{"id":118838,"date":"2021-04-13T07:01:49","date_gmt":"2021-04-13T07:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiofree.org\/?p=185512"},"modified":"2021-04-13T07:01:49","modified_gmt":"2021-04-13T07:01:49","slug":"stand-with-haiti-a-call-for-solidarity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/04\/13\/stand-with-haiti-a-call-for-solidarity\/","title":{"rendered":"Stand with Haiti! A Call for Solidarity"},"content":{"rendered":"
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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>\n

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>\n

In honor of that day and to demonstrate our resolve to support the people\u2019s movement in Haiti, we the undersigned organizations join with Haiti Action Committee to call for a Day of Solidarity With Haiti<\/em> on March 18, 2021.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s organizations, nurses, doctors and lawyers \u2014 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 (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>\n

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>\n

The Moise regime represents a continuation of the U.S.-orchestrated 2004 coup<\/em> that ousted the government of President Aristide, Haiti\u2019s first democratically elected president.   The coup<\/em> aimed at restoring the power of the tiny Haitian elite that was threatened by Aristide\u2019s progressive policies and his attempt to bring about a new Haiti \u2014 one in which the majority would rise from \u201cmisery to poverty with dignity,\u201d and in which the phrase \u201cTout Moun Se Moun<\/em>\u201d (Every person is a human being) would become a reality.<\/p>\n

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 \u201celectoral coup.\u201d 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>\n

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\u2019s poor majority, issued a statement titled Crisis And Resolution<\/em>, demanding an end to the dictatorship. It read, in part:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 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 \u201cchavire chody\u00e8 a<\/em>\u201d (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.\u201d<\/p>\n

These words ring even more true today. Moise\u2019s 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\u2019s 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>\n

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>\n

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 \u201cBarbecue\u201d Cherizier, wanted in connection with the massacre at 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 \u2014 while the G-9 was murdering residents of Bele and burning their homes \u2014 thus giving a U.N. seal of approval to these crimes.<\/p>\n

Without the support of the U.N., U.S., E.U. and the OAS \u2014 the so-called Core Group that exercises control over Haiti \u2014 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>\n

As Haitians rise up once again to demand democratic governance, security and economic and social justice, we echo their call.<\/p>\n

Please continue emails, tweets and phone calls to U.S. representatives, demanding:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. End U.S. recognition and support for the dictatorship of Jovenel Moise <\/strong><\/p>\n

2. End U.S. funding of the criminal Haitian police and security forces<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. End the U.N.\/U.S. occupation of Haiti<\/strong><\/p>\n

4. Support the Haitian people\u2019s movement for democracy and self-determination<\/strong><\/p>\n

Direct these demands to the following officials and to your Congressional Representative and Senators:<\/strong><\/p>\n

US Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Senior Member, House Foreign Relations Committee: tweet @RepGregoryMeeks; ph: 202-225-3461\u2028;<\/strong><\/p>\n

Secretary of State Antony Blinken: tweet @SecBlinken; ph: 202-647-4000; email <\/strong>https:\/\/register.state.gov\/contactus\/contactusform<\/strong><\/a>; <\/strong><\/p>\n

President Joseph Biden: tweet@POTUS; email <\/strong>https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/contact<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

#SolidaritywithHaiti #StandwithHaiti #SupportdemocracyinHaiti #humanrights #Blacklivesmatter #Haitianlivesmatter #Aristide #Lavalas #stopmassacresinHaiti #USstopfundingdictatorshipinHaiti #USstopfundingpoliceterrorinHaiti #US\/UN\/CoreGroupStopSupportingDictatorshipinHaiti #US\/UN\/CoreGroupOutofHaiti!<\/strong><\/p>\n

For more information, please contact: Haiti Action Committee at <\/strong>www.haitisolidarity.net<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Initiated by Haiti Action Committee<\/p>\n

