Haiti Democracy Project

www.haitipolicy.org

LIFT THE BLOCKADE AGAINST HAITI - NOW! Is this the way we treat our neighbors?

"We have to begin to work to get our government to change its policies. All of us have to participate in this kind of activity so that our government does not press down against the poor and crush them but rather lift them up and bring real justice to these people." Bishop Gumbleton after his trip to Haiti in October 2001

"In this time of crisis we must not apply a double standard to this country, just as we have helped other countries at political impasses, we must also help Haiti€|it is imperative that the US remove its blockade of essentially all aid to Haiti, particularly the loans currently held up at the Inter-American Development Bank." Congressional Black Caucus letter to President Bush - Nov. 8, 2001

THE BLOCKADE MUST BE LIFTED NOW! U.S. economic sanctions against Haiti have been in place since the elections in May 2000 and has influenced the freezing of funds from the European Union as well. In an effort to resolve the conflict, the senators whose elections were contested have all resigned. Despite the resolution of this dispute, the U.S. continues to block over $500 million in international aid and loans to the Haitian government, including loans from the Inter-American Development Bank earmarked for education, healthcare and infrastructure projects, such as potable water. Haiti is still required to pay arrears payments and credit commissions on loans that it has not received. Now, to add insult to injury, the IDB, in an effort to save face and head off further ridicule fearing that they would close out their year with a zero balance of assistance going to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, are about to award one million dollars to the Pan American Health Organization earmarked for AIDS in Haiti. In fact, reviewing the budget sheet for that 42-month project, $467,550 of those funds will be used directly for PAHO staff expenses, and none will be used for delivery of services to HIV/AIDS patients in Haiti! Meanwhile, Haiti, whose budget on HIV/AIDS requires $13 million, hasn't received a penny of its own money while quality of life indicators on health care and infant mortality continue to erode:

· The HIV/AIDS rate is 4% or 300,000 persons (163,000 children orphaned and 30,000 new cases a year). · Haitian Health Foundation, a U.S. NGO providing healthcare in Haiti's rural areas where the ratio is 1.2 doctors for every 10,000, states that, "The U.S. government provided a modest grant to bring health care to 35,000 people with no access to this basic necessity. Since then, due to desperate pleas and very obvious needs, the number of villages that we serve has grown from 15 to 92, with a population that now stands at more than 200,000. Despite this dramatic increase, USAID has failed to keep pace, increasing its support by less than 20 percent." · Infant mortality rate is 74 out of 1,000 births. * Dramatic rise in refugees taking to the high seas. · Only 40% of the Haitian people have access to potable water, which is critical in preventing infant deaths. · 60% of Haiti's 8.2 million people are undernourished (1,977 calories per day compared with 3,754 calories a U.S. resident gets, according to the World Health Organization). · The president of Haiti's Diabetes Association recently said that stress from current conditions has caused a marked increase in diabetes in the country. · UNICEF, citing the correlation between the blockade and rising problems amongst Haiti's children, is asking the international community to lift its sanctions.

THE SANCTIONS ARE ILLEGAL! · The U.S. imposed an embargo during the 1991-1994 coup d'etat against a defacto government, which had ousted a democratically elected government! The defacto government was not recognized by any country in the world. Today, the U.S. imposes a defacto embargo against a democratically elected government that is recognized by every country in the world! · The IDB lacks legal standing to block these loans since contracts have been signed for disbursement. What is unusual about this situation is that the loans were blocked at the moment of disbursal instead of during the normal process of halting loans at the project review level or in the decision making process at the Board of Executive Directors. Many legal experts believe that the IDB faces possible legal exposure for failing to honor signed contracts with the Haitian Government. · The Sanctions violate the Geneva Convention, the UN Charter, the World Health Organization Constitution, the Convention on the Rights of Children, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States.

"We must address this injustice. The people of Haiti need our support€|We must release these approved loans. They are not grants, mind you, but they are loans to Haiti." Cong. Barbara Lee

"The United States must change its current policy towards Haiti so that it may receive multilateral funds for pressing development needs." Cong. Eddie Bernice Johnson

``When you look at some of our allies [like] Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Israel, you begin to wonder what the differences are that account for some countries receiving sizable assistance and others nothing until they quote straighten up and fly right unquote.'' Cong. John Conyers

"|the U.S. government is blocking aid to Haiti in order to expand the influence of a single political party that is supported by less than four percent of the Haitian electorate. |It is time for the United States to end this political impasse and restore bilateral and multilateral assistance to this impoverished democracy." Cong. Maxine Waters

"With a humanitarian crisis looming large over this island nation of 8 million, the U.S. cannot hesitate at any level or in any institution to maximize the delivery of development and relief programs." Cong. Earl Hilliard

DON'T ABANDON THE HAITIAN PEOPLE. WORK FOR A JUST U.S. POLICY ON HAITI. CALL OR WRITE TO LIFT THE ILLEGAL BLOCKADE AGAINST HAITI WHICH DESTROYS A CIVILIAN POPULATION FOR POLITICAL END:

President George Bush, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, D.C. 20500, Tel: 202-456-1414, urge him to meet with the Congressional Black Caucus and change U.S. policy on Haiti.

Your U.S. Representative at Congress by calling their toll free number 800 393-1082. At the prompt enter your zip code and you will be connected to the office of your congressperson.

The Inter-American Development Bank, Enrique V. Iglesias, President, 1300 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20577, Tel: (202) 202-623-1000

Organization of American States, César Gaviria, Secretary General, 17th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20006, Tel: (202) 458-3000. Ask them to honor their OAS resolution of June 2001 which stated they would assist to get the sanctions lifted "as progress is achieved in reaching a sustainable solution to the crisis."

International Monetary Fund, 700 19th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20431, Tel: (202) 623-7000

The World Bank, James D. Wolfensohn, President, 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20433, Tel: (202) 477-1234

CARICOM, Edwin W. Carrington, Secretary General, Bank of Guyana Building, Church Street & Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, Guyana, Tel: (592-) 226-9281 United Nations, Kofi Annan, Secretary General, United Nations Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10017

Delegation of European Union to the United Nations, 305 E.47 Street, 12th floor, N.Y., N.Y. 10017

Ask the media to report on the real life stories of the Haitian people whose primary concerns are food and jobs. Urge them to report on the daily violence of hunger and poverty that is attacking the children of Cite Soleil and La Saline.

Ask international human rights organizations where they stand on the daily violence of poverty.

Speak out in your community or organize a vigil about the devastation caused by this illegal blockade against Haiti. Contact groups working for social & economic justice in Haiti, such as Haiti Reborn/Quixote Center, Bay Area Action Committee, Pax Christi, Witness for Peace, Global Exchange, Amnesty International, American Friends Service Committee and others.