[News] Haiti Solidarity Event: June 26th at La Pena, Berkeley

[Anti-Imperialist News]

Haiti Solidarity Event: June 26th at La Pena, Berkeley
http://www.haitisolidarity.net/article.php?id=251

Thursday, June 26th, 7PM

La Pena, 3105 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA

Recent headlines report: "Haitians Take To The 
Streets To Demand Food."  "Hungry Haitians Storm 
Presidential Palace Over High Cost of 
Living."  "Haitian Government Falls After Food 
Riots."  Once again, as they have done so many 
times throughout their history, the Haitian 
people have taken center stage, exposing the 
desperate conditions foisted upon them by four 
years of UN occupation and misrule.

The massive outpouring of protest over food 
prices has shattered the façade promoted by the 
mainstream press that Haiti is slowly moving 
towards a stable democratic government and 
economic progress after the violent coup that 
killed thousands, displaced, imprisoned and 
exiled thousands more, and forcibly kidnapped the 
democratically elected President. Economic 
conditions for the average Haitian have 
deteriorated rapidly while UN occupation forces 
have an annual budget of over $535 million. The 
Preval government has received international aid 
denied to the former government of President 
Aristide. While the export-import sector run by 
Haiti's traditional elite has profited from 
international aid, the poor have been even 
further marginalized.  Prices for rice, beans, 
water, cooking oil and gas have skyrocketed to 
the point where many Haitians simply cannot 
afford to eat.  The Associated Press recently ran 
an article reporting that many Haitians were now eating "mud cookies."

People can only take so much, and can only hear 
empty promises for so long while they watch their 
children starving.  That is why so many of the 
demonstrators this past few weeks carried signs 
calling for the return to Haiti of President 
Aristide.  They remember full well that, under 
the Aristide government, social and economic 
programs were begun that gave people hope and 
dignity.  They are fighting for that hope and 
that dignity in the streets of Haiti today.

Join Haiti Action Committee for an evening of 
solidarity with Haiti with eyewitness reports from Haiti about:
    * Mass demonstrations against hunger
    * Efforts to free political prisoners
    * The fight to return disappeared human 
rights activist Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine
    * The continued UN occupation and the role of the Preval government

$5-10 no one turned away for lack of funds

Wheelchair accessible




Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org  
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