It is a critical time for Haiti. There is an upcoming election November 28, 2010, that will determine how Haiti is rebuilt. It will determine whether there is justice, opportunity and equality in Haiti, or whether the elite and US continue to pillage the country. Unfortunately so far it looks like it will be the latter -- the slogan build back better seems to be nothing more than a slogan.
Please stand with Haitians and demand a fair and free election in Haiti. We are funding it! Today is the last day that Rep Maxine Waters' letter is open for signatures. See below for details.
URGENT UPDATE from ijdh
I received an email update and action alert from IJDH, see below.
Silent Coup in Haiti, Part II
Brian Concannon: The mainstream American media has a bias towards covering personalities over policies in all elections, including our own. Reporters and editors claim that it’s what Americans like to read. The Wyclef Jean coverage carries that bias to an extreme. It has devoted extensive space to a clearly ineligible candidate with no political experience running with a party that has never won any elected office. At the same time, it ignores the disqualification of the party that has won every free election held in Haiti for 20 years, always by a landslide.The US equivalent to what’s happening in Haiti would be President Obama forming a new party before our 2012 elections, and announcing that the Democrats and Republicans were disqualified, then California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger—who was born in Austria and thus constitutionally barred from the Presidency—announcing his candidacy, then the press foaming at the mouth about how his entry into the race has energized action hero movie fans, while ignoring the disqualification of the parties that win every election.
A recent article compared the exclusion of FL to both the Democrats and Republicans being excluded from the upcoming election and allowing only small third Party candidates to participate. (There is much more information about the election below.)
Update on Urgent Action
We just heard from Rep. Maxine Waters’ office: more than twenty Representatives have signed on to her letter to Secretary Clinton supporting fair elections in Haiti, and enough others are considering signing on to justify extending the date for signatures, even though Congress is on recess. If your Representative is not on the list below, call Monday or Tuesday to request that he or she oppose using U.S. tax dollars to support elections that will undermine Haiti’s democracy and its recovery from the earthquake (if you missed it, the details are in last week’s alert).
Take Action
Calling is easy:
- Dial the Capitol Switchboard – 202-224- 3121. Ask to be connected with your Representative’s office. (Click here to find your Representative by name or zip-code).
- You will be connected with the receptionist. Ask to speak to the staff person who handles international issues.
- Whether you speak to the staffer in person, or just leave a message on his/her voicemail, here’s what to say:
“My name is _________ and I am a constituent from _(your city)__. I am calling to ask that Representative _________ sign Rep Waters’ letter calling on Secretary Clinton to support only fair elections in Haiti. To sign the letter, contact Kathleen Sengstock in Rep. Waters’ office, at 52201 by Close of business on Wednesday.”
- If you are speaking to the staff person be sure to thank them for their time and ask whether they think that the Representative will sign the letter.
Please call Monday or Tuesday, October 4 and 5!
Unless your Representative is on this list. Thank you’s are always appreciated!
Corrine Brown
Yvette Clarke
Danny K. Davis
William Delahunt
John Garamendi
Bart Gordon
Alan Grayson
Raul Grijalva
Alcee L. Hastings
Michael Honda
Jesse Jackson
Sheila Jackson-Lee
Dennis Kucinich
Barbara Lee
Stephen Lynch
Betty McCollum
Eleanor Holmes Norton
Donald Payne
Chellie Pingree
Bennie G. Thompson
Jan Schakowsky
Pete Stark
Lynn Woolsey
Sources We Like |
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Global Exchange
Piti, piti, zwazo fe nich li
(Little by little the bird builds its nest)
Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti
"Anyone interested in democracy and rights has reason to be interested in Haiti. Over two centuries ago, Haitians challenged the notions of human rights taking root in Europe and the nascent United States, insisting that all people are human and that slavery could have no place in any republic worthy of the name. This was the beginning of the modern human rights movement."
— Paul Farmer, Co-Founder, Partners in Health |
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It is a critical time for Haiti. There is an upcoming election November 28, 2010, that will determine how Haiti is rebuilt. It will determine whether there is justice, opportunity and equality in Haiti, or whether the elite and US continue to pillage the country. Unfortunately so far it looks like it will be the latter -- the slogan "build back better" seems to be nothing more than a slogan.
The US sees Aristide and the Lavalas movement as the biggest threat to the interests of the US: A bigger threat than secular Marxist-Leninism and bigger than the labor unions.
