 9th, by Haiti Solidarity B.C. (HSBC) at a community center in Vancouver where Minister of Industry of the ruling Liberal Party David Emerson, was to be celebrating his nomination for the upcoming federal elections with his core constituents. HSBC gathered to express their opposition to the Liberal government's involvement in acts of terror against the Haitian people and to deliver a copy of the University of Miami’s Human Rights report (www.law.miami.edu/cshr/CSHR_Report_02082005_v2.pdf ) directly to the Liberal cabinet member and former CEO of Canfor.

Over 30 demonstrators picketed the outdoor BBQ gathering, which approximately 300 community members attended. The constituents, lined up for hot dogs and hamburgers, received leaflets and heard slogans through the megaphone: “Canada out of Haiti,” "Self – Determination for the Haitian people,” "Say no to Canadian neo-colonialism." Numerous activists denounced Canada’s role in subverting democracy in Haiti, their key role in the neo-colonial occupation, and demands were made that the Liberal government be held accountable for their international crimes.

The placards displayed by the activists were sharp in their communiqué – “ “Liberal” Colonialism at Work – Canada out of Haiti”, “R.C.M.P trains Death Squads in Haiti”, “Emerson Supports Coups.” Members of the local Chinese media were also present. Reporters interviewed the demonstrators and took photographs, one even chanted some slogans in Chinese to the audience which had a large number of Chinese and Punjabi community members.

One could not help but observe the morbid juxtaposition of the image of hundreds of dumbfounded community members standing in line for their food, listening to the cheery music blasting from the speakers, while hundreds of people of all ages simultaneously turned out for the funeral of Dread Wilme, a leader of the Cite Soleil community in Port-au-Prince, killed in a UN military operation in Cite Soleil on July 6th. The irony of this image was quite lucid. (On the recent UN massacre in Cite Soleil, see: http://www.democracynow.org, July 11th)

Hundreds of leaflets were distributed amongst the crowd and upon speaking to many of them, it was clear that most were unaware of the duplicitous role of the Canadian government in Haiti.

Emerson’s assistant, Doug Beaton (former Campaign Director for the Liberal Party in BC), pleaded with the activists from the onset, asking them to quietly distribute their leaflets and leave. Beaton and Emerson's other handlers were clearly uncomfortable with the presence of Haiti solidarity activists. Beaton was told that either Emerson would have the courage to meet personally with HSBC activists, or his BBQ would continue to feel the presence of HSBC.

Dale Flood, another Emerson assistant, clearly embarrassed about his ordering the RCMP to lockdown Emerson's office in February (http://auto_sol.tao.ca/node/view/1220), hid from HSBC activists at the BBQ, sheepishly hiding behind a large David Emerson poster when confronted by them. However, the activists were determined to instruct the community members on the following points:

- Canada’s involvement in the February 29, 2004 coup of democratically elected president Jean Bertrand Aristide - Continual presence (R.C.M.P, MIUSTAH) of an illegal occupation in Haiti that is supported by the Canadian government
-     The role of the RCMP training death squad police in Haiti
- The duplicitous role of the Canadian government in supporting an illegal regime change in Haiti that has murdered thousands and is repressing Haiti’s majority political party - CIDA's funding of fraudulent human rights organizations and groups opposed to democracy - Canada’s role, as key advisor’s to the Ministry of Justice, in the imprisonment of at least one thousand political prisoners and the deterioration of conditions therein - The occurrence of recent UN-led massacres in Haiti’s pro-Aristide slums and Canada's support for the "urban guerilla war" that is being waged against Haitians that are defending their sovereignty

After much time had passed, the group agreed to meet with Emerson for about 15 minutes to dialogue and present the Human Rights report and other grievances.

An introduction / background of the situation in Haiti was outlined for Emerson as the activists surrounded him. The above-mentioned points were related to him. He stated that he was unfamiliar with Canada’s role in Haiti and that he needed to familiarize himself with the reading materials presented to him. Asking the members what Canada should do in Haiti, the outlined the list of requirements, including how the Canadian government ought to follow the policy of Caricom nations and the African Union, especially South Africa where President Aristide remains in exile, and unconditionally return his government that was democratically elected in 2000. Activists also demanded that the RCMP and armed forces should be withdrawn unconditionally along with any Canadian personnel that is performing a destabilizing function in Haiti.

When confronted about the RCMP lockdown of his offices in February, Emerson apologized saying it had been closed in error, and he regreted that.


Members of HSBC asked Emerson if he would convey these concerns to the Liberal Cabinet and act on this issue – Emerson replied “I will make it my business to get a little more knowlegable as to where Mr.Pettigrew is at and why...and there’s a few cabinet ministers, to be honest with you...who are more deeply into these things than I am and so unless I really have some reason to probe and dig into it - I’ve got a lot of other things that I’ve been driving and been preoccupied with, but I will undertake to get more involved and understand better what’s going on in this area.” He continued by saying “ I don’t know where I’m going to come out on this issue because I have to hear more about the why’s and therefore’s about what the government of Canada is doing in Haiti, but I’d be happy to continue the dialogue with you.”

HSBC members told Emerson that a follow-up within two weeks would occur, so as to obtain Emerson’s official position on the Canadian governments role in Haiti. Emerson was also told that he should take a personal stand on the issue of the continuing illegal imprisonment of Haiti’s elected Prime Minister, Yvon Neptune. Emerson was informed that the Canadian government “holds the keys” to Neptune’s jail cell, and that his release is one phone call away. Emerson would not commit to this position but promised to convey HSBC’s concerns to Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew and Paul Martin’s Special Envoy Denis Coderre.

The activists made one final announcement to the crowd of Liberal constituents, detailing the purpose of the demonstration, the meeting with Emerson, and encouraged them, as is their duty as citizens in Canada's supposed democracy to become more cognizant of the realities of Canadian policy in Haiti and elsewhere

Haiti Solidarity BC (HSBC) is a member of the growing Canada Haiti Action Network (CHAN), and can be reached at haitisolidaritybc@yahoo.ca.
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Jafrikayiti
«Depi nan Ginen bon nèg ap ede nèg!»
(Brotherhood is as ancient as Mother Africa - L'entraide fraternel date du temps où, tous, nous fûmes encore dans les antrailles de l'Afrique-mère)

http://www.jafrikayiti.com