Pax Christi International Statement on Haiti
Brussels, November 30, 2005

Ref.: AM.67.E.05

Brussels, 30 November 2005 - As the Haitian people, especially the residents of impoverished neighbourhoods continue to suffer under extreme violence and rampant poverty; as the political situation in Haiti continues to defy a just resolution; and as the human rights situation in Haiti remains catastrophic, Pax Christi International wishes to express clearly our solidarity with the people of Haiti.

Based on the observations of a Pax Christi International delegation to Haiti in July 2005; the guidance of Pax Christi International partners in Haiti; and Pax Christi International's own commitment to reconciliation and peace, we support the call of those sectors within Haitian society for clear steps toward a just, peaceful and reconciled society.

- We plead for all sectors of Haitian society to renounce publicly the use of violence for political or economic gain; for all armed groups in Haiti disarm immediately.

- We urge that the government of Haiti, in coordination with the international community, implement immediate measures consistent with international human rights standards to quell the violence and restore security in Port-au-Prince and throughout the country.

- We insist that an independent, thorough and transparent investigation into violent attacks on civilian communities and popular neighbourhoods, such as on July 6 and August 20, 2005, be completed promptly, with those groups and individuals accused being brought to justice.

- We recommend that the international human rights community conduct an independent, thorough and transparent investigation into accusations about the practice of politically motivated arrests and detentions in Haiti; that all political prisoners be released immediately or charged and brought to a fair trial for criminal activity about which there is credible evidence.

- We support national elections as a necessary step toward reconciliation, but insist that all Haitian citizens, including those living in popular and marginal neighbourhoods, be able to participate fully, freely and without fear. Political parties should make minimal commitments and agreements prior to the elections.

- We urge that independent sources of investigation and accurate information be strengthened to replace rumour, hearsay and biased reporting; that human rights investigators and journalists be protected from harm and arbitrary arrest.

- We plead that a process of national dialogue be initiated that will give voice to all sectors of Haitian society and identify steps toward a new, inclusive political consensus built on truth and reconciliation.

- As a step toward national reconciliation, we encourage competent and independent authorities to investigate and report publicly on events immediately surrounding the irregular departure of the elected Haitian president, Jean Bertrand Aristide, as earlier was urged by some Caricom member countries.

At the same time, Pax Christi International commits to
- Accompany and support the people of Haiti as they move toward reconciliation, political peace and social justice;

- Support concrete peacebuilding and conflict resolution programs in Haiti;

- Denounce the abuse of power by national or international authorities (both in and outside of the country), as well as by local, violent individuals or organizations;

- Support the dissemination of accurate information about Haiti in Haiti and internationally;

- Accompany whatever national dialogue process is initiated, facilitating support, as needed, from Pax Christi International through its network of relations;

- Act in solidarity with Pax Christi International partners in Haiti.
Executive Committee Pax Christi International
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Irish Parliamentarians Demand Free and Fair Elections In Haiti, November 16, 2005

We, the undersigned, are extremely concerned that the forthcoming elections in Haiti, now postponed, should be conducted in a free, fair and open manner when they take place.

In order to achieve this we strongly urge that all political parties and groups, including the Fanmi Lavalas party headed by Jean-Bertrand Aristide be enabled to participate and to organise on an equal basis, and without restrictions.

Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, Fr. Gérard Jean-Juste and all political prisoners be released and enabled to participate in the elections. President Aristide and all political exiles be allowed to return to Haiti, and enabled to participate in the elections.

The people of Haiti, regardless of social class or place of residence, be given equal access to polling stations and equal opportunity to vote at the last election, there were over 10,000 polling stations; it is planned to hold the next election with 600.

The votes shall be recorded and counted in an open and transparent manner. All state forces and all forces and representatives of the United Nations shall be charged with ensuring that the elections are conducted in a peaceful atmosphere.

Above all, the violent repression directed mainly at the Famni Lavalas party by the interim government of Gérard Latortue must cease. This repression has been documented in Human Rights reports by Amnesty International and others. We believe that the elections should not be held unless and until these conditions are met. If the interim government is unable or unwilling to help create these conditions, it should resign.