A US official spoke for a more general Washington consensus when he said that 'Aristide-slum priest, grass-roots activist, exponent of Liberation Theology-represents everything that the CIA, DOD and FBI think they have been trying to protect this country against for the past 50 years.(Damming The Flood, pg. 37)
The US does not want a fair election because in any democratic election the FL candidate would win easily: As they have in all elections they have participated in. On December 16, 1990, Jean Bertrand Aristide made history by becoming Haiti's first democratically elected president and he did with a bang. He won a whopping 67% of the popular vote in a field of 12 candidates
In the 2000 legislative and local elections FL candidates won 89 of the 115 mayoral positions 72 of 83 seats in the chamber of Deputies and of the 17 senate seats that were up FL won 16. In his second election he won with over 90% of the vote. Fanmi Lavalas will win if they are allowed to compete in any fair and open democratic election. The US and the IC hate FL because they see it as a threat to the social and economic status quo and are willing to do (and indeed have done) whatever it takes to exclude them. The FL's "sin" is that they represent poor people. And, we live in a world where that is not acceptable the ruling class will not stand for it!
"[...]The coup of 2004 did not simply disrupt the Lavalas organization and kill thousands of its supporters. It was also intended to complete a task that began back in 1991: the task of reversing Lavalas' achievements and of inverting their significance. It didn't serve merely to put an end to the "threat of a good example," but also to discredit it beyond repair. Haiti's mobilization had proved that "the poorest people in the hemisphere", Elie goes on, " can know more about democracy than the people who are pretending to be beacons of civilization [...]. For the US, Haiti is an example that must be crushed, that must be made to fail." (P xxxII; quotes from Lavalas activist Patrick Elie)
The US, Haiti's Elite, and International Community (IC) have successfully excluded Fanmi Lavalas (FL) Aristide's Party from every election since they removed Jean-Bertrand Aristide from office in the 2004 coup.
A recent article compared the exclusion of FL to both the Democrats and Republicans being excluded from the upcoming election and allowing only small third Party candidates to participate. (There is much more information about the election below.)
Action Alert: Election: IJDH has a new action alert
- IJDH has a new action alert. Please sign the petition Stop U.S. Taxpayers’ Good Money From Going to Bad Elections in Haiti! Please SignPetition
- November Election in Haiti: The Silent Coup: The Silent Coup in Haiti P.1 of 2 9/19/2010 interview conducted by Darren Ell, with Concannon, Ives, and others . It covers the state of the Lavalas movement, the Nov 2010 election and more.
Brian Concannon: The mainstream American media has a bias towards covering personalities over policies in all elections, including our own. Reporters and editors claim that it’s what Americans like to read. The Wyclef Jean coverage carries that bias to an extreme. It has devoted extensive space to a clearly ineligible candidate with no political experience running with a party that has never won any elected office. At the same time, it ignores the disqualification of the party that has won every free election held in Haiti for 20 years, always by a landslide.
The US equivalent to what’s happening in Haiti would be President Obama forming a new party before our 2012 elections, and announcing that the Democrats and Republicans were disqualified, then California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger—who was born in Austria and thus constitutionally barred from the Presidency—announcing his candidacy, then the press foaming at the mouth about how his entry into the race has energized action hero movie fans, while ignoring the disqualification of the parties that win every election.
IJDH has a new action alert. Please call your Rep
To call:
- Dial the Capitol Switch board – 202–224-3121. Ask to be connected with your Representative’s office. (Click here to find your Representative by name or zip-code).
- “My name is _________ and I am a constituent from _(your city)__. I am calling to ask that Representative _________ urge Secretary Clinton to support only fair elections in Haiti. Stop U.S. Taxpayers’ Good Money From Going to Bad Elections in Haiti!"
