The Haiti Resolution

Whereas, 2004 marks the 200th anniversary of Haiti's Independence and abolition of colonialism and slavery, the only time in history that a slave revolution achieved independence, and a milestone in the history of humankind's struggle for rule by the people for the people;

Ezili Dantò/Marguerite Laurent addresses Congressman John Conyers, Jr, as Haitian Community Leaders and the press look on at the DNC on Tuesday, July 27, 2004.

Photo by Dominique Esser

Whereas, the United Nations has designated 2004 as the International Year to commemorate the struggle against slavery and its abolition, in recognition of the Haitian Revolution and the valiant struggle of the Haitian people;

Whereas, in this 2004 year, while the Haitian people worldwide proudly commemorate their ancestors' great victory against organized tyranny in 1804, they are forced to continue struggling for justice and democracy in Haiti, and against foreign occupation of their sacred land, and must also continue to struggle for justice and equal rights in the United States, where in practice, the Haitian people are the only refugees fleeing political persecution to be incarcerated and indefinitely detained in U.S. jails, even if they have demonstrated a case for political asylum and even if a judge has ordered their release;

Whereas, such a U.S. policy is a blatantly discriminatory and racially biased policy;

Whereas, Haitian voters overwhelmingly elected President Aristide to a five-year term ending in 2006 and the U.S. supported Latortue regime came to power through force and through foreign interference in Haiti's sovereignty and democratic process;

Whereas, the Bush Administration installed this unconstitutional Latortue regime in Port-au-Prince that has systematically attacked supporters and officials of the Constitutional government, and allowed the paramilitary gangs led by drug dealers, rapists, convicted murderers and members of Haiti's hated disbanded army to terrorize the Haitian populace, and;

Whereas, this regime change affected not only Haiti's President, but also led to the removal and replacement by un-elected persons of more than 7,000 legislative and local officials, and the total disenfranchisement of 8.5 million Black voters in Haiti that they represented, as well as morally, culturally and psychologically devastating and economically devaluing Haitians residing in the U.S. and Haitian-American citizens in the U.S., who send nearly $1 billion per year to Haiti;

Now therefore, the undersigned pro-democracy advocates hereby present this Haiti Resolution to be included in the Democratic Party Platform:

Be it resolved, by the Congressional Black Caucus that the Democratic Party shall adopt the following "6 Points Haiti Resolution" to its Democratic platform and will:

1. Support the return of Constitutional rule to Haiti by restoring all elected officials of all parties to their offices throughout the country until the end of their mandates and another election is held, as mandated by Haiti's Constitution;

2. Condemn the killings, illegal imprisonment and confiscation of the property of supporters of Haiti's Constitutional government, and insist that Haiti's Illegitimate "interim government" immediately cease its own persecution and put a stop to persecution by the thugs and murderers from the paramilitary gangs;

3. Insist on the immediate release of all political prisoners in Haitian jails, including Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, other Constitutional government officials and folksinger/activist So Ann;

4. Insist on the disarmament of the thugs, death squad leaders, and convicted human rights violators, and their prosecution for all crimes committed during the attack on Haiti's elected government; and, help rebuild Haiti's police force, ensuring that it excludes anyone who helped to overthrow the democratically elected government or who participated in other human rights violations;

5. Stop the indefinite detention and automatic repatriation of Haitian refugees and immediately grant Temporary Protected Status to all Haitian refugees presently in the United States until democracy is restored to Haiti; and

6. Support the calls by the OAS, CARICOM and the Africa Union for an investigation into the circumstances of President Aristide's removal; and, enact Congresswoman Barbara Lee's T.R.U.T.H Act (HR 3919) which calls for the investigation of the forcible removal of the democratically elected President of Haiti.

Ezili Dantò/Marguerite Laurent, Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network
Pierre Labosierre, Haiti Action Committee
Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, Fondasyon Trant Septanm
Alina Sixto, Ajoupa
Picard Losier, Radio Ayiti
Josue Renaud, The New England Human Rights Organization For Haiti
Jean Yvon Kernizan, Haitian Charities of America (HACHOFA)
Paul Mathieu, Organisation De Bienveillence National Haitienne (OBNH)
Louis Elneus, Haiti Lumiere
Jean Benoit, Asosiyasyon Chofe Taksi Ayisyen (ACT)
Lynn Currier, Haitkaah Social Justice Project
Steve Gillis, Boston A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition