#67: DMZ? Haiti? What do they all have in common? McCalla comments

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Jocelyn McCalla <JMcCalla@nchr.org>

Colt 44? 44 Magnum? Nah...  In the human rights world, we don't promote
violence... We do everything to kill it, eradicate it, destroy it,
eliminate it altogether. Period. In the process we try to have a little
fun, here, there, everywhere. And when 44 is the guest of honor at
TGIT99, courtesy of  "Lamayòt limen nan 2 bout, » passing up an offer to
witness its coming of age or declining to help with the delivery is
simply not done... The connaisseur will immediately identify. For the
uninitiated, 44 is short for « Liqueur 44 », a special brew fashioned
from the fine pen of a writer whose brewing skills may well rival those
she uses to concoct edible stories out of reports near and far. That's
what's happening this Thursday, July 1st at TGIT99, on the terrace at
NCHR, after 5 :00 PM. 

Last week, two friends - Ronald Mevs and Clothilde Charlot -- drove up
from DC and made TGIT99 a must-stop of a weekend in NYC. We were also
delighted to see newlyweds Dina and Kirk, Charlie Horowitz from Fonkoze
fame, and Wilson Pierre who biked for three days and three nights from
Boston to NY to raise money for AIDS research. This week, the making of
44 will be set to the sound of drumming from Africa and... Haiti...
Maybe ? Word is that Fritzner -- our NEA laureate --  says that a little
"serenad tanbou" is just what we need to withstand the summer heat....
and he's willing to oblige!

As a reminder, TGIT99 takes place at NCHR, located on the 25th floor of
275 Seventh Avenue, between 25th and 26th streets, in New York City. It
begins after the clock strikes five in the afternoon, and the NJ skyline
begins to lend itself to one of the most endearing sunsets on a good
day. The affair is laced with good, friendly debates or simply
catching-up-getting-to-know-you (again !) conversations. The price of
admission is good will, cheese, crackers, fruits and a little brew
(wine, spirits, soft drinks...) and now a little willingness to rock to
the sound of drums from Haiti and... Africa?

Oh, yes : DMZ. I almost forgot. Yes, it means demilitarized zone. No,
it's not the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. That one
is called "anba fil:" beneath the wire... Here's the issue: what's a
Haitian to do in a DMZ in far off Korea? Practice dodging bullets? No!
Dream of "a day in the life of Haiti," that's what. And try to figure of
a way to capture it on film. What's the second best thing that this
Haitian will do? Get to NY as fast as possible and book a TIGIT99
evening (July 8): where else can you rally support for the project and
have a grand old time just the same!  

On a final note, if you have despaired of the absence of some timely
press release on human rights conditions in Haiti, don't. One will show
up in your mailbox soon. After all, we have a reputation to maintain,
no?

Kenbe fem! And see you on July 1 (Liqueur 44) and on July 8 (A Day in
the Life of Haiti).

Jocelyn McCalla
Executive Director
National Coalition for Haitian Rights
Jmccalla@nchr.org
www.nchr.org