Seán Crowe
Martin Ferris
John Gormley
Finian McGrath
Arthur Morgan
Caoimhín O Caoláin
Aongus O Snodaigh
David Norris

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House of Representatives Votes to Block Arms Transfers to Brutal Haitian Police: Foreign Aid Bill Includes Lee Measure to Ban Arms to Haiti

Press Release from Congresswoman Barbara Lee
Ninth Congressional District of California
U.S. House of Representatives

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Contact: Nathan Britton
11/04/05 (202) 225-2661


Foreign Aid Bill Includes Lee Measure to Ban Arms to Haiti

(Washington, DC) - The House today approved a foreign aid spending measure that included an amendment by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) that bans the sale and transfer of arms for use by the Haitian National Police and requires a State Dept. report on the involvement of Haitian police in criminal activity."The people of Haiti remain targets of political violence, torture and in some cases murder, and too often the perpetrators of this violence are the Haitian National Police, armed with US weapons free of charge," said Lee. "This amendment is necessary in the effort to restore democracy. Haiti desperately needs humanitarian assistance, and sending weapons only exacerbates Haiti's struggle with violence and the criminal activity within the Haitian National Police Force."

Lee's amendment, which was included in the FY 2006 Foreign Operations Appropriations Conference Report, prohibits all arms transfers and sales by the State Department for use by the Haitian National Police and requires an investigation into implications of senior and rank-and-file members in corruption, kidnappings, and narcotics-trafficking, as documented by the State Department's International Narcotics Control Strategy Reports. Since 2004, as many as 3,000 weapons have been transferred to Haiti free of charge from the United States, and in all probability have gone to arm the Haitian National Police force. The United Nations and human rights groups have expressed concern about the involvement of Haitian police in political violence and human rights abuses.The bill was approved by a vote of 358-39 and now awaits approval in the Senate before going to the White House and becoming law.

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Nathan Britton Communications Director Office of Congresswoman
Barbara Lee 1724 Longworth House Office Bldg. ph 202 225-2661 fax 202 225-9817

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- HLLN's position of the sham elections
Standing on Truth, Living without Fear: HLLN's position on foreign-sponsored
elections under coup d'etat, dictatorship and occupation | Haitian
Perspectives by Marguerite Laurent, October 31, 2005

- HLLN's responds regarding position
taken on sham elections, Windowsonhaiti
There are no free rides
http://www.haitiforever.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=12214#12214

- “We’re Not Participating In Selections!” Says Haitians in Haiti
(May 27, 2005) Ezili Danto Witness Project

- NY Fanmi Lavalas denounces Marc Bazin and his renegade Fanmi Lavalas acolytes

- Condemn Sham Elections in Haiti
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“Be true to the highest within your soul and then allow yourself to be governed by no customs or conventionalities or arbitrary man-made rules that are not founded on principle.” Ralph Waldo Trine

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HLLN's Work
from the HLLN pamplet

"...HLLN dreams of a world based on principles, values, mutual respect, equal application of laws, cooperation instead of competition and on peaceful co-existence and acts on it. We put forth these ideas, on behalf of voiceless Haitians, through a unique and unprecedented combination of art and activism, networking, sharing info on radio interviews, our Ezili Danto listserves and by circulating our original "Haitian Perspective" writings. We make presentations at congressional briefings and at international events, such as An Evening of Solidarity with Bolivarian Venezuela.

With the Ezili Danto Witness Project, HLLN documents eyewitness testimonies of the common men and women in Haiti suffering, under this US-installed regime, the greatest forms of terror and exclusion since the days of slavery; conducts learning forums on Haiti (The "To-Tell-The-Truth-About-Haiti" Forums), and , in general, brings the voices against occupation, endless poverty and exclusion in Haiti directly to governments officials, international policymakers, human rights organizations, journalists, the corporate and alternative media, schools and universities, solidarity networks. We are often quoted in major alternative and even the corporate papers and press influencing the current thinking of readers today."
HLLN, November 9, 2005.

See, The Nescafé machine, Common Sense, John Maxwell Sunday, November 06, 2005 , quoting HLLN's chairperson, Marguerite Laurent, Esq.

