27340: Batay Ouvriye (reply) Re: 27334: Sprague (Response) 27304: Simidor (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

> From Batay Ouvriye (batayouvriye@hotmail.com)



> ... I sent numerous emails to
> B.O.'s website email address, without ever receiving a response.

Wow! Sprague's lies are now flying!
This week, on Jan. 22nd, 2006, for the very first time, Batay Ouvriye
received a message from Jeb Sprague. It reads as follows:
-----
"Is this the only governmental funding source that targets Batay?
$99,665.00   --->  U.S. Department of State --->   National Endowment
for Democracy ---> AFL-CIO Solidarity Center -->   May 1st Union
Federation - Batay Ouvriye
Do you receive any funding or aid from UNOPS, EU, France, or Canada?
Thank you.  I appreciate your response.
-Jeb Sprague"
--------
Mario Pierre speaks for the Batay Ouvriye Solidarity Network, which is not
Batay Ouvriye. The Solidarity Center is the Solidarity Center. Batay Ouvriye
has never, before the above mentioned email, been contacted by Jeb Sprague,
and he knows this perfectly.

Furthermore, he knows just as well (since we so informed him and he is also
otherwise quite informed) that Batay Ouvriye has hardly received an eighth
of the sum quoted above, in sum some $10,000 strictly dedicated to the
Ouanaminthe free trade zone organization -- might he not suspect that  in
the present Haitian context, such repeated false allegationsh expose our
open spokespersons to quite serious dangers .?

This must be a bad joke. To answer or not??? In the midst of so many other
much more important responsibilities. Finally, Jeb Sprague
(Jebbathehut@hotmail.com) is a disreputable individual, certainly not beyond
"cheating" or lying. According to information we've received, this 26-year
old rock bandleader was even judged for such causes at his college in
California (Long Beach) -- available on-line. He's never answered the most
serious political points we've addressed him (was Lavalas worth defending
for the independent workers' movement? --- but we trust this is beyond his
line of judgment).

Frankly, we don't see the point of such circular discussions with one who
clearly has the comfortable position of the Northern bystander, while the
workers' difficult independent struggles have to advance both in Haiti and
internationally (Sprague's first knowledge of the Haitian situation dates
back to Sept. 2004!!) Furthermore still, considering the limited scope of
his militant action: the juvenile moving of articles in striking
supermarkets to distress strike-breakers ...
(http://www.xanga.com/jebbathehut?nextdate=9%2f9%2f2004+18%3a23%3a39.677&direction=n).

Others are now jumping on the bandwagon without even having fully read
previous posts. This we consider natural. We're again being accused of lack
of transparency, whereas we clearly indicated in our latest statement "On
Sprague's Alleged 'Smoking Gun'" (http://tinyurl.com/7fn5y) that we've
continually addressed the points asked as they were formulated. Successively
and succinctly: on having received funds for Aristide's overthrow (no funds
were even being considered at that date - http://tinyurl.com/djjlb), on our
position concerning funding ("On Solidarity": http://tinyurl.com/8fgcx  /
« Clarification » - http://tinyurl.com/89zpn):, and finally financial
figures concerning disbursements (again, http://tinyurl.com/7fn5y). The
latter, once again, openly and completely dealt with the question of
"amounts" -  whereas no one confronting us has ever once found it
appropriate to even begin by doing the same for themselves. So, the
suggestion that we might dissimulate information in a lack of transparency
with regard to Batay Ouvriye membership. is simply ridiculous - and
defamatory.

Please... - Whatever...

Jeb Sprague isn't worth it, and neither is the debate as it is being pursued
at this point. And to extend it, in the dire political, economic and social
Haitian conjuncture, would certainly be a bad choice.

With our thanks for having had the opportunity, around this point, to
discuss in much more serious terms with combatants internationally,

Batay Ouvriye