[News] New Year's eve demo in support of Haiti's campaign for restitution from France

[claude]

Haiti Action Committee Demonstration for $21,685,135,571.48

We demand reparations, restitution.
France, pay your debt to Haiti

In 1825 France forced Haiti to assume a debt of 90 million to “compensate”
French plantation slave-owners for their “financial losses” in exchange for
France’s recognition of Haiti’s independence. It took Haiti close to 100 years
to pay off this debt. Haiti was unable to fund schools, health care, or
infrastructure and the logging of its tropical forests was accelerated, setting
the stage for the current deforestation crisis.

Today, on behalf of the people of Haiti, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide has
requested that France restitute to the Haitian people this “debt” money - 21.7
billion dollars in today’s currency. France has formally recognized slavery to
be a crime against humanity and many of its legislators have verbally 
recognized
the legitimacy of Haiti’s request. Yet, in an echo of the ugly “1825” past, the
French government has rejected the request and placed Haiti on a list of
“undesirable” countries not to be visited.

Celebrate Haiti Bicentennial
at the French Embassy

December 31 • 4-5:30 PM
540 Bush • San Francisco
(between Stockton & Grant)

Bring whistles, drums, noisemakers and music


The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org 
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