<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
</head>
<body>
<div id="toolbar" class="toolbar-container"> </div>
<div class="container" style="--line-height:1.6em;" dir="ltr">
<div class="header reader-header reader-show-element"><font
size="-2"><a class="domain reader-domain"
href="https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/04/13/stand-with-haiti-a-call-for-solidarity/">https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/04/13/stand-with-haiti-a-call-for-solidarity/</a></font>
<h1 class="reader-title">Stand with Haiti! A Call for Solidarity<br>
</h1>
<span class="post_author_intro">by</span> <span
class="post_author"><a
href="https://www.counterpunch.org/author/haiti-action-committee/"
rel="nofollow">Haiti Action Committee</a> - April 13, 2021</span></div>
<hr>
<div class="content">
<div class="moz-reader-content reader-show-element">
<div id="readability-page-1" class="page">
<div>
<p>This statement, written by Haiti Action Committee and
signed by over 60 organizations, commemorates the 10th
anniversary of the return to Haiti of former President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide and First Lady Mildred Aristide.
It calls for support of the resistance by the Haitian
people to the US-backed dictatorship of Jovenel Moise,
and provides concrete ways for progressive-minded people
to take action in solidarity with Haiti.</p>
<p>Ten years ago on March 18, 2011, former president
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, his wife and colleague, Mildred
Trouillot Aristide, and their two children, returned
from forced exile in South Africa. Tens of thousands of
people lined the streets of Port-au-Prince and poured
into the courtyard of their home to greet them, seeing
in their return a renewal of hope for a democratic and
just Haiti.</p>
<p>In honor of that day and to demonstrate our resolve to
support the people’s movement in Haiti, we the
undersigned organizations join with Haiti Action
Committee to call for a <em>Day of Solidarity With
Haiti</em> on March 18, 2021.</p>
<p>Over the last month, hundreds of thousands of Haitians
have put their lives on the line to demand an end to the
dictatorship of Jovenel Moise. The demonstrations have
involved the breadth of Haitian society, from residents
of the poorest neighborhoods to students, women’s
organizations, nurses, doctors and lawyers — all of whom
have experienced the terror unleashed by the Moise
regime. The popular movement in Haiti is calling for a
transition government, a government of public safety (<em>Sali
Piblik</em>) that promotes the security and welfare of
the Haitian people, that ends the repression against
popular organizations, and that moves the country
peacefully towards genuine free and fair elections.</p>
<p>Moise and his right-wing PHTK party have been ruling by
decree for over a year, and are pushing to enact
illegitimate constitutional reforms that would give him
even more authority. Even though his official term of
office ended on February 7th, he has announced his
intention to remain in power for one more year.</p>
<p>The Moise regime represents a continuation of the
U.S.-orchestrated 2004 <em>coup</em> that ousted the
government of President Aristide, Haiti’s first
democratically elected president. The <em>coup</em>
aimed at restoring the power of the tiny Haitian elite
that was threatened by Aristide’s progressive policies
and his attempt to bring about a new Haiti — one in
which the majority would rise from “misery to poverty
with dignity,” and in which the phrase “<em>Tout Moun Se
Moun</em>” (Every person is a human being) would
become a reality.</p>
<p>From the very beginning, the Moise regime has been
illegitimate. He first came to power through a U.S.-U.N.
