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<font size=3><br>
</font><h1><b>Letter from President Aristide on the 18th Anniversary of
the Haitian Constitution</b></h1><font size=3><b>Private Office of the
President of the Republic<br>
</font><font size=6>Jean Bertrand Aristide<br><br>
</font><font size=3><i>Press Release<br><br>
</i>Today, March 29, 2005 is the date of the 18th anniversary of the
Haitian Constitution. On this day, President Jean Bertrand Aristide
salutes the courage and determination of the Haitian people. They have
been carrying out a peaceful, non violent struggle for respect of the
Constitution since the coup d'etat of February 29, 2004. A return to
peace and stability must necessarily include the re-instatement of the
Constitution, which is the only lasting solution to the Haitian
crisis.<br><br>
</b>On the occasion of the 18th anniversary of the Constitution of the
Republic of Haiti, March 29, 2005, President Jean Bertrand Aristide
salutes the courage and determination of all those who are deprived of
their constitutional rights, those who have been shamefully assassinated,
those who are persecuted, those who are being held illegally in prison
because of their political opinions, those who have been forced into
hiding or exile, those who have been refused access to education, health
care and decent housing.<br><br>
The alarming situation of the violation of the Constitution and abuses
against individual rights is only intensifying. When, on March 29, 1987,
the Haitian people ratified the Constitution by more than 90%, they
expressed their desire to participate in public affairs, to transform the
country into a state of law and to build a lasting democracy. Since
February 29, 2004 the 1987 Constitution, the basic law of Haiti, has been
completely ignored; the vote of the Haitian people in the presidential
elections of November 2000 ridiculed; and fundamental human rights
practically non-existent.<br><br>
There has been a violent response to the non-violent peaceful resistance
of the Haitian people: intimidation, persecution, illegal arrests, rapes,
murders. More than 10,000 deaths since February 2004, more than 1,000
political prisoners, thousands of disappeared, in a word, impunity is the
law. A complicit silence is maintained on the genocide in Haiti.<br><br>
On March 25, 2005 while the Haitian people demonstrated for the
re-establishment of the Constitution, the forces of repression attacked
again, causing two deaths and many wounded. That event is the latest in a
series of atrocities committed since the coup d'etat of February 29, 2004
again the Haitian people who continue to demand a return to
constitutional order. Despite the blatant violations of the basic rights
of the Haitian people, they continue to demonstrate against the coup
d'etat of February 29, 2004, to demand the return of their democratically
elected President, and to ask for respect of their vote and the enjoyment
of their rights.<br><br>
On the occasion of the 18th anniversary of the 1987 Constitution, more
than ever, these extracts from the 1987 greetings of President Jean
Bertrand Aristide to the Haitian people are relevant today: <br><br>
[rough translation] "All Haitians who are in prison or underground
or in exile have to be able to return to their homes as the Constitution
requires. The Constitution gives all the citizens the right to free
expression, to demonstrate peacefully for peace. Mobilization and
deliverance go hand in hand."<br><br>
In Haiti, the return to peace must necessarily involve a constitutional
solution, a first and essential condition to install confidence and
enable the holding of credible, honest and democratic elections.<br><br>
<b>Dr. Maryse Narcisse<br><br>
</b>Bolerium Books<br>
2141 Mission, Suite 300<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br>
Store Hours - M-F 10am to 6pm, Sat Noon to 6pm<br><br>
<a href="http://www.bolerium.com /" eudora="autourl">
http://www.bolerium.com </a> 1-800-326-6353
(US/CANADA), 415-863-6353, Fax 415-255-6499 <br>
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