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(Patrick Elie, head of Aristides Security)
It's as if Aristide was put in charge of a house that was falling apart and was expected to fix it. But then his enemies start setting fire to the back door, they send people with guns to attack the front door, and when these people finally manage to break in they said 'Look! He didn't wash the dishes in the sink! He never repaired the leak in the roof!' They made him spend all his time trying to put out the fire and to protect the door, and then once they got rid of him they said he was pushed out because he'd failed to repair the house. (Damming The Flood, P131)
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Elections
"Our rulers, notes Aristide's prime minister Yvon Neptune, still 'want a democracy without the people,' but rather than simply exclude them from politics today's goal is instead 'to reduce the people to puppets or clowns.'" (Damming The Flood, P XXXIII)
Haiti Liberté editorial on political situation, upcoming election | The International Community Should Pressure the Haitian Government for Prompt and Fair Elections (IJDH) |
The International Republican Institute: Promulgating Democracy of Another Variety | U.S. Gvt. Channels Millions Through National Endowment for Democracy to Fund Anti-Lavalas Groups in Haiti Amy Goodman interview's Anthony Fenton about the US funded National Endowment for Democracy (NED) it was created by Reagan in the 80's ostensibly to promote Democracy. What it does is funnel huge amount of money to anti-Lavalas groups. Most large NGOs have become arms of the CIA. They are easy for the US to control because large NGOs make a living off poverty. |
November Election in Haiti: The Silent Coup: The Silent Coup in Haiti P.1 of 2 9/19/2010 interview conducted by Darren Ell, with Concannon, Ives, and others . It covers the state of the Lavalas movement, the Nov 2010 election and more. -- P.2 | The Untold Story of Aristide's Departure from Haiti, By KEVIN PINA 10/11/04 covers: Aristides second term; the 2000 election which was initially applauded by the IC as Haiti's best election, but was soon delegitimized by the "democratic opposition," the US, and IC. It covers the destabilization program & the coup. |
What’s At Stake in Haiti’s December 3, 2006 Elections: the ASEC System | Haiti: No Leadership — No Elections (U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations) |
Haiti’s elections won’t relieve misery | Unfair and undemocratic |
"Beat the Dog Too Hard" Haiti's Elections, By MARK SCHULLER covers election day and the empty streets and polling places. And he covers clintons devastating neoliberal plan for Haiti. He mentions Charles Baker who is currently running for president. | IJDH-Elections IJDH has the bes election coverage around there are links to new and old articles and there are reports that explain Haiti's election system. They do amazing work. My favorite NGO |
With Date for Elections Set, Next Step is to Ensure Full Participation | Elections Without Voters: Eroding Participation in Haiti |
Elusive Victories in Haiti | Letter to Secretary Clinton Urging “Free, Fair and Inclusive” Elections in Haiti IJDH & other organizations write letter to Clinton re Nov 28, 2010 election. |
Haiti election commission under scrutiny for ties to President René Préval There are rumors that Preval told the CEP panel who to exclude from the 11/28/2010 election. | Selection, or Election? The Monitor Describes the CEP's Troubling Exclusion of Fanmi Lavalas et al explains why the 2010 election as planned is a shame election. It links to some other must read articles. |
List of candidates here.
Additional articleshere.
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Top Stories: See comments for Today's News Update & discussion: |
TOP STORY:
President Clinton to Travel to Haiti
New York, NY - Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 6, President Clinton will travel to Haiti. While there, he will visit a temporary housing camp and participate in a meeting with Prime Minister Bellerive on housing.
Additionally, President Clinton will participate in the 3rd Interim Haiti Reconstruction Committee (IHRC) Board Meeting via conference call. Following this call, President Clinton and Prime Minister Bellerive will hold a brief media availability.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
8:00 AM CST
President Clinton visits J/P Haitian Relief Organization's camp
Petionville
OPEN PRESS
10:00 AM CST
IHRC Board Meeting via conference call
12:45 PM CST
President Clinton and Prime Minister Bellerive hold media availability
3:00 PM CST
President Clinton participates in a meeting on housing
Read more: http://thepage.time.com/...
- Silent Coup in Haiti, Part II
Brian Concannon: The mainstream American media has a bias towards covering personalities over policies in all elections, including our own. Reporters and editors claim that it’s what Americans like to read. The Wyclef Jean coverage carries that bias to an extreme. It has devoted extensive space to a clearly ineligible candidate with no political experience running with a party that has never won any elected office. At the same time, it ignores the disqualification of the party that has won every free election held in Haiti for 20 years, always by a landslide.
The US equivalent to what’s happening in Haiti would be President Obama forming a new party before our 2012 elections, and announcing that the Democrats and Republicans were disqualified, then California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger—who was born in Austria and thus constitutionally barred from the Presidency—announcing his candidacy, then the press foaming at the mouth about how his entry into the race has energized action hero movie fans, while ignoring the disqualification of the parties that win every election.
November Election in Haiti: The Silent Coup: The Silent Coup in Haiti P.1 of 2 9/19/2010 interview conducted by Darren Ell, with Concannon, Ives, and others . It covers the state of the Lavalas movement, the Nov 2010 election and more.
- “We’ve Been Forgotten”: Conditions in Haiti’s Displacement Camps Eight Months After the Earthquake (IJDH) Major Report From My Favorite NGO IJDH things are getting worse, not better. Please make calls. This doesn't have to happen like this; it is not to late, and defeat is not inevitable. The survey studied 90 families living in different camps. The first survey was done in February and found neglect in camps and a second wave of humanitarian disaster.
Our results indicate that aid has slowed and even stopped in each of the six camps surveyed, making life far worse for most of the families. This report makes the following nine recommendations:
Bel dan pa di zanmi
(Just becasue someone is smiling at you doesn't mean they're your friend)
"Haiti's ruling class became in the nineteenth century what it remains to this day - a parasitic clique of medium-sized and authoritarian land-owners on the one hand, combined in uneasy alliance with an equally parasitic though more "outward-looking" assemblage of importers, merchants and professionals." (P13 Damming The Flood)
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When Clinton speaks of working with Haitians he is speaking of working with members of Haiti's ruling class or as referred to by a well known writer the morally repugnant elite (MRE). They do not represent the interests of the vast majority of Haitians.
- Haiti Recovery Commission
- Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (CIRH) Clinton & Bellerive co-chair. Of the 26 members of the Commission, there are 13 foreigners and 13 Haitians drawn from Haiti's tiny class of elites. One of which Reginald Boulos was a backer of both coups against Aristide. Another member Garry Lissade, the former lawyer for Cedras during the 1993 Governor's Island post-coup negotiations. One of the foreigners is Luis Alberto Moreno, IDB, who played a role in 2nd coup (he "accompanied" Aristide to the airport).
For more information about Bill Clinton and why he should never have been chose to co-chair Haiti's Recover Commission, see, here and here.
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To induce Aristide to accept these things and to placate the army that had overthrown him the Bush and Clinton administrations had an equally simple strategy -- they colluded in the killing of his supporters. All through the interminable negotiations between Aristide and Cedras , explains Allan Nairn, 'the US had a very clear, systematic policy of supporting the forces of terror in Haiti while at the same time, back in Washington, twisting Aristide's arm. He had a gun to his head, figuratively, just as his supporters had guns to their heads literally. It was outright political extortion. (Damming The Flood, P. 48)
"...in the words of one of the main authors of that program, to redistribute some wealth from the poor to the rich."
Action Alert: Aid:
Let the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (CIRH) know how they are doing. but please read this first.
Contact Us
We want to hear from you.
If you have general questions or comments, please email us at: info@cirh.ht
For press inquiries please contact: press@cirh.ht
Phone number: (509) 25 19 31 31
For more information about Bill Clinton and why he should never have been chose to co-chair Haiti's Recover Commission, see, here.
Clinton continues to support and even celebrate sweatshops and pillage Haiti with his commission. Its records so far, it works with leaders of both coups in Haiti and is giving 30 million to a corrupt election and backing a luxury hotel because people doing the rebuilding need somewhere to stay according to the project director. Apparently no work for Haitians and of course the people getting the work need a decent place to stay while the vast majority of Haitians things get worse then ever. The family backing this is the notorious Mevs. They are prominent members of Haiti's MRE's (the morally repugnant elites) and Clinton see's fit to use recovery money to help his rich pals the Mevs of course. One of the foreigners is Luis Alberto Moreno, IADB, who played role in 2nd coup (he "accompanied" Aristide to the airport).
For more information about Bill Clinton and why he should never have been chosen to co-chair Haiti's Recover Commission, see, here and here.
Clintons Neoliberal policies:
"The austerity program that in the summer of 1994 Aristide was obliged to accept in exchange for an end to military rule and FRAPH intimidation was designed, in the words of one of the main authors of that program, to redistribute some wealth from the poor to the rich." (Damming The Flood, P.55)
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Arguably, there is no single event in the whole of modern history whose implications were more threatening to the dominant global order of things. The mere existence of an independent Haiti was a reproach to the slave-trading nations of Europe, a dangerous example to the slave-owning US, and as an inspiration for successive African and Latin American liberation movements. Much of Haiti's subsequent history has been shaped by efforts, both internal and external, to stifle the implications of this event and to preserve the essential legacy of slavery and colonialism - that spectacularly unjust distribution of labor, wealth and power which characterized the whole of the island's post-Columbian history. (Damming The Flood, Pg. 11)
Mantra from Aristide's 1990 campaign:
"Alone we are weak, together we are strong; all together we are Lavalas, the flood [yon se`l nou feb, ansanm nou fo, ansanm nou se Lavalas]."
