25668: Saint-Vil (news) True Solidarity with Haiti's Impoverished - HSBC (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Jean Saint-Vil <jafrikayiti@hotmail.com>


VANCOUVER, July 10, 2005 – An emergency demonstration was called Saturday, July 
9th, by Haiti Solidarity B.C. (HSBC) at a community center in Vancouver where 
Minister of Industry of the ruling Liberal Party David Emerson, was to be 
celebrating his nomination for the upcoming federal elections with his core 
constituents.  HSBC gathered to express their opposition to the Liberal 
government's involvement in acts of terror against the Haitian people and to 
deliver a copy of the University of Miami’s Human Rights report 
(www.law.miami.edu/cshr/CSHR_Report_02082005_v2.pdf ) directly to the Liberal 
cabinet member and former CEO of Canfor.

	 	Over 30 demonstrators picketed the outdoor BBQ gathering, which 
approximately 300 community members attended. The constituents, lined up for 
hot dogs and hamburgers, received leaflets and heard slogans  through the 
megaphone: “Canada out of Haiti,” "Self – Determination for the Haitian 
people,” "Say no to Canadian neo-colonialism."  Numerous activists denounced 
Canada’s role in subverting democracy in Haiti, their key role in the 
neo-colonial occupation, and demands were made that the Liberal government be 
held accountable for their international crimes.

The placards displayed by the activists were sharp in their communiqué – “ 
“Liberal” Colonialism at Work – Canada out of Haiti”, “R.C.M.P trains Death 
Squads in Haiti”, “Emerson Supports Coups.” Members of the local Chinese media 
were also present. Reporters interviewed the demonstrators and took 
photographs, one even chanted some slogans in Chinese to the audience which had 
a large number of Chinese and Punjabi community members.

One could not help but observe the morbid juxtaposition of the image of 
hundreds of dumbfounded community members standing in line for their food, 
listening to the cheery music blasting from the speakers, while hundreds of 
people of all ages simultaneously turned out for the funeral of Dread Wilme, a 
leader of the Cite Soleil community in Port-au-Prince, killed in a UN military 
operation in Cite Soleil on July 6th. The irony of this image was quite lucid. 
(On the recent UN massacre in Cite Soleil, see: http://www.democracynow.org, 
July 11th)

Hundreds of leaflets were distributed amongst the crowd and upon speaking to 
many of them, it was clear that most were unaware of the duplicitous role of 
the Canadian government in Haiti.

Emerson’s assistant, Doug Beaton (former Campaign Director for the Liberal 
Party in BC), pleaded with the activists from the onset,  asking them to 
quietly distribute their leaflets and leave. Beaton and Emerson's other 
handlers were clearly uncomfortable with the presence of Haiti solidarity 
activists. Beaton was told that either Emerson would have the courage to meet 
personally with HSBC activists, or his BBQ would continue to feel the presence 
of HSBC.

Dale Flood, another Emerson assistant, clearly embarrassed about his ordering 
the RCMP to lockdown Emerson's office in February 
(http://auto_sol.tao.ca/node/view/1220), hid from HSBC activists at the BBQ, 
sheepishly hiding behind a large David Emerson poster when confronted by them. 
However, the activists were determined to instruct the community members on the 
following points:

-     Canada’s involvement in the February 29, 2004 coup of democratically 
elected president Jean Bertrand Aristide
-      Continual presence (R.C.M.P, MIUSTAH) of an illegal occupation in Haiti 
that is supported by the Canadian government
-     The role of the RCMP training death squad police in Haiti
-      The duplicitous role of the Canadian government in supporting an illegal 
regime change in Haiti that has murdered thousands and is repressing Haiti’s 
majority political party
- CIDA's funding of fraudulent human rights organizations and groups opposed to 
democracy
- Canada’s role, as key advisor’s to the Ministry of Justice, in the 
imprisonment of at least one thousand political prisoners and the deterioration 
of conditions therein
- The occurrence of recent UN-led massacres in Haiti’s pro-Aristide slums and 
Canada's support for the "urban guerilla war" that is being waged against 
Haitians that are defending their sovereignty

After much time had passed, the group agreed to meet with Emerson for about 15 
minutes to dialogue and present the Human Rights report and other grievances.

An introduction / background of the situation in Haiti was outlined for Emerson 
as the activists surrounded him.  The above-mentioned points were related to 
him. He stated that he was unfamiliar with Canada’s role in Haiti and that he 
needed to familiarize himself with the reading materials presented to him. 
Asking the members what Canada should do in Haiti, the outlined the list of 
requirements, including how  the Canadian government ought to follow the policy 
of Caricom nations and the African Union, especially South Africa where 
President Aristide remains in exile, and unconditionally return his government 
that was democratically elected in 2000.  Activists also demanded that the RCMP 
and armed forces should be withdrawn unconditionally along with any Canadian 
personnel that is performing a destabilizing function in Haiti.

When confronted about the RCMP lockdown of his offices in February, Emerson 
apologized saying it had been closed in error, and he regreted that.


Members of HSBC asked Emerson if he would convey these concerns to the Liberal 
Cabinet and act on this issue – Emerson replied “I will make it my business to 
get a little more knowlegable as to where Mr.Pettigrew is at and why...and 
there’s a few cabinet ministers, to be honest with you...who are more deeply 
into these things than I am and so unless I really have some reason to probe 
and dig into it - I’ve got a lot of other things that I’ve been driving and 
been preoccupied with, but I will undertake to get more involved and understand 
better what’s going on in this area.”  He continued by saying “ I don’t know 
where I’m going to come out on this issue because I have to hear more about the 
why’s and therefore’s about what the government of Canada is doing in Haiti, 
but I’d be happy to continue the dialogue with you.”

HSBC members told Emerson that a follow-up within two weeks would occur, so as 
to obtain Emerson’s official position on the Canadian governments role in 
Haiti. Emerson was also told that he should take a personal stand on the issue 
of the continuing illegal imprisonment of Haiti’s elected Prime Minister, Yvon 
Neptune.  Emerson was informed that the Canadian government “holds the keys” to 
Neptune’s jail cell, and that his release is one phone call away. Emerson would 
not commit to this position but promised to convey HSBC’s concerns to Foreign 
Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew and Paul Martin’s Special Envoy Denis 
Coderre.

The activists made one final announcement to the crowd of Liberal constituents, 
detailing the purpose of the demonstration, the meeting with Emerson, and 
encouraged them, as is their duty as citizens in Canada's supposed democracy to 
become more cognizant of the realities of Canadian policy in Haiti and 
elsewhere

Haiti Solidarity BC (HSBC) is a member of the growing Canada Haiti Action 
Network (CHAN), and can be reached at haitisolidaritybc@yahoo.ca.
-----------

Jafrikayiti
«Depi nan Ginen bon nèg ap ede nèg!»
(Brotherhood is as ancient as Mother Africa - L'entraide fraternel date du 
temps où, tous, nous fûmes encore dans les antrailles de l'Afrique-mère)

http://www.jafrikayiti.com