[Shadow_Group] Fw: HAITI Update

[shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca]

Below, you will find an update from SOMA, a Haitian organization working on
short-term emergency relief and long-term on community-controlled
development.  Please re-distribute this information far and wide.

Contact SOMA directly, to ask questions about any of this.

To make a TAX-CHARITABLE DONATION for poverty relief work in Haiti, see
below.

[If you want on/ off this elist: info at rightsaction.org<mailto:info at rightsaction.org>.]

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WORKING FOR SOLUTIONS IN HAITI
Update from Sosyete Makaya/SOMA

15 October 2004, Volume 1

IN THIS UPDATE:
Violence and Repression in Port-au-Prince
Emergency Aid Disbursements
- PROFILE: Fondasyon Trant Septamn
Preventing Future Tragedy: Spotlight on the Environment
Artists' Assistance
Sponsored Students
Funding Solutions in Haiti
Wish List
In the Next Update

1. VIOLENCE AND REPRESSION IN PORT-AU-PRINCE

On September 30, approximately 10,000 people took to the streets of Haiti's
capital, Port-au-Prince, to commemorate the anniversary of the 1991 coup d'
etat. Haitian National Police and armed civilians dispersed the peaceful
march by firing into the crowd, killing several demonstrators.

The leader of the U.S.-backed de facto regime, Gerard Latortue, admitted
Friday that police had shot into the crowd. His claims that the
demonstration was not peaceful have been rejected outright by human rights
monitors in Port-au Prince.  The United Nations Support Mission in Haiti,
which has previously been supportive of the de facto government, strongly
condemned this attack (1). The Agence Haitienne de Presse, or AHP, reported
Latortue stating: "We shot them, some of the them fell, other were injured,
others ran away." (2)

The commemorative demonstrations, called by many community groups and
victims cooperatives, were scheduled to take place over three days. Many of
these individuals suffered persecution and repression during the 1991-94
coup d'etat against President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the Lavalas
movement.

Today these same individuals are facing grave human rights violations and
brutal violence because of their continued support for President Aristide,
ousted in a coup d'etat on February 29, 2004. Reports of a growing terror
campaign have been unanimous among human rights organizations and
investigative teams that have traveled to Haiti since the coup. (3)

On Saturday, October 2 three Fanmi Lavalas former parliamentarians were
arrested after making comments critical of the de facto regime during a
radio debate. After a day-long stand-off at Radio Caraibes, police stormed
the station and arrested the three without warrants. (4) This is only the
latest in a continuing trend of illegal arrests and unconstitutional
detention of Lavalas members carried out under the Latortue regime. (5) On
October 13 UPI reported nearly fifty dead from the recent wave of violence.

(1) See "Haiti Human Rights Alert:  Illegal Arrest of Political Leaders",
10/5 from the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti. "Paramilitaries
Shoot Aristide Supporters," Haiti Information Project, 10/3.  (2) Agence
Haitienne de Presse, 9/30 and 10/1.  (3) See www.lethaitilive.org<http://www.lethaitilive.org/> for a list
with links.  (4) See "Haiti Human Rights Alert:  Illegal Arrest of Political
Leaders", 10/5 from the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti.  (5)
See "Haiti Human Rights Alert:  Illegal Arrest of Political Leaders", 10/5
from the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, "Haiti Human Rights
Update," 7/26 from the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti.

2. EMERGENCY AID DISBURSEMENTS

SOMA has launched an Emergency Assistance Fund and is working to coordinate
disbursement of funds from U.S.-based non-governmental organizations (see 6
below for more information on sources of funding). Using existing
relationships with organizations and individuals throughout Haiti,
particularly in Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien, SOMA is targeting
individuals whose homes have been burned or who have been forced into
hiding, providing short-term economic relief for families in need of the
basics: food, water and shelter.

With escalating violence in Port-au-Prince and beyond, the need for
emergency assistance couldn't be greater. We are focusing our efforts now on
delivering aid to the Fondasyon Trant Septamn and FAVILEK human rights and
victim assistance organizations in Port-au-Prince, COFEVIH women's
cooperatives, and the FAENNE teachers' union in Northeast Haiti and it's
affiliate, the Haitian Commission for the Respect of Human Rights (CHREDU),
headquartered in Cap-Haitien.

If you or someone you know would like to receive more information or support
the Emergency Assistance Fund, contact us: Melinda at somahaiti.org<mailto:Melinda at somahaiti.org>.

-- PROFILE: Still Demanding Justice, 13 Years and Counting:

This is the first in a series of profiles we will feature in our regular
updates to better acquaint you with the grassroots and community based
organizations we are working with and funding in Haiti. The story of
Fondasyon Trant Septamn is also a powerful contrast to the misinformation in
the mainstream media about the people who were demonstrating in the streets
on September 30th, and people who have been the targets of the growing
terror campaign in Haiti. As opposed to the image of young men with illegal
weapons, we offer this snapshot of middle-aged to elderly women and men who
have already experienced more violence than any person should.

