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<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><b>Berkeley (California) City
Council Resolution – </b>Adopted May 20, 2008<br><br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=4><b>Supporting the People of
Haiti<br><br>
</b></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><u>RECOMMENDATION<br><br>
</u>1) Call on all authorities in Haiti, the United Nations Stabilization
Mission in Haiti, the United States, Canada and France, as well as
Brazil, Nepal, and Jordan (those countries who have large contingents of
troops assigned), to work for rapid implementation of the following:<br>
a)</font><font size=4>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>Release of all political
prisoners,<br>
b)</font><font size=4>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>Guaranteed freedom of speech
and assembly, <br>
c)</font><font size=4>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>The safe return of Human
Rights Activist Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, <br>
d)</font><font size=4>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>A thorough investigation of
all allegations of United Nations troop raids in Cité<br><br>
Soleil and elsewhere regarding perpetration of violent attacks, rapes and
sexual exploitation, and where misconduct has occurred, ensure the
restoration of the subject villages, homes and families, and compensation
to innocent victims.<br><br>
e) All alleged violators to be brought to justice and duly punished
if guilty, <br><br>
f) Withdrawal of foreign military forces from Haiti, and
support for democratic processes in governance,<br><br>
g) Jean-Bertrand Aristide must be free to return to Haiti, in
accordance with the Haitian Constitution.<br><br>
2) Urge Senator Dianne Feinstein to support S. 2261 with the
Amendment passed in the House that adds a Sense of the Congress that, due
to the current humanitarian and political instability in Haiti, including
food shortages and political turmoil, the Secretary of the Treasury
should use his influence to expedite the complete and immediate
cancellation of Haiti's debts to all international financial
institutions, or if such debt cancellation cannot be provided, to urge
the institutions to immediately suspend the requirement that Haiti make
further debt service payments on debts owed to the institutions.<br><br>
3) Request Representative Barbara Lee [CA-9] to introduce legislation to
establish an Independent Commission on the 2004 Coup d’Etat in the
Republic of Haiti, and request Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne
Feinstein to introduce similar legislation in the Senate.<br><br>
4) Express our city’s solidarity with the people of Haiti to achieve much
needed peace and improved living and working conditions and extend a
standing invitation to President Aristide to once again visit the City of
Berkeley.<br><br>
5) Direct the City Manager to send copies of this Resolution to the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, United
States Secretary of State Dr. Condoleeza Rice, Senators Barbara Boxer and
Dianne Feinstein, Representative Barbara Lee, President René Préval of
Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and the Ambassadors of Canada, France and
Brazil.<br><br>
<u>BACKGROUND<br><br>
</u>The 2004 Haiti Coup d’Etat resulted in the premature end of
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s second term, and the installation of
an interim government led by Prime Minister Gérard Latortue and President
Boniface Alexandre.<br><br>
Many of the supporters of the Fanmi Lavalas party and Aristide, as well
as progressive<br>
and independent observers worldwide, denounced the rebellion as a foreign
controlled<br>
coup d’état orchestrated by Canada, France, and the United States to
remove a<br>
democratically elected President.<br><br>
The people of Haiti have suffered tremendously as a result of violence,
high unemployment, widespread hunger and natural disasters since the 2004
coup. They need real support from the international community to provide
jobs for sustainable development under Haitian control. Debt cancellation
is essential to this process.<br><br>
Cancellation of Haiti’s debts will enable Haiti to improve health care,
education and other essential government services; invest in critical
infrastructure; and improve the lives of the Haitian people.<br><br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=4><i>Attachment 1: “U.N. Troops
Accused of Human Rights Violations in Haiti,” Maria Luisa Mendonca,
Americas Program, Center for International Policy, January 29,
2008.<br><br>
</i>Resolution adopted by the Berkeley, California City Council, May 20,
2008 by unanimous vote.<br><br>
<br>
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San Francisco, CA 94110<br><br>
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