30874: Legros (FYI): Haitian Grassroots Organizations Speak Out (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Lionel Legros


This is my translation of a Kreyol statement issued by several Haitian
grassroots organizations on the occasion of the 92nd anniversary of the
first U.S. occupation of Haiti (1915-1934), which falls on July 28.  These
organizations (non-Lavalas, my emphasis) were mostly clandestine during the
Lavalas years. They are part of a historic tendency that works toward
greater and active unity among progressives.  I take full responsibility in
translating this statement on the anniversary of the death of Father Jean
Pierre-Louis a heroic proponent of Liberation Theology. On August 3rd, 1998, Ti
Jean Pierre-Louis was assassinated in broad day light, for the simple fact
that he was still teaching the Haitian masses to defend their interests and
their gains.  Shot in the mouth, his tongue was cut off and left next to his
body, on account of his fiery speeches denouncing U.S. imperialism and its
local lackeys. His assassins were never found and punished.


Sadly his funeral was also brutally disrupted by a bunch of mercenary
"chimè" under the direction of JPP leader René Civil (JPP or Jan l Pase l
Pase stands for Whatever Happens, Happens) who came purposely to disrupt the
funeral. They beat and mistreated participants and onlookers, while a rowdy
musical rara group played on (the band leaders were mostly drunk).  They had
come suspecting that the funerals would turn into an open protest.  Earlier
that morning, pro-Aristide groups had placed a big propaganda banner at the
entrance of the Saint Bernadette church proclaiming "Vle pa vle, Aristide
2001" (Like it or not, Aristide for 2001.  It was an obvious kick off, the
start of Aristide's campaign for the coming elections.  In the following
years, the Lavalas regime would prove to be a total disaster.


Lionel O Legros.


--------------------------------


We, members of the undersigned organizations -- Mouvman Demokratik Popilè or
MODEP (Movement for Popular Democracy), Tet Kole Ti Peyizan Ayisyen (Union
of Poor/Landless Haitian Peasants), Chandel (Popular Organization for
Popular Education), Mouvman Refleksyon ak Aksyon Popilè or MORAP (Movement
for Reflection and Popular Action), Mouvman Oganize pou yon Vi Efikas or
MOVE (Organized Movement for Efficient Life), SAJ/Veye Yo (Youth
Solidarity/Vigilance) -- are sending out this unity call for general
mobilization all over the country against the U.N occupying forces
(MINUSTAH) in Haiti.


July 28th, 2007 marks exactly ninety-two years since our country was first
invaded and occupied by the United States.  Since then the country is under
total domination by American imperialism.


In 1492 the Spanish colonial power came to this part of the world to amass a
vast quantity of our wealth. They killed the first indigenous people, the
Indians.  After this horrible massacre of the Indians they went out and
snatched the Africans to make them slaves. But after long centuries of
struggle, the rebellious slaves finally defeated the French and kicked them
out of Haiti.  In spite of their well earned victories, the French colonial
powers and their allies demanded that the new Haitian authorities pay them a
so-called "independence debt." The plundering of our natural resources, the
paying of that so-called debt, ninety-two years of American domination upon
the country under different guises, all of that brought about extreme
difficulties for Haiti. They constituted real barriers against a real and
sustainable independence.


Those factors also put in jeopardy all attempts by the people to establish a
different kind of society, free of domination and exploitation.


U.S imperialism invaded Haiti in 1915 to pave the way for the big capitalist
enterprises, to make the rich richer.  They came and seized our gold reserve
in the Central Bank.  The biggest resistance they faced came from the
peasant sector.  Under the direction of Charlemagne Peralte and Benoit
Batraville, the peasants were able to organize themselves into the Caco
guerillas, against the occupation. The US military, using treachery and
deception, massacred many hundreds of peasants who were an integral part of
that resistance.


 In October 1994, the American military invaded Haiti a second time to bring
about the return of Aristide, and at the same time apply the nefarious
neo-liberal plan.  After Aristide's mandate, Preval came to continue exactly
the same plan.  During this second occupation, Preval began to sell out the
state's enterprises.  During that time, the Haitian government sold out the
Minoterie d'Haiti (National Flour Company) and the Ciment d'Haiti (the
National Cement Company).  Nowadays many other state enterprises are being
threatened and are underway to be sold under the government of President
Preval and his Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis.


In the year 2004, at exactly the time of the 200th celebration of Haiti's
Independence, US, French and Canadian troops invaded our soil.  Several
months later the MINUSTAH (United Nations) forces took over to continue the
occupation.


The MINUSTAH is in charge of reforming the police.  They are also in charge
of reforming Haitian justice. They are present in every sphere and every
major institution of the country in order to carry out their plan to
liquidate the holdings of the Haitian state, and to keep Haiti under
imperialist domination and under the rule of a corrupt bourgeoisie.


At this historic juncture we, the undersigned organizations, are calling on
all progressive forces to unite and fight for the defense and the autonomy
of this country. We urge all popular organizations and progressive forces to
come forward and unite in that fight. We do not want an occupied country,
with foreign diplomats and U.N soldiers as arrogant caretakers. We want a
free country for those who live in it. We want an autonomous state that
exists to serve the interest of the masses of people.


 To come to the realization of that autonomous state, we ask that the
government in place:


1)  Stop renewing the MINUSTAH mandate in Haiti.


2)  Stop engaging Haiti in neo-liberal death policies, "free market," and
privatization of the state's enterprises.  Those policies only bring more
misery, unemployment, and insecurity to the country.


3)  Stop paying the I.M.F and World Bank loans and debts and use the money
to provide health care, education, and other services to the population.


 4)  Immediately address the crisis of management in the state enterprises.
 Get them to function properly and keep them as the property of the country.


Down with Foreign Occupation!

Down with Privatization!

Long Live a Free and Sovereign Haiti!

Long Live Haiti's State Enterprises!


MODEP, MORAP, SAJ/VEYE YO, TET KOLE TI PEYIZAN AYISYEN,
CHANDEL.