Veterans for Peace 109 "Rachel Corrie Chapter"
 

Haiti...Bush’s Latest Coup Against Democracy

Two years ago, in the first hours of the Venezuela coup, the press said the president had resigned, when he had been kidnapped. Sound familiar?

Don't forget Haiti in the same manner as the news media!

Support the Cancellation of Haiti's Debt
Over half of the loans Haiti continues to pay were granted to corrupt and brutal dictators like Francois and Jean-Claude Duvalier. The Haitian people continue to pay interest on these loans of a clearly odious nature. Call your Representative (202-224-3121) and ask them to support the Haiti debt cancellation resolution (H Res 241), to cancel Haiti's debt immediately.

Statements by Organizations

Latin America Solidarity Coalition

LASC Position and Urgent Action on Haiti

As a coalition of organizations and institutions working for global justice in the Americas we of the Latin America Solidarity Coalition are deeply troubled by the daily horrors of civil unrest in cities across Haiti costing the lives of hundreds and thousands of Haitians. The overthrow of the democratically elected government of Haiti by a superpower like the US is a dangerous precedent. We need to send a clear message to the Bush Administration that such actions are unacceptable and we will hold accountable those responsible for these acts of injustice.

 To that end:

·        We denounce the US government for its role in the coup overthrowing the democratically elected government of Haiti and the forced removal of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide from the elected office by the United States military.

·        We are outraged at the imprisonment of President Aristide in the Central African Republic where he was held virtually incommunicado under house arrest for two weeks.  We oppose any attempt to restrict President Aristide's freedom of speech and movement.

This act of “regime change” sets a dangerous precedent for the world and has a particularly destabilizing effect on Latin American countries. The US-engineered coup in Haiti is unethical and immoral and in clear violation of international and federal laws, for which the Bush Administration should be held accountable.

We demand a Congressional investigation into the Bush administration’s removal of a foreign country’s leader from power. We join CARICOM and the African Union in condemning this removal of a democratically elected president. This is not the first time the US government has acted in direct military retaliation against governments who differ from its economic and political policies.

Finally, we strongly question the role of the “free” press in its biased coverage of events in Haiti.  Corporate media legitimizes the new government appointed illegally by the United States and France, and continues to report that President Aristide left voluntarily, when in fact he was forced out of office through coercion, specifically by threats to the safety of his followers.

 For the above reasons, we demand:

 ·        The unconditional and immediate return of President Aristide to Haiti in order to serve out his term of office until 2006; respect the vote of the Haitian people.

·        A congressional investigation into the role of the US government in the deliberate destabilization of the Haitian government and the implementation of the coup.

(Support Rep. Barbara Lee and John Conyers’ TRUTH Act, H.R. 3919.)

·        An immediate end to the repression and daily attacks on Lavalas supporters and those demanding the return of President Aristide.

·        Support for Haitian refugees, including Temporary protective Services (TPS) to refugees from Haiti who are fleeing the terror of their home country. (Support H.R. 3867.)

In conclusion, we are alarmed by Bush Administration’s audacity in forcibly removing an elected President from office in total disregard of international norms and laws. We are highly concerned by the overall negative image of the US in global politics. As progressive members of the global community, we strive to co-exist with people and government of the world in total respect for their sovereignty, which precludes coercive military attacks on foreign countries and their elected officials.

 The Latin America Solidarity Coalition urges organizations and individuals to demand that your legislators support H.R. 3919, the TRUTH Act, sponsored by Reps. Conyers and Lee. In addition we urge your organization to sign the petition from the Haiti Action Committee (HAC): www.haitiaction.net. HAC is also coordinating accompaniment for targeted individuals and organizations in Haiti. For the reports from recent delegations to Haiti visit: www.haitireborn.org 

_______________________________________________
LAsolidarity mailing list
LAsolidarity@lists.mutualaid.org
http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/lasolidarity

Whom to Contact

Send Email to your Congressperson Email your Senators and Congressional Reps with one click

Sign a petition about Haiti initiated by Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation: print, sign, collect signatures, and mail in by April 2, 2004.
Cover letter
Text version of the petition
MS Word version of the petition

WWFOR
225 North 70th St., Seattle, WA 98103

News of Actions

Haiti Coup Exposed, Facts Presented  View on minute PSA on April 7th Meeting at Brooklyn College

Alternative News and Articles

Editorials

Letters to the Editor

Flashpoints (Streaming Audio)

Pacifica Radio Special Broadcast - Haiti in Crisis. 

