Letter to UN Secretary General and toGovernments with MINUSTAH Forces in Haiti:

piporiko Sam 11 Oct 2008 - 12:51

Letter to UN Secretary General and toGovernments with MINUSTAH Forces in Haiti:

We, the undersigned supporters of democratic and human rights, join our voices to those of the 20 trade union, political and grassroots organizations in Haiti that issued an international appeal to support the Haitian people's right to live in peace and to exercise their right to self-determination -- without any foreign intervention.
Haiti has been devastated by four hurricanes. According to the most recent reports, 1,500 Haitian people have died, hundreds have disappeared, and one million have been left homeless.The Haitian organizations that have issued this appeal are demanding international aid and solidarity -- not tanks and occupation.
They write:
"If the governments of the 40 countries with occupation forces in Haiti really want to help the Haitian people, they should withdraw their soldiers and take the US$540 million that are paid collectively to finance this occupation -- and replace their soldiers with firefighters, doctors, civil security personnel, technicians, and workers who can help us rebuild all the roads and infrastructure that have been destroyed!"
They are also demanding the cancellation of Haiti's foreign debt - which is not the people's debt, as it was contracted by Papa Doc and Baby Doc to enrich themselves and to finance an army and paramilitary force to massacre the Haitian people. The $1 million that is paid each week by the Preval government to the bankers on this debt should go to rebuilding Haiti.
We support these demands.
On October 14, the U.N. Security Council will be voting on a resolution to renew the occupation mandate. We call on the members of the U.N. Security Council and on all the governments of the 40 countries with "peacekeeping" forces in Haiti to vote against this mandate renewal and to withdraw, immediately, all their troops from the MINUSTAH force in Haiti.
Let true international humanitarian aid and development occur!
Respect the right of the Haitian people to live in true peace and to exercise their right to self-determination!
- New York City, October 10, 2008
Signed/
Rosa Clemente,
Vice presidential candidate of the
Power to the People Committee / Green Party
Colia Clark,
President of the New York City Green Partyand Coordinator of the Richard Wright Centennial
Eduardo Rosario,
Co-convener, Open World Conference
Continuations Committee
Alberto Dos Santos,
Brazilian student activist
**************

piporiko Sam 11 Oct 2008 - 12:52

Haiti: In Solidarity with its Five Freedoms

By James Petras
(Statement for October 10, 2008 Press Conference in New York City)
Today the acid test for all democrats in North and South America is the issue of the military occupation of Haiti, the economic pillage and denial of elementary political and human rights of the Haitian people.
In 2004 a US-led invasion force overthrew the democratically elected government of Jean Bertrand Aristide and subsequently promoted and organized an occupation army. This colonial military force has repeatedly violently repressed popular demonstrations, violently raided the neighborhoods of the poor and killed, wounded and arrested Haitians who were affirming their rights of self-determination and an end to foreign occupation.
Since the United States bears major responsibility for the invasion, occupation and subsequent pillage and privatization of essential public services, we have a special responsibility to speak out clearly and forcefully to the United Nations (UN) in support of Haiti's Five Freedoms: 1. The UN must end its military presence of Haiti through its occupation army (MINUSTAH), action contrary to the very founding principles of the organization. Haiti must recover the right of self-determination and the freedom to govern itself.
2. The Haitian people demand the end of the pillage of its national treasury by official and private banks extracting payments of $1 million USD a week for illegitimate debts contracted by past corrupt dictatorial regimes. Haitians demand freedom from illegitimate elite debts in order to finance basic life-sustaining programs for the 80% of the population living in extreme poverty.
3. Every country, which has suffered massive natural disasters, as the hurricanes that recently devastated Haiti, is entitled to large-scale, long-term humanitarian aid with no strings attached. Haitians demand the immediate fulfilling of aid pledged and its allocation according to needs without MINUSTAH manipulation to perpetuate its occupation.
4. The collapse of the free market model today highlights the disastrous consequences of the IMF-World Bank policies of privatization of public services in Haiti, where 'private health and education' effectively excludes the vast majority of Haitians. Haitians must regain the right to re-nationalize public services and all other strategic economic sectors necessary for their well-being.
5. Free elections means the return of deposed, exiled and persecuted political leaders and the end of foreign military occupation and repression of anti-colonial movements. Elections with occupation guns pointed at the heads of the electors and candidates have no legitimacy. We, the American people in North, South and Central America, have a responsibility to demand the end of MINUSTAH and the return national sovereignty to the Haitian people. No government no matter what its political claims and rhetoric can justify its democratic credentials when it acts as a colonial gendarme.
--- [Professor James Petras is the Bartle Professor Emeritus of Latin American Studies at Binghamton University (NY).]

Letter to UN Secretary General and toGovernments with MINUSTAH Forces in Haiti:

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