=?x-unknown?q?26880=3A__Brown_=28news=29__Dumarsais_Sim=E9us?==?x-unknown?q?_Responds_to_the_Firing_of_the_Haitian_Supr?==?x-unknown?q?eme_Court_=28fwd=29?=

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: "Brown, Vanessa" <vbrown@SIMEUSFOODS.com>
Dumarsais Siméus Responds to the Firing of the Haitian
    Supreme Court

IN RESPONSE TO THE FIRING OF THE HAITIAN SUPREME COURT

This is a sad and scary day for Haiti, for the rights of our 9 million citizens and for the future of freedom, democracy and separation of powers in Haiti. The frightening actions taken by Haiti's interim government over the last few days place our freedom and the future of our country in jeopardy.  Just last week, Haiti's Supreme Court, the highest legal authority and Haiti's only constitutional body, ruled for the second time that election authorities must place our pro-democracy reform campaign on the Presidential ballot.

In response, Haiti's interim President fired all five Supreme Court justices, the very day a Gallup/CID poll showed former President Rene Préval leading the Presidential race with the support of 32 percent of likely voters, followed by our campaign, with 21 percent. The next highest, Leslie Manigat, had support from 5 percent of the respondents.

The firing of our only constitutional body, the final legal authority, is the most recent and appalling move in a series of anti-constitutional and illegal maneuvers and games that jeopardize the stability of our entire country and crush any hope that our citizens held that their lives and their voice might be respected by those in power.

Our backs are breaking under the oppressive hand of the government, under the sadistic weight of poverty and hunger, while this government only twists the vice tighter.  Most Haitians do not have enough food to eat, clean water to drink or a safe bed in which to sleep.  But we hold dear our few remaining rights as citizens and the hope that one day those in power will extend to us the respect we deserve as human beings.

A country like ours, facing dire poverty, illiteracy and hunger needs all people - especially our leaders, to respect the law.  Yet it seems the same group of power hungry forces who have only furthered this downward spiral would rather flex their muscle, push this country and our lives to the breaking point than allow free and fair elections.  Like so many of my countrymen and women in the international community, I have asked myself how much farther this dangerous group will go.

It is clear the interim government is afraid.  They fear strong new leadership that has actually created real jobs, built businesses, brought health care and clean water to the people of Haiti, and put food on the table for people around the planet. Those in power know that to give a voice to 9 million people, to allow a free exchange of ideas, separation of powers and rule of law will end their stranglehold over our people for good.

Our country is crumbling around us! We cannot afford to wait another day in hope that the situation will improve, that the same small clique of people who have run this country into the ground will suddenly have a change of heart. We must band together for our rights and the rights of our loved ones to ensure a better future for our children.

I vow to uphold the law, to stand up with my Haitian brothers and sisters to create a new government that works for the people and one that the world community can respect.  I ask all Haitians, the international community and all people who care about the lives of our human brothers and sisters to contact my campaign (vanessa@simeusfoundation.org) and stand with us for the future of Haiti.

- Dumarsais Siméus, December 12, 2005