Boycott Disney and the ABC Network
(Support HLLN's Campaign 5)

(in 1990)"...Haitians, through the ballot box, rebelled against their neocolonial status. They rebelled against a racist world economy that locked them into the role of producers instead of consumers. Under Aristide, they wanted to complete what they began in 1803 – joining the world community as equals. If Haiti, as the hemisphere’s poorest nation, was successful in escaping from their international debt and seizing control of their own destiny, it could prove to be as devastating to the global sweatshop economy as Haiti’s first revolution was to the slave trade.......

"...the new (US-imposed Miami) government also, as one of its first acts in office, cut Haiti’s minimum wage by 50%, from about $3.60 for a 12 hour day, down to $1.60. This is a big perk for Haitian-American Andre Apaid, owner of numerous Haitian garment manufacturing plants making cheap wares for American companies such as Disney, owner of the ABC network. ABC joined the US corporate media in selling this American citizen as a legitimate leader of Haiti’s “civil resistance” to the popular Aristide Government. "Our nasty little racist war in Haiti by Michaeli, NimN, June 7, 2004 | Source: http://coldtype.net/Grip.04.html
(Scroll down to 7 June 2004)

"When you make a choice, you mobilize vast human energies and resources which otherwise go untapped...........If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want and all that is left is a compromise." Robert Fritz

The Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network's Appeal for international support on the People of Haiti's right to
self-respect, self-determination and self-defense

We Haitian democracy activists have taken on ourselves a great task. The Haitian people have been robbed again, not only of the wealth of our country, and not only of the lives and livelihoods of our countrymen, but of our sense of self-determination.

The very essence of being Haitian is the connection to those freedom fighters of the revolution who would not lie down and obey the men who claimed to be their masters. Today, Haiti is being ruled by a regime that was selected by foreign powers. The legitimate officials are in exile, in hiding, or in captivity.

All around, voices are telling us to suffer this indignity, to give up on our quest for self-governance, that somehow we are unfit to choose our own leaders or our own style of governance.

We utterly reject this pattern of thought. It is the mental slavery from which Bob Marley calls us to emancipate ourselves. For the average Haitian "This Song of Freedom" is truly all we have ever had. And now they want to take that too.

It is with this sense of insistence and urgency that we set forth our grievances and define our terms for reconciliation in the Haitian Lawyers Leadership Haiti Resolution. We ask that all Haitian democracy activists circulate this resolution, and address the issues and demands of the resolution to their own governments, and to the United Nations, which has the responsibility for protecting the right of self-determination. But most of all, we ask all solidarity groups who wish to sincerely help Haitians, to not just send their appeals to the UN, the US-installed government, the coup d'etat governments or Haiti Democracy Project's Timothy M. Carney. You're better off telling your next door neighbor about what they are not seeing on the conventional media about Haiti then simply telling the UN, US, Candadian officials (et al) what they already know and wish to hide behind the headlines. Kindly send appeals and background info to the MEDIA. Flood the U.S. local, national and international media with your concerns about the abuse, occupation, genocide and re-enslavement of the people of Haiti.
http://www.margueritelaurent.com/contactinformation/local-national-media.html

Remember letters of appeals to the media is a start, but political action, economic boycott and systemic and consistent public censure/exposure are essentially what pro-democracy Haitians are asking from solidarity groups. Please also do this by supporting our 7 Men Anpil Chay Pa Lou campaigns and boycotts.

The Haitian Lawyers Leadership Haiti Resolution:

1. Demand 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
persecution and put a stop to persecution by the thugs and murderers from sectors in their police force, from the paramilitaries, gangs and former soldiers;

3. Insist on the immediate release of all political prisoners in
Haitian jails, including Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, Interior Minister Privert
and other constitutional government officials and folksinger-activist Sò
Anne;

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 support the rebuilding of 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 African Union for an
investigation into the circumstances of President Aristide's removal.
Support the enactment of Congresswoman Barbara Lee's T.R.U.T.H Act
which calls for U.S. Congressional investigation of the forcible removal of
the democratically elected President and government of Haiti.

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Pèralte Speaks!

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The
Crucifiction of Emmanuel "Dread" Wilme,
a historical
perspective

Urge the Caribbean Community to stand firm in not recognizing the illegal Latortue regime: