Solidarity Actions

Return to Port-au-Prince: "All the Time We are Hungry and Now We Have No One"

http://www.counterpunch.org/terrall08282008.html
Counterpunch.com
August 28, 2008
"All the Time We are Hungry and Now We Have No One"
Return to Port-au-Prince
By BEN TERRALL

As I flew from JFK to Port-au-Prince Airport on August 11, a fellow journalist handed me the front section of that day’s New York Times with a laugh. My friend pointed to a passage in an article about Russia’s war with Georgia that had prompted her bitter chuckling.

The piece quoted Ambassador Zalmay Khalizad of the United States, who charged that the Russian foreign minister had told Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice “that the democratically elected president of Georgia ‘must go.’” Khalizad described the Russian’s comment as “completely unacceptable.”

Of course, Washington’s posturing as a beacon of peace and freedom has become increasingly more ludicrous as wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue with no end in sight and Bush explains that we do not torture while testimony to the contrary accumulates around the globe. But the U.S. role in supporting the February 29, 2004 rightist coup in Haiti makes the hypocrisy of Khalizad’s statement especially galling.

Local group strives to draw attention to Canada's role in Haiti's grief

Haitian solidarity: Local group strives to draw attention to Canada's role in the country's grief
Sarelle Azuelos
Gauntlet News
February 28, 2008
http://gauntlet.ucalgary.ca/story/12221
Haitian people have suffered a history of almost constant violence and strife. Four years ago Canadian, French and U.S. forces, with support of the UN, held a military coup against the democratically elected then-leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Great debate surrounded the continuing involvement of foreign influences in Haiti's government.

The Canada Haiti Action Network is hosting a solidarity demonstration on Fri., Feb. 29 to raise awareness of Haiti's plight and hopefully encourage the Canadian government to respect the country's sovereignty.

Haiti Coup Anniversary: FEBRUARY 29TH ACTIONS PLANNED WORLDWIDE

HAITI LIBERTE
"Justice. Verite. Independance
* THIS WEEK IN HAITI *
February 20 - 26, 2008
Vol. 1, No. 31
FEBRUARY 29TH ACTIONS PLANNED WORLDWIDE
by Kim Ives
Thousands around the world will mark the fourth anniversary of Haiti's
February 29, 2004 coup d'etat and foreign military invasion with picket
lines, marches and conferences.

"Four years after US Marines seized control of Haiti's capital and installed
a US-appointed coup regime, Haiti is still under foreign military
occupation, by a UN force that replaced the Marines in June 2004," writes
the "Feb. 29th Organizing Committee" in a call to action for the Third
International Day in Solidarity with the People of Haiti. "It is an
occupation marked by rapes and wanton killings of the poor."

The "Feb. 29th Organizing Committee" proposes united actions for a "single
worldwide mobilization" around seven demands: 1) End the US/UN Occupation -
Respect Haiti's sovereignty; 2) Free the political prisoners - No more

Halifax: Hip Hop for Haiti Event

'Hands off Haiti' CD release party
featuring
The IMF & Rez Villain
Friday, Jan 25th @ Ginger's Tavern, Halifax
$5 at the door, or free if you buy a CD.
The show is a release party for the 'Hands off Haiti' hip-hop CD compilation. The CD is a project of the Canada Haiti Action Network and features some of the top hip-hop and urban artists in Canada including DL Incognito, Mood Ruff, LAL, the Dope Poet Society, EMC and the Legendary Haitian Folk singer, So Ann Auguste.

Funds raised from the CD will go to support human rights organizations working in Haiti.

This event is brought to you by Haiti Action Halifax with much support from CKDU Radio

More info:
www.myspace.com/handsoffhaiti
www.thac.ca
www.canadahaitiaction.ca

Human rights activists under fire in Haiti

Human rights activists under fire in Haiti
HIP - Port au Prince, Haiti - Amnesty International released it's third human rights alert this month on behalf of community-based human rights advocates in Haiti. It comes five months after the abduction of psychologist and human rights leader Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine last August 12.

Wilson Mesilien, the interim coordinator of Mr. Pierre-Antoine's group the September 30th Foundation, was recently forced into hiding. Mr. Mesilien and his family left their home for an undisclosed location on December 19 after receiving numerous threats according to Amnesty International.

Human rights defender forced into hiding in Haiti

Human rights defender forced into hiding in Haiti
December 27, 2007
HIP - Port au Prince, Haiti - A human rights worker whose colleague was abducted last August has been forced into hiding after receiving new threats. Wilson Mesilien has been serving as the interim head of the September 30th Foundation, a human rights organization based in Port-au-Prince. He assumed the role of interim director of the organization after the abduction and disappearance of the it's founder Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine over four months ago.

Haiti: Leading Human Rights Activist Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine Missing for Four Months

Haiti: Leading Human Rights Activist Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine Missing for Four Months
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch Remain Silent
By Joe Emersberger
Special to The Narco News Bulletin
http://www.narconews.com/Issue48/article2935.html
December 13, 2007
Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, a prominent Haitian human rights activist, disappeared on the evening of 12 August, 2007. He is co-founder of the Trant Septanm (“September 30”) Foundation, an organization originally formed to help the victims of the 1991 coup in Haiti.

Confédération des travailleurs haitiens: Launches Website and New Campaigns

November 24th, 2007
Confédération des travailleurs haitiens: Launches Website and New Campaigns
By: Nazaire St Fort and Jeb Sprague - HaitiAnalysis.com
The Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH), which is made up of eleven labor federations and three national commissions, has officially launched a website according to its General Secretary Paul Chery. Haiti, just south-east of Cuba and bordering the Dominican Republic, is host to a long thriving labor movement.

One Lavalas official freed in Haiti, second remains missing

One Lavalas official freed in Haiti, second remains missing
Haiti Information Project
October 31, 2007

Union launches call for general strike in Haiti

Union launches call for general strike in Haiti
By Roger Annis
PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI--At a press conference here on August 17, one of Haiti's transport unions, the Association des propriétaires et chaffeurs d'Haiti (APCH—Association of Owners and Drivers of Haiti), launched an appeal for unions and popular organizations to hold a two-day, country-wide general strike to protest the disastrous economic situation facing working people in this country.
In an interview following the press conference, the communications director of the union, Fortune Patrice, explained that the initial appeal is supported by many trade unions, student organizations and other popular movements. The union will hold discussions with more unions and popular organizations in the coming week to broaden support for the strike, set for August 27 and 28.

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