[R-G] Haiti: In Solidarity with its Five Freedoms

[Anthony Fenton]

Haiti: In Solidarity with its Five Freedoms
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/10/haiti-in-solidarity-with-its-five-freedoms/
by James Petras / October 4th, 2008

Today, the acid test for all democrats in North and South America is  
the issue of the military occupation of Haiti ,the economic pillage  
and denial of elementary political and human rights of the Haitian  
people.

In 2004, a US-led invasion force overthrew the democratically elected  
government of Jean Bertrand Aristide and subsequently promoted and  
organized an occupation army. This colonial military force has  
repeatedly violently repressed popular demonstrations, violently  
raided the neighborhoods of the poor and killed, wounded and arrested  
Haitians who were affirming their rights of self-determination and an  
end to foreign occupation.

Since the United States bears major responsibility for the invasion,  
occupation and subsequent pillage and privatization of essential  
public services, we have a special responsibility to speak out clearly  
and forcefully to the United Nations (UN) in support of Haiti’s Five  
Freedoms:

1. The UN must end its military presence of Haiti through its  
occupation army (MINUSTAH), action contrary to the very founding  
principles of the organization. Haiti must recover the right of self- 
determination and the freedom to govern itself.

2. The Haitian people demand the end of the pillage of its national  
treasury by official and private banks extracting payments of $1  
million USD a week for illegitimate debts contracted by past corrupt  
dictatorial regimes. Haitians demand freedom from illegitimate elite  
debts in order to finance basic life-sustaining programs for the 80%  
of the population living in extreme poverty.

3. Every country, which has suffered massive natural disasters, as the  
hurricanes that recently devastated Haiti, is entitled to large-scale,  
long-term humanitarian aid with no strings attached. Haitians demand  
the immediate fulfilling of aid pledged and its allocation according  
to needs without MINUSTAH manipulation to perpetuate its occupation.

4. The collapse of the free market model today highlights the  
disastrous consequences of the IMF-World Bank policies of  
privatization of public services in Haiti, where ‘private health and  
education’ effectively excludes the vast majority of Haitians.  
Haitians must regain the right to re-nationalize public services and  
all other strategic economic sectors necessary for their well-being.

5. Free elections means the return of deposed, exiled and persecuted  
political leaders and the end of foreign military occupation and  
repression of anti-colonial movements. Elections with occupation guns  
pointed at the heads of the electors and candidates have no  
legitimacy. We, the American people in North, South and Central  
America, have a responsibility to demand the end of MINUSTAH and the  
return national sovereignty to the Haitian people. No government no  
matter what its political claims and rhetoric can justify its  
democratic credentials when it acts as a colonial gendarme.

James Petras, a former Professor of Sociology at Binghamton  
University, New York, owns a 50-year membership in the class struggle,  
is an adviser to the landless and jobless in Brazil and Argentina, and  
is co-author of Globalization Unmasked (Zed Books). Petras’  
forthcoming book, Zionism, Militarism and the Decline of US Power, is  
due from Clarity Press, Atlanta, in August 2008. He can be reached at: jpetras at binghamton.edu 
. Read other articles by James, or visit James's website.