<html>
<body>
<font size=3><br>
<b>HAITI ACTION COMMITTEE ALERT.</b> <b>PLEASE SIGN, CIRCULATE AND POST
THIS IMPORTANT ON-LINE PETITION:<br>
</b> <br>
TO: President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michele Obama:<br>
<br>
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former liberation theology priest, was elected
by the people of Haiti as their president in 1990 and again in 2000 (by
60% and 92% of the vote respectively). Both times he was overthrown by
military coups – in 2004 directly by the US with backing from France and
Canada. UN troops have occupied Haiti ever since, and thousands of people
have been persecuted and even killed for demanding his return.<br>
<br>
After the earthquake, President Aristide told the media, from his forced
exile in South Africa, that he wanted to come back immediately to be with
his people. So far he has not been allowed home. On 22 May 2010, Haitian
women meeting at the Democratic Debate at the Aristide Foundation for
Democracy on May 22, 2010 launched a<i> </i>petition that has gathered
over 20,000 signatures. They have invited people internationally to add
their names.<br>
<br>
“We, the women of Haiti, believe that in the wake of the void left by the
earthquake of January 12, which devastated the Haitian capital of
Port-au-Prince and much of the southwest, Jean-Bertrand Aristide has
tremendous contributions to offer towards the rebuilding of the
country…[We] ask President Obama to return President Aristide and his
family, without conditions, as required by Article 41 of the Haitian
Constitution.” <i>(full text below)<br>
</i> <br>
Haitian women know what’s best for them and their families, and for the
reconstruction of their communities and their country. We urge you to
meet their demand so that President Aristide and his family can finally
return home.<br>
<br>
TO SIGN THE ON-LINE PETITION,
CLICK<a href="http://www.petitiononline.com/haitiwom/petition-sign.html">
HERE</a><br>
<br>
<b>Background<br>
</b> <br>
On 8 March, International Women’s Day, 3,000 women at Camp Mesiane, Vilaj
Solidarite, Champs de Mars, Place Boyer, Bonne Fille, Mais Gate, Site
Soley and others issued a statement calling for the return of
Jean-Bertrand and Mildred Aristide, and for women’s demands to be central
in the reconstruction of Haiti. Soon another petition was circulating –
it already has more than 20,000 signatures.<br>
<br>
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former liberation theology priest, was elected
by the people of Haiti as their president in 1990 and again in 2000 (by
60% and 92% of the vote respectively). Both times President Aristide was
overthrown by military coups; in 2004 it was directly by the US with
backing from France and Canada. UN troops have occupied Haiti ever since,
and thousands have been persecuted and killed for demanding his
return.<br>
<br>
After the earthquake, Aristide told the media, from his forced exile in
South Africa, that he wanted to come back immediately to be with his
people. So far he has not been allowed home despite the growing call for
his return. Women and men are invited to sign in support of the women’s
demands.<br>
<br>
<u>Open Petition from Women of Haiti to President Barack Obama For the
Return of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to Haiti<br><br>
</u>"We, the women of Haiti, represent more that 52% of the Haitian
population. For the past two centuries we have waged a long struggle to
be able to exercise our political rights against tremendous
opposition.<br>
<br>
Thanks to President Aristide in 1991, the exercise of women’s political
rights began to be a reality. Jean-Bertrand Aristide is the only
president of Haiti who worked to officially open up space for all Haitian
women to participate in the political life of the country at every level.
To advocate and educate for the respect of women’s rights, and to ensure
that women’s voices were represented at every level of government,
President Aristide created a Ministry of Women’s Affairs.<br>
<br>
At the same time beginning in 2001, President Aristide’s administration
initiated social programs that benefited women and children, such as a
national school lunch program, a national literacy program, the
construction of hundreds of new public high schools and primary schools,
and a public health program with health clinics in every communal section
of the country.<br>
<br>
We, the women of Haiti, believe that in the wake of the void left by the
earthquake of January 12, which devastated the Haitian capital of
Port-au-Prince and much of the southwest, Jean-Bertrand Aristide has
tremendous contributions to offer towards the rebuilding of the
country.<br>
<br>
Women who have been participating in the democratic debates at the
auditorium of the Aristide Foundation for Democracy each Saturday since
the earthquake launch this petition and undertake to gather signatures of
women throughout the country, from every department of Haiti to ask
President Barack Obama to return President Aristide and his family,
without conditions, as required by Article 41 of the Haitian
Constitution.<br>
<br>
We ask women around the world who support the popular movement of Haiti
to take up this petition,
<a href="http://www.petitiononline.com/haitiwom/petition.html">add their
names</a>, and send it to President Obama and his wife Michele
Obama."<br>
<br>
<i>This petition was launched by women meeting at the Democratic Debate
at the Aristide Foundation for Democracy on May 22, 2010.</i> <br>
<br>
Endorsement call issued by: Global Women Strike (GWS) and Women of Colour
in the GWS<br>
<a href="http://www.globalwomenstrike.net/">www.globalwomenstrike.net</a>
<br>
Email: <a href="mailto:la@crossroadswomen.net">la@crossroadswomen.net</a>
Tel: 323-276-9833<br>
Information:
<a href="http://www.haitisolidarity.net/">www.Haitisolidarity.net</a>
Email: <a href="mailto:action.haiti@gmail.com">action.haiti@gmail.com</a>
<a href="http://www.aristidefoundation.net/">
www.Aristidefoundation.net</a><br><br>
<br>
</font><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font size=3 color="#FF0000">Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#008000">415 863-9977<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#0000FF">
<a href="http://www.freedomarchives.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.Freedomarchives.org</a></font><font size=3> </font></body>
</html>