Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves: Our Independence still under threat
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Published at: Barbados Advocate

by Janelle Husbands
March 17, 2005

*
(Please note address change of the Ezili Danto (HLLN) List to
Erzilidanto@yahoo.com)
*****
Gonsalves: Our Independence still under threat
Web Posted - Thu Mar 17 2005
By Janelle Husbands

PRIME MINISTER of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves,
recently outlined the uniqueness that defines the Caribbean
civilization, which historically has survived and thrived over the past
500 years.

He lamented however, that while the Caribbean has risen above slavery,
colonialism and imperialism, our independence today is still under
threat.

Addressing a packed LT4 at the Cave Hill campus on Tuesday night, Dr.
Gonsalves made reference to the situations in Haiti and Cuba and the
ongoing discussions on the possible repercussions that would be felt by
his country, and the Caribbean on a whole, if we were to lend
assistance or form allies with countries that do not meet the approval of some
larger countries.

I will develop close relations with Cuba, because Cuba is a Caribbean
country. I do not have the presidential politics of South Florida to
encumber me, I am not looking for votes from Cubans in Miami from the
right-wing, I am not going to allow presidential politics from South
Florida to set the foreign policy for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
I see it on the Net they say that I am a stupid man, what America can
do to me...What America can do to me? Take me away like how they take away
Aristide? he queried.

Dr. Gonsalves, while strongly advocating regional unity, told the
students that one should make decisions that one considers to be right.
You don't be foolish-you don't invite unnecessary difficulties because
you have to be practical, but at the same time there are certain things
which to do otherwise would mean that you not being a human being.
The Vincentian leader also made reference to the situation in Haiti,
which he said is connected to the issue of United Action. He reminded
the students that the Security Council of the United Nations was
approached by CARICOM with a Plan of Action that would address the
senseless killings in Haiti. However, three days later, Aristide left
Haiti.

They summoned a meeting of the Security Council and said, let us now
use the CARICOM plan and restore Haiti, but minus Aristide, the man who is
duly elected president of Haiti. And you want me to support that? he
queried.

If I support that, I am saying that the eight million people in Haiti
that they have no dignity, no right because they voted for somebody, I
have to respect that. And nobody however powerful must contrive the
situation where that person who is duly elected can be removed from his
office.

And I say I will not sit with La Tortue in any councils in CARICOM, and
if they bring him in the front door, I leave in the same front door.
But I know the people in the Caribbean will not allow that to happen,
he stated

Barbados Advocate ©2000

*******
Forwarded by the Haitian Lawyers' Leadership Network
******
***************
Men Anpil Chaj Pa Lou!!! - is Kreyol for "Many hands make light a heavy load."

***************
Here is what you can do to help us help the people of Haiti:
*******
*******
HLLN - Action Requested from Haiti solidarity groups and
Haitian activists for justice and democracy:

Subscribe to and circulate the Ezili Danto mailings and posts to your mailing lists and e-mail contacts. Subscribe or unsubscribe by writing to: Erzilidanto@yahoo.com

Adopt and circulate the Haiti Resolution (updated below) from the Haitian Lawyers
Leadership Network

Circulate the human rights reports, especially the latest Miami Law Center report

Do Press Work: Join our letter writing campaigns to help free the political prisoners in Haiti, to stop the persecution of Haiti's most popular political party and democratic movement and to restore Constitutional rule. Write a letter, call the media, fax, - See our Press Work page for sample letters and for contact information.

Volunteer to help us maintain our Contact Information Sheet by sending us updated or new phone numbers and addresses to put on our Contact Information Sheet pages

Virtual interns and volunteers are also needed to help us translate selected materials into French, Kreyol, or Spanish to reach a wider audience. Volunteers with some research and computer skills are likewise needed to help us update our "List of Victims" and "Personal Testimonies" pages under Campaign One. (We have the information, what we don't have we know where to extrapolate them, but need help to put it together and in the format on our website page.)

More Network volunteer also needed to concentrate as primary coordinators/contributors to one of our seven campaigns

One internet savvy volunteer needed who is interested in logging and archiving, for our new Ezili Danto blog, (not yet unveiled) the regular Erzilidanto posts we send out so that those who only want to see these at their leisure, or, who cannot receive daily mailings, will have alternative access to these materials and posts, in an archived format.

Fundraise for the work of HLLN. Donate to our projects. Or, earn money, save lives and spread meaning and value by becoming an HLLN Marketing Associate trained to train other HLLN Associates and licensed to use our logo and HLLN materials to sponsor a "To Tell The Truth about Haiti Forum and Teach-In." Proceeds from such courses and teach ins will go to pay the Associate and to continue the work of HLLN projects, such as, our partnership with AUMOHD, the young human rights lawyers in Haiti who are defending the defenseless poor whose only crime is that they voted for Lavalas, supported Constitutional rule or are resisting a return of the bloody U.S.-trained Haitian army and US-sponsored dictatorship. For information on AUMOHD, go to: http://www.april6vt.org/
*********

The Haiti Resolution:
1. Support the return of constitutional rule to Haiti by restoring all elected officials of all parties to their offices throughout the country until the end of their mandates and another election is held, as mandated by Haiti's Constitution;

2. Condemn the killings, illegal imprisonment and confiscation of the property of supporters of Haiti's constitutional government and insist that Haiti's illegitimate "interim government" immediately cease its own persecution and put a stop to persecution by the thugs and murderers from sectors in their police force,
from the paramilitaries, gangs and former soldiers;

3. Insist on the immediate release of all political prisoners in Haitian jails, including Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, other constitutional government officials and folksinger-activist Sò Ann;

4. Insist on the disarmament of the thugs, death squad leaders and convicted human rights violators and their prosecution for all crimes committed during the attack on Haiti's elected government and help rebuild Haiti's police force, ensuring that it excludes anyone who helped to overthrow the democratically elected
government or who participated in other human rights violations;

5. Stop the indefinite detention and automatic repatriation of Haitian refugees and immediately grant Temporary Protected Status to all Haitian refugees presently in the United States until democracy is restored to Haiti; and

6. Support the calls by the OAS, CARICOM and the African Union for an investigation into the circumstances of President Aristide's removal. Support the enactment of Congresswoman Barbara Lee's T.R.U.T.H Act (HR 3919) which calls for a U.S. Congressional investigation of the forcible removal of the democratically elected President and government of Haiti.

***************