30518: Charles (announce)- Delegation to Haiti August 5-18, 2007 (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Eugenia Charles <Eugenia@fondasyonmapou.org>

Dear Friends of Haiti,

The international community is overseeing Haiti?s compromised government,
while average Haitian continues to linger deeper into poverty and risking
their lives by boat in an attempt to reach the promised land of hope and
opportunities (the United States). The climate of insecurity has subsided,
however, maintaining security in Haiti remains the most formidable challenge
encountered by the Preval/Alexis government. The question remains, who is
actually behind the insecurity situation?  The prison systems are filled
with hundreds of detainees, and many have yet to see a judge. Criminals are
walking the streets with impunity; the justice system is not equipped to
handle all of its case loads, and there is a shortage of lawyers and judges.
At the same time, widespread corruption within the administration threatens
to sink the country further into despair.  It is reported that the Haitian
Diaspora sent $1.6 billion in remittance to Haiti last year alone. The
Haitian Diaspora yearns for dual citizenship, but the Preval/Alexis
government and the new parliament are not demonstrating any sign of
fulfilling such demand.

In order to discern the perspective of the Haitian people in this crucial
moment, Fondasyon Mapou and Haitian Priorities Project will organize an
Investigative Human Rights Fact Finding Delegation to Haiti August 5 ?
August 18, 2007. Please join us in this critical mission. Fondasyon Mapou?s
executive director, Eugenia Charles has co-coordinated several delegations
to Haiti over the years, including an emergency fact-finding mission in
March 2004.

This delegation will investigate whether the international community
imported democracy has improved or made the Haitian people worse off, and
assess the pros and cons of a compromise government in Haiti. Collect facts
to demand better human rights conditions.  Evaluate MINUSTHA?s role in
Haiti, as well as determining whether the UN force should stay or go at the
end of its term in October 2007. Ascertain how the US and Canada benefit
from their involvement in Haiti. This delegation will further examine
whether the US is building a military base in Haiti. Explore through
dialogue with the government and the parliament, concrete ways to bring the
dual citizenship issue to the forefront. Discuss the role of the Haitian
Diaspora in revamping Haiti?s non-functioning public institutions and how.
Tour different areas of Haiti to generate information in order to advocate
for the Haitian cause; in addition, we will help establish direct
partnership with Haitian organizations on the ground.

This delegation will investigate the current situation in at least 6 of
Haiti?s 10 geographical departments, where there are widespread challenges.
Fondasyon Mapou and Haitian Priorities Project staffs will arrange meetings
with members of Haiti?s political stakeholders to better understand the
entities involved, along with members of Haitian grassroots and popular
organizations. Moreover, we will engage in dialogue with the Haitian
government representatives, the US Embassy, USAID, CARICOM, the UN and
MINUSTAH, the OAS, the Canadian Embassy and the French Embassy, as well as
representatives of the International Financial Institutions (IFI) in Haiti.
However, our most important priority is to hear the voices of average
Haitian; hence, time will be explicitly set aside whenever possible for
participants to talk with people in casual settings.

The Delegation will give a press conference before returning to the US. We
anticipate using the findings of this delegation to broaden international
audience, lobby Congress and high-profile organizations in an attempt to
monitor and/or seek achievable solutions for the people of Haiti.

We expect to spend twelve (12) days in Haiti, and the cost per participant
is $1,400 (USD), plus international airfare. The fee includes all in-country
travel and lodging, breakfast and dinner each day, translation and
coordination. Participants are responsible for their airfare to
Port-au-Prince and lunch.

Please consider joining us for this critical Human Rights Fact Finding
Delegation. We believe your voice can have an impact. Contact Eugenia
Charles (eugenia@fondasyonmapou.org) or 301-537-8162, Jacob Francois
(jacob@hpp4haiti.com) or 312-735-6071 for more information.

Working for a Peaceful Haiti,

Eugenia Charles, Executive Director of Fondasyon Mapou
Jacob François, Co-founder of Haitian Priorities Project