organized fraudulent election that was annulled only
after widespread protests. The next round was also
replete with fraud and voter suppression and was
denounced widely in Haiti as an “electoral coup.” In
protest, Haitians staged over 60 straight days of
massive demonstrations and mounted legal challenges that
were cut short by occupation authorities. In the end,
the U.S., U.N. and the OAS imposed Moise as president,
leading to the crisis in Haiti today.</p>
<p>In November, 2018, as Moise consolidated his power,
Fanmi Lavalas Political Organization, the party founded
by Aristide that has long represented the interests of
Haiti’s poor majority, issued a statement titled <em>Crisis
And Resolution</em>, demanding an end to the
dictatorship. It read, in part:</p>
<p>“The population is rejecting the usurpers who have
derived their power from the fraudulent elections and
who have discredited themselves with multiple scandals
involving corruption and impunity. Our people are facing
savage repression that continues to create victims among
the disadvantaged masses, and that is heightening the
insecurity that is poisoning daily life for the
majority. Fanmi Lavalas Political Organization continues
to stand firmly with the Haitian people to “<em>chavire
chodyè a</em>” (overturn the cauldron). No cosmetic
solution will bring an effective and lasting solution to
the crisis in which we are plunged. This system has run
its course. It cannot be patched up. It must be
changed.”</p>
<p>These words ring even more true today. Moise’s rule
reminds Haitians of the terrible days of the Duvalier
dictatorships. It has been marred by repeated acts of
blatant corruption and repression. Billions of dollars
in funds designated for social programs and
infrastructure development, provided through Venezuela’s
Petrocaribe program, instead went into the pockets of
government officials. U.S. and U.N.-trained Haitian
police and affiliated gangs or death squads have carried
out massacres in one opposition neighborhood after
another, with the backing of high government officials.</p>
<p>Community residents protesting the lack of basic
services have seen their homes burned to the ground, as
happened in the Port-au-Prince neighborhoods of Lasalin,
Tokyo, Site Vensan, and Bele among others. Kidnappings
and gang rapes have become the order of the day, as
government-affiliated gangs prey on the population. No
one is safe, including street vendors and market women
with little to no funds.</p>
<p>While the country descends into state-sponsored terror,
impunity remains the order of the day. Well-known
perpetrators with arrest warrants such as G-9 death
squad leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, wanted in
connection with the massacre at <a
href="https://haitisolidarity.net/in-the-news/human-rights-report-on-the-lasalin-massacre/">Lasalin</a> in
2018, go about freely and even receive police
protection. In a disgraceful statement, U.N.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on October 20, 2020
credited the G-9 with reducing homicides — while the G-9
was murdering residents of Bele and burning their homes
— thus giving a U.N. seal of approval to these crimes.</p>
<p>Without the support of the U.N., U.S., E.U. and the OAS
— the so-called Core Group that exercises control over
Haiti — the Moise government would fall. That is why the
first action of the Biden Administration in relation to
Haiti was so appalling. State Department spokesperson
Ned Price announced in February that the U.S. government
would support Moise remaining in power until February
7th, 2022, giving Moise another year to attempt to
dismantle all opposition. Millions of US dollars have
already been provided to the Moise dictatorship to fund
his murderous security forces as he ratchets up
repression in his efforts to keep his PHTK party in
power.</p>
<p>As Haitians rise up once again to demand democratic
governance, security and economic and social justice, we
echo their call.</p>
<p><strong>Please continue emails, tweets and phone calls
to U.S. representatives, demanding:</strong></p>
<p><strong>1. End U.S. recognition and support for the
dictatorship of Jovenel Moise </strong></p>
<p><strong>2. End U.S. funding of the criminal Haitian
police and security forces</strong></p>
<p><strong>3. End the U.N./U.S. occupation of Haiti</strong></p>
<p><strong>4. Support the Haitian people’s movement for
