Haitian
history is the greatest asset Haitians own. Thus, no real Haitian
analysis may be made about Haiti without looking at our long relationship
with the Euro/Americans and our relationship as Blacks to white
privilege.
Would it have been "fair and free" to hold elections
in Haiti in 1789 in the days of slavery where the candidates able
to run are co-opted, Europeanized or light-skinned blacks, and
where all the African leaders respected by the people are jailed,
killed, are maroons in hiding or forced into exile by the European
slavers; where those fighting slavery, like the people of Bel
Air and Site Soley today are "pacified," demonized and
threatened with imminent death by the powers-that-be if they don't
stop their resistance and get fingerprinted and branded
like the Black slaves from their Triangular Trade with their OAS
"voting" tags; and, where only those
Affranchis CHOSEN and vetted by Rochambeau (today represented
by the Brazilian generals, the UN, OAS proxies for Bush, Canada,
France and the US) are freely allowed to run for office? Of course
not. Elections under slavery could not possibly have been said
to be "free and fair." Similarly, elections-by-selection,
under this U.S.-installed Latortue government, which puppet government
has no popular support, maintains itself in power only through
daily terror and a UN/US-supported and financed repression, that
has killed over 10,000 people, sent countless to prison and to
exile, such proposed elections are simply no less bogus and disingenuous
as elections would have been in Haiti under slavery.
How are Haitians to hold "fair
and free" elections that will empower the people of Haiti
and serve their national interests while they are under occupation
and ruled by a foreign-imposed puppet government from Miami?
The truth is that these upcoming selections cannot set Haiti free;
cannot assure Haitians that every decision made and USAID/IMF/World
Bank death-plan and other foreign-sponsored contracts entered
into after Feb. 29, 2004, by the imposed Latortue government,
on behalf of Haiti as a nation, will be categorically confirmed
unconstitutional, and a total violations of Haitian sovereignty,
dignity, and international laws and certainly not binding on the
peoples of Haiti or their fairly elected officials, whatsoever.
How could a President elected while the people are under U.N.
guns and "ruling" with said U.N. guns provide Haitians
with better treatment as human beings, vested with HUMAN RIGHTS,
not anyone’s chattel to be DICTATED to by the OAS, UN, US,
France or Canada or their Haitian overseers, if they are the very
ones conducting the elections and choosing the candidates in the
first place?
Are we to believe the election-by-selection of either Rene Preval,
Dumarsais Simeus, Charles Baker or Marc Bazin has even the HOPE
of bringing about the end of the corrupt international community's
interference in Haitian affairs, its support for barbarism, death
squads, the bloody Haitian army, economic death plans or that
these elections carry even the HOPE for restoring Haitian dignity,
of providing fair and equal opportunities in public life to every
Haitian and will move Haiti towards an inclusive, participatory,
non-militarized and free Haiti? Right! Not a chance. Nothing healthy,
legal and lasting may grow from the swamp of this coup d'etat
sewage, or under this climate of desperation, insecurity and horrific
human rights abuses by the UN and the US-imposed Miami government.
Fact is, Haiti must be set free first, before
Haitians may even begin to end the reign of impunity brought on
by the bi-centennial coup d'etat or to institute authentic Haitian
development and Haitian empowering policies in Haiti.
*
It is up to Haitians living abroad
to support the people of Haiti against Euro/US pressures and against
desperate moves. Today the majority of the peoples of Haiti are
cornered and hunted as in the times of slavery. On the matter
of Fanmi Lavalas' participating in these elections, the respected
pro-democracy militant of Site Soley, John Joël Joseph, accurately
puts the matter in perspective when he says the people of Site
Soley "have decided to vote in these elections to avoid providing
a pretext for repression..."
Thus there is NO QUESTION this "voting" in Haiti is
being IMPOSED on the majority of Haitians. These elections are
based on fear and desperation. The people of Haiti are not exercising
free will in this matter. They are operating under military occupation
and censorship.
Below is an AHP report on the matter of elections entitled "National
grassroots cells of Fanmi Lavalas in Cité Soleil are declare
support for René Préval and demand the release of
all the political prisoners."
There is no doubt the grassroots democracy movement in Haiti,
the majority poor in Haiti, especially the resisting poor in Site
Soley and Bel Air are under UN/US guns to vote as the whites settlers
want them to, or be indefinitely incarcerated, or get shot.
But we Haitians in the Diaspora are not under such desperate pressures.
It falls, therefore, on us to hold the flame of hope and liberty
alive. To clarify and clear the Willie Lynch-type deliberately
strummed conflicts and confusion until Haitians in Haiti may exercise
free will without fearing the UN/PNH's summary executions or arbitrary
imprisonment.
It falls on us-Haitians of greater means to mobilize against these
elections and convey to our brothers and sisters in Haiti that
they are indeed not alone in their fight against US/Euro might
and imperialistic barbarity.