(Archived MP3, Real Audio and Ogg Vorbis formats of the first hour will
also be linked from theHaiti Under Siege page: http://www.democracynow.org/static/haiti.shtml )

Democracy Now!'s Exclusive Updates On Aristide's Return to the Caribbean (All Times EST)
Aristide Interview with Democracy Now!
Archived Democracy Now! Coverage (Updated)

Ramsey Clark On Haiti: "A Clear Demonstration of U.S. Regime Change By Armed Aggression"

We speak with former Attorney General Ramsey Clark Clark about the overthrow of the democratically-elected President Jean Bertrand Aristide. During the 1991 coup, Clark traveled to Haiti several times in an effort to restore him to power.
Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark's Statement on Haiti
EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Psy-Ops Exposed, South Africa Rejects Washington's Claim Aristide Was Denied Asylum

In a Democracy Now! exclusive, South African ambassador to the United Nations, Dumisani Kumalo, says President Aristide did not request asylum or exile in South Africa, nor did the South African government deny him asylum or exile as alleged by the US State Department and The New York Times.

Links

Toby Tahja-Syrett, a local peace activist, highlighted the following  information found on the Haiti Action Committee:

We've seen this one before...

  • Chile 1973 - US-backed coup overthrows popularly elected government: Pres. Allende killed.
  • Haiti 1991 - US-backed coup overthrows popularly elected government: Pres. Aristide exiled.
  • Haiti 2001 - Attempted coup dâetat: A million people loyal to Pres. Aristide rise up to stop it!
  • Venezuela 2002 - US-backed coup dâetat fails: Millions loyal to Pres. Chavez rise up to stop it!

Who are the rebels ?

These death squads—led by veterans of the Ton Ton Macoutes terror gangs (from the time of the Duvalier family dictatorship) and the CIA-supported FRAPH (from the 1991-94 coup years)—are terrorizing the country, seizing towns and police stations, killing people from the popular organizations, vowing to overthrow Aristide by force of arms.

Who's behind it?Sweatshop owners and other members of Haitiâs business and landowning elite, who fear the "people power" program of President Aristide—and behind them, the United States government, unhappy with Aristide's refusal to toe Washington's line.

Last year the US shipped tons of weapons to the neighboring Dominican Republic, many of which are now turning up in Haiti in the hands of the death squads.For a decade the US has run a destabilization and disinformation campaign in Haiti to undermine and demonize the Aristide government—funneling money to opposition groups, financing captive media outlets, "salting" the Haitian police with CIA-trained operatives.

Since Aristideâs second overwhelming election victory in 2000—angered by his policies like doubling of the minimum wage and refusing to privatize state enterprises—the US has enforced an embargo on financial aid to Haiti.

Once again the US has thrown a roadblock to the fulfillment of Aristide's program

  • of building a school and health clinic in every community
  • good roads
  • clean drinking water
  • electric power
  • literacy campaigns
  • food self-sufficiency
  • democratic participation at the local level.

Understand the U.S. Role in the Events in Haiti Now. Order the new IAC book, Haiti a Slave Revolution
Read Full Chapters OnlineHaiti's history has been turbulent, but not for the reasons given by mainstream historians. Racism underlies their charges that the first Black Republic lacks "democratic traditions and is prone to violence.

http://www.iacenter.org/haiti/index.htm 

 

"Haitred" - Poem by Ian Reed Poem on the ouster of President Aristide from Haiti

Ideas to share

When vigiling or doing other activities to protest the coup against Aristide, we need signs that express our meaning. The wording must be concise and understandable to the general public. Let’s share some ideas.  Here are two:

“Bush overthrew Haiti’s democracy.”
“Restore Aristide.  Dump Bush.”

Glen Anderson (360) 491-9093 glen@olywa.net 

Military "solutions" are actually the problem!   Change the dynamics -- Choose nonviolent alternatives.

BBC Newslinks

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