democracy and self-determination</strong></p>
<p><strong>Direct these demands to the following officials
and to your Congressional Representative and Senators:</strong></p>
<p><strong>US Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Senior
Member, House Foreign Relations Committee: tweet
@RepGregoryMeeks; ph: 202-225-3461
;</strong></p>
<p><strong>Secretary of State Antony Blinken: tweet
@SecBlinken; ph: 202-647-4000; email </strong><a
href="https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform"><strong>https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform</strong></a><strong>; </strong></p>
<p><strong>President Joseph Biden: tweet@POTUS; email </strong><a
href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact"><strong>https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact</strong></a></p>
<p><strong>#SolidaritywithHaiti #StandwithHaiti
#SupportdemocracyinHaiti #humanrights
#Blacklivesmatter #Haitianlivesmatter #Aristide
#Lavalas #stopmassacresinHaiti
#USstopfundingdictatorshipinHaiti
#USstopfundingpoliceterrorinHaiti
#US/UN/CoreGroupStopSupportingDictatorshipinHaiti
#US/UN/CoreGroupOutofHaiti!</strong></p>
<p><strong>For more information, please contact: Haiti
Action Committee at </strong><a
href="http://www.haitisolidarity.net/"><strong>www.haitisolidarity.net</strong></a></p>
<p>Initiated by Haiti Action Committee</p>
<p>Signed:</p>
<p>Advancing the Research</p>
<p>AFRICANS DESERVE REPARATIONS NOW!</p>
<p>Afrikan Children’s Advanced Learning Center</p>
<p>All-African People’s Revolutionary Party</p>
<p>ANSWER-Act Now to Stop War & End Racism-Bay Area</p>
<p>Arab Resource and Organizing Center</p>
<p>Avotcja & Modúpue</p>
<p>BAYAN-USA</p>
<p>Bay Area Alliance for a Sustainable Puerto Rico</p>
<p>Bay Area CISPES</p>
<p>Bay Area Youth Arts</p>
<p>Black Alliance for Peace – Bay Area</p>
<p>Caminante Cultural Foundation</p>
<p>Center for Political Education</p>
<p>Chiapas Support Committee (Los Angeles – College
Students)</p>
<p>Chiapas Support Committee Oakland</p>
<p>Code Pink</p>
<p>Comité en Pro del Pueblo de Chiapas</p>
<p>Communist Workers League</p>
<p>Cuba and Venezuela Solidarity Committee</p>
<p>Destiny Muhammad Project</p>
<p>EastSide Arts Alliance Collective</p>
<p>East Bay Sanctuary Covenant</p>
<p>Ecumenical Peace Institute/Clergy and Laity Concerned</p>
<p>End Solitary Santa Cruz County [California, USA]</p>
<p>Four Nations Solidarity Coalition</p>
<p>Freedom Archives</p>
<p>GABRIELA USA</p>
<p>Global Exchange</p>
<p>Global Women’s Strike</p>
<p>Haiti Emergency Relief Fund</p>
<p>Hastings-to-Haiti Partnership</p>
<p>Human Agenda</p>
<p>International Action Center</p>
<p>International Committee of the National Lawyers Guild</p>
<p>International Committee for Peace, Justice and Dignity</p>
<p>International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network</p>
<p>John George Democratic Club</p>
<p>Justice Vanguard</p>
<p>Kemet Foundation</p>
<p>Malcolm X Grassroots Movement</p>
<p>Marcus BookStores</p>
<p>National Boricua Human Rights Network</p>
<p>National Lawyers Guild</p>
<p>National Lawyers Guild – SF Bay Area</p>
<p>New Afrikan People’s Organization</p>
<p>Nicaragua Center for Community Action</p>
<p>Pan-African Peoples’ Organization</p>
<p>Pax Christi Northern California</p>
<p>Peninsula Peace and Justice Center</p>
<p>People’s Alliance</p>
<p>PEOPLE’S EYE PHOTOGRAPHY</p>
<p>Phavia Kujichagulia N Maat</p>
<p>The Puerto Rican Cultural Center</p>
<p>San Francisco Bayview National Black Newspaper</p>
<p>San Jose Peace and Justice Center</p>
<p>Sisters of St. Francis, Alameda, CA</p>
<p>Students for Haiti Solidarity</p>
<p>Task Force on the Americas</p>
<p>Trinity Fellowship of Berkeley</p>
<p>Venceremos Brigade – Bay Area</p>
<p>Veterans for Peace Chapter 69 – San Francisco</p>
<p>Western States Legal Foundation</p>
<p>Women of Color in the Global Women’s Strike</p>
<p>Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom US</p>
<p>Workers World Party</p>
<p>#SolidaritywithHaiti #StandwithHaiti
#SupportdemocracyinHaiti #humanrights #Blacklivesmatter
#Haitianlivesmatter #Aristide #Lavalas
#stopmassacresinHaiti #USstopfundingdictatorshipinHaiti
#USstopfundingpoliceterrorinHaiti
#US/UN/CoreGroupStopSupportingDictatorshipinHaiti
#US/UN/CoreGroupOutofHaiti!</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 415
863-9977</div>
</body>
</html>