Aristide Damming The Flood, (pg. xxxiv)
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Aid
- Must see VIDEO
- Change Haiti Can Believe In
Amy Goodman led a panel discussion about US-Haiti policy, Haiti's history, and what we can do to assist Haitians in their fight for justice -- The panel includes Paul Farmer Co/Founder of PIH, Brian Concannon Found of IJDH, Mat Damon, State Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry. You can watch the whole program, or if you are short on time pick a 10 minute segment to watch. This video especially the parts with Brian Concannon are a large part of what got me so interested in helping put a stop to my governments oppression of Haitians.
- Haiti Dreaming for More Than $3 a day Watch
this is an excellent short video about how neoliberalism has destroyed Haiti's farm economy and what can be done differently.
- Life and Debt
this award winning documentary about the impact that US neoliberal trade policy has had. It focus' on Jamaica but applies doubly to Haiti. This is a Must See. It is sometimes available on Youtube.
- Edwidge Danticat on US immigration detentions 60 minutes
- Haiti: Toto Constant Talks About CIA vs. Aristide
this short video has clips from a 60 minute interview with Emmanuel Toto Constant who worked for the CIA and was the leader of the vicious death squad FRAPH. The full interview is not available. I purchased the transcript from CBS News but they have strict copyright rules and would not even sell me the actual video. If anyone has it please share.
- Jeremy Scahill on Democracy Now! responds to Clinton being appointed as UN envoy to Haiti Jeremy Scahill sums up Clinton's vicious Haiti policy in about 2 minutes. I love this video.
UNDERSTANDING HAITI STARTS WITH ACCURATE INFORMATION
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Konstitisyon se papie, bayonet se fe
(The constitution is paper, bayonets are steel)
"IJDH has changed the way Haitian human rights are viewed, and is helping other organizations to improve their understanding of the noxious synergy between poverty, inequality, and injustice; IJDH has also restored historical memory to a notoriously short-memoried arena. IJDH has been a voice of reason and honesty in the midst of an international attack on popular democracy in Haiti."
— Paul Farmer, Co-Founder, Partners in Health
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Join us Sunday's for book day : Current book is Damming The Flood: Haiti, Aristide, And The Politics Of Containment, by Peter Hallward: Chapter 6: |
- Any suggestions? We are looking for books, articles, websites where we can get accurate information about Haiti. Please share any information.
- I found one The World Traveler - Haiti page.: This website has excerpts from books including The Uses of Haiti and Damming The Flood and other books that we are reading. It also has an extensive list of articles-excellent information
NGOs: |
The Aristide Foundation for Democracy (AFD) was created in 1996 by former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide (the first democratically elected president of Haiti) with a simple principle in mind: "The promise of democracy can only be fulfilled if all sectors of Haitian society are able to actively participate in the democratic life of the nation." |
Haiti Emergency Relief Foundation (HERF):
Haiti’s grassroots movement – including labor unions, women’s groups, educators and human rights activists, support committees for political prisoners, and agricultural cooperatives – are funneling needed aid to those most hit by the earthquake. They are doing what they can – with the most limited of funds – to make a difference. Please take this chance to lend them your support. All donations to the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund will be forwarded to our partners on the ground to help them rebuild what has been destroyed.
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Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti:
Mission
We strive to work with the people of Haiti in their non-violent struggle for the consolidation of constitutional democracy, jus tice and human rights, by distributing objective and accurate information on human rights conditions in Haiti, pursuing legal cases, and cooperating with human rights and solidarity groups in Haiti and abroad.
IJDH draws on its founders’ internationally-acclaimed success accompanying Haiti’s poor majority in the fields of law, medicine and social justice activism. We seek the restoration of the rule of law and democracy in the short term, and work for the long-term sustainable change necessary to avert Haiti’s next crisis.
"IJDH is simply the most reliable source for information and analysis on human rights in
Haiti." — Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) |
Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti:
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Social Networking Efforts: |
New Media Advocacy Project
The New Media Advocacy Project combats poverty and human rights violations by using digital video, Internet social networking, and interactive media to strengthen social justice legal advocacy in courts, legislatures, and communities.
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Diaries: |
Sunday is Haiti diary book day. Here is the Book List
UPCOMING DIARIES
Tuesday:
Thursday:
Sunday: allie123
If you would like to volunteer to contribute a diary to continue this series, please leave comment below. Norbrook has created a Google documents file with the source code for the first version of the diary with the NGO list. allie123 created a Google doc for the new series Justice, Not Charity. However, because we are cutting back to 2 or 3 diaries a week we will be adding a focus and new information to each diary now.
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The icons of this diary series are courtesy of the html artist known on Daily Kos as Pluto.
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