HLLN stands on these truth, no matter how surreal these selections
become. We shall always categorically denounce these rigged elections
while understanding and supporting the people of Site Soley, Bel
Air, Milot and throughout Haiti maneuvers to stay alive in accordance
with the above quoted statement of Joël Joseph (See Oct.
24, 2005 AHP report below for full quote.) HLLN stands on the
5-points and shall carry them forth for the grassroots until the
repression is lifted.
In sum, on behalf of all who have perished for Haiti's liberty
since 1503, HLLN takes this opportunity to strongly denounce all
the current presidential candidates in Haiti without distinction,
including Preval, Bazin, Simeus. All are collaborators. For, by
their willingness to ignore that Father Jean Juste and Yvon Neptune,
et al, are falsely imprisoned; by their willingness to run for
office in these anti-democratic elections - by their sanctioning
of these rigged elections in spite of the coup d'etat repression,
massacres, jailings, apartheid and occupation climate- they indeed
only formally legitimize and are helping to solidify dictatorship,
occupation and the recolonization of Haiti.
HLLN, Oct. 25, 2005
****************
National grassroots cells of Fanmi Lavalas in Cité Soleil
are declare support for René Préval and demand the
release of all the political prisoners
Port-au-Prince, October 24, 2005 (AHP)- The members of national
grassroots cells of Fanmi Lavalas declared support Monday for
electing former Haitian President René Garcia Préval
to a new mandate in the coming elections.
During a press conference, a leader of the base cells, René
Monplaisir, announced that a great mobilization will take place
on October 27 as a sign of support for René Préval.
Another official, John Joël Joseph, for his part said they
have decided to vote in these elections to avoid providing a pretext
for repression, even though, in his view, Fanmi Lavalas is not
participating in the elections.
He took this opportunity to call for the release of all the political
prisoners and the return to Haiti of all those who have been exiled.
***********
Peasants from different districts in the North Department gathered
in Milot pledge their support for the candidacy of former President
René Préval (AHP)
Milot October 31, 2005- (AHP)- Peasants who came from different
administrative communes of the North geographic department committed
themselves Sunday in Milot to voting for former Haitian President
René Garcia Préval in the elections scheduled for
the end of the year.
They made this commitment at a North Department congress named
"Congress of Milot" organized in the context of the
upcoming elections.
Conference delegates criticized the alliance agreed between some
Fanmi Lavalas leaders and Marc Bazin of the MIDH party (Movement
for the Establishment of Democracy in Haiti). They also denounced
the alliance signed between peasant leader Chavannes Jean Baptiste
and industrialist Charles Henri Baker.
According to the former mayor of Milot, Moïse Jean Charles,
the people of Haiti are not prepared to digest these alliances
that go against their interests.
Fanmi Lavalas cadres supported by members from the party's base,
who registered the party as a participant in the forthcoming elections,
chose Marc Bazin as their candidate representing a coalition called
Union for Haiti. However several other sectors of the party including
senior cadres who have been in exile since the sudden departure
of President Aristide, have rejected this alliance, saying that
President Aristide has not expressed his support for any candidate.
At the closing session of the Milot Congress, a new peasant organization
came to light. It is known as MPNKM, or Movement of National Peasants
of the Congress of Milot.
The spokesperson for this new organization, Moïse Jean Charles,
appealed on this occasion for unity behind the candidacy of René
Préval.
According to him, the population has already made a decision to
support Mr. Préval.
Moïse Jean-Charles also denounced what he called maneuvers
by certain local and international sectors aimed at placing a
foreign citizen to run the country.
He warned that he might urge candidates who support peasants to
withdraw from the electoral race if the foreigners are not excluded
from the process.
The former Mayor of Milot announced at the same time that the
mobilization aimed at the release of the political prisoners and
the return to the country of all the exiles will continue.
AHP October 31, 2005 12:05 PM
************************************************************-
5-Points
From the Democratic Base In Haiti speaking for self (since Haiti's
Democratic Party Leaders are in Jail or in Exile)
5-points from the grassroots Lavalas Movement and party-base in
Haiti in order for the majority and forces of peoples in Haiti
they represent
to go to elections:
1. Liberation of all political prisoners including Father Gerald
Jean-Juste who the Fanmi Lavalas grassroots-base in Haiti has
chosen as their candidate for the presidency of Haiti.
2. The Latortue government must go.
3. The repression and killings in the popular neighborhoods must
stop
4. Disarmament. Arms must be gone. There cannot be elections with
all these arms on the streets (even those in the hands of the
"no-nationality" Haitian bourgeoisie, their "anti-poor"
thug enforcers and former
military).
5. President Aristide and all those in exile must be allowed to
return to Haiti
************ |
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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