Signed:<\/p>\n

Advancing the Research<\/p>\n

AFRICANS DESERVE REPARATIONS NOW!<\/p>\n

Afrikan Children\u2019s Advanced Learning Center<\/p>\n

All-African People\u2019s Revolutionary Party<\/p>\n

ANSWER-Act Now to Stop War & End Racism-Bay Area<\/p>\n

Arab Resource and Organizing Center<\/p>\n

Avotcja & Mod\u00fapue<\/p>\n

BAYAN-USA<\/p>\n

Bay Area Alliance for a Sustainable Puerto Rico<\/p>\n

Bay Area CISPES<\/p>\n

Bay Area Youth Arts<\/p>\n

Black Alliance for Peace \u2013 Bay Area<\/p>\n

Caminante Cultural Foundation<\/p>\n

Center for Political Education<\/p>\n

Chiapas Support Committee (Los Angeles \u2013 College Students)<\/p>\n

Chiapas Support Committee Oakland<\/p>\n

Code Pink<\/p>\n

Comit\u00e9 en Pro del Pueblo de Chiapas<\/p>\n

Communist Workers League<\/p>\n

Cuba and Venezuela Solidarity Committee<\/p>\n

Destiny Muhammad Project<\/p>\n

EastSide Arts Alliance Collective<\/p>\n

East Bay Sanctuary Covenant<\/p>\n

Ecumenical Peace Institute\/Clergy and Laity Concerned<\/p>\n

End Solitary Santa Cruz County [California, USA]<\/p>\n

Four Nations Solidarity Coalition<\/p>\n

Freedom Archives<\/p>\n

GABRIELA USA<\/p>\n

Global Exchange<\/p>\n

Global Women\u2019s Strike<\/p>\n

Haiti Emergency Relief Fund<\/p>\n

Hastings-to-Haiti Partnership<\/p>\n

Human Agenda<\/p>\n

International Action Center<\/p>\n

International Committee of the National Lawyers Guild<\/p>\n

International Committee for Peace, Justice and Dignity<\/p>\n

International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network<\/p>\n

John George Democratic Club<\/p>\n

Justice Vanguard<\/p>\n

Kemet Foundation<\/p>\n

Malcolm X Grassroots Movement<\/p>\n

Marcus BookStores<\/p>\n

National Boricua Human Rights Network<\/p>\n

National Lawyers Guild<\/p>\n

National Lawyers Guild \u2013 SF Bay Area<\/p>\n

New Afrikan People\u2019s Organization<\/p>\n

Nicaragua Center for Community Action<\/p>\n

Pan-African Peoples\u2019 Organization<\/p>\n

Pax Christi Northern California<\/p>\n

Peninsula Peace and Justice Center<\/p>\n

People\u2019s Alliance<\/p>\n

PEOPLE\u2019S EYE PHOTOGRAPHY<\/p>\n

Phavia Kujichagulia N Maat<\/p>\n

The Puerto Rican Cultural Center<\/p>\n

San Francisco Bayview National Black Newspaper<\/p>\n

San Jose Peace and Justice Center<\/p>\n

Sisters of St. Francis, Alameda, CA<\/p>\n

Students for Haiti Solidarity<\/p>\n

Task Force on the Americas<\/p>\n

Trinity Fellowship of Berkeley<\/p>\n

Venceremos Brigade \u2013 Bay Area<\/p>\n

Veterans for Peace Chapter 69 \u2013 San Francisco<\/p>\n

Western States Legal Foundation<\/p>\n

Women of Color in the Global Women\u2019s Strike<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s International League for Peace and Freedom US<\/p>\n

Workers World Party<\/p>\n

#SolidaritywithHaiti #StandwithHaiti #SupportdemocracyinHaiti #humanrights #Blacklivesmatter #Haitianlivesmatter #Aristide #Lavalas #stopmassacresinHaiti #USstopfundingdictatorshipinHaiti #USstopfundingpoliceterrorinHaiti #US\/UN\/CoreGroupStopSupportingDictatorshipinHaiti #US\/UN\/CoreGroupOutofHaiti!<\/p>\n\n

This post was originally published on Radio Free<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4029,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118838"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4029"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118838"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":118839,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118838\/revisions\/118839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}