FTS - FONDASYON TRANT SEPTAMN

One of the main organizers of the September 30th commemorative actions is
the Fondasyon Trant Septamn (FTS), the Thirtieth of September Foundation.
FTS is Haiti's largest human rights network, and its members are
predominantly victims of the 1991-94 coup d'etat. Since October 1996, FTS
members have demonstrated every Wednesday at Port-au-Prince's Plaza of
Martyrs to call for justice and an end to impunity.  The only Wednesday's
they missed were a few weeks immediately following February's coup.



Members of FTS have bravely faced grave danger for many years. One of the
leaders of FTS, psychologist Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, has been in exile
since days after the coup. They have unwaveringly demanded justice from each
Haitian government in the last decade.

However, the situation today is more dire than any previous period. The
resurgent militaries and paramilitaries who victimized these men and women
ten years ago have returned to spread terror again, and the de facto regime
is doing nothing to stop them.

3. PREVENTING FUTURE TRAGEDY: SPOTLIGHT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

The population of Gonaives where more than 3,000 were killed in the floods
from Hurricane Jeanne is now being terrorized by gunmen who are preventing
the distribution of assistance, and the first cases of typhoid fever are
suspected among the survivors.

The tragedy that took place in Gonaives is the result of years of erosion
caused by deforestation. Only a few months earlier a smaller storm caused
devastating damage in the southeastern towns of Fond Verettes and Mapou.

The reality is that the environmental degradation in Haiti has reached a
level where each rainy season brings new disaster. Initiatives focused on
restoring the land, conserving the soil, planting trees and sustainable
agriculture are critical, and funding to expand such programs is desperately
needed.

In Gros Morne, just one hour north of Gonaives, the community began pursuing
an ambitious reforestation agenda six years ago. Named for a priest who
worked among the peasants, the Father Jean Marie Vincent Memorial
Reforestation Program has made amazing progress. So far they have planted
approximately one million trees. Two hundred thousand of these trees are
planted on the highest mountain peak in town, an area that was in grave
danger of contributing to future mudslides. Trees have been planted
throughout Gros Morne, others have created greenbelts along the river, and
still others were sent home with peasant farmers to plant on their own land.

When Hurricane Jeanne crashed through town water levels rose and swept away
dozens of homes. The main tree nursery was damaged and is in need of repair
before technicians can return to work there. Funding has been slow this
year, but there is a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done. Gros
Morne lies between three rivers, leaving it vulnerable to regular rainfall
as well as tropical storms.

In Southern Haiti, SOMA supports a reforestation cooperative in the
mountains. In Lamontay new areas are being cleared to plant trees in an
effort to retain the rich red soil. Trees from the nursery there are being
readied to plant throughout the area.

These are just two of the important grassroots initiatives to protect and
renew the environment that we have had a chance to become acquainted with. A
dream of ours is to gather the agronomists and technicians from the
different reforestation/soil conservation efforts in Haiti to participate in
a seminar together. The exchange of strategies and solutions for shared
challenges could lead to new partnerships and more effective work for Haiti'
s environmental future.

If you know of any funders who would be interested in funding reforestation
in Gros Morne, Lamontay, and throughout Haiti, please send them our way!

4. ARTISTS' ASSISTANCE

Artists are one of Haiti's greatest natural resources. Even though people
often associate Haiti only with poverty and violence, it is colorful
paintings, masks, wood carvings and iron works that are a highlight of what
Haitians have to offer to the world. Now that we are based in Jacmel, Haiti'
s largest community of artists, we are face-to-face not only with beautiful
works of art, but with the difficult conditions in which Haitian artists are
struggling to survive.

Eighty percent of the art sold throughout the Caribbean originates in Haiti.
Artists here mass-produce souvenirs which are then labeled with the names of
other Caribbean islands. Knowing that the formalization and promotion of
Haiti's art industry could have a very positive impact on the Haitian
economy is just one more reason to work with artists.

We are excited to introduce two artists' cooperatives: the SOMA cooperative
and the Sant pou Fomasyon Atistik de Jakmel (Center for Artistic Training of
Jacmel), directed by Didier Civil. Both initiatives combine efforts to aid
disadvantaged artists and to promote the work of their members, while at the
same time reaching out to serve the community. In our next update we will
bring you details about the coops, their members and photographs of their
work.

In addition, we are coordinating an "Adopt an Artist" initiative, to pair
Haitians artists with artists abroad as sponsors. So far we have three
artists sponsored, and fifteen more on the waiting list. If you'd like to
find out more about sponsoring an artist, email Melinda at somahaiti.org<mailto:Melinda at somahaiti.org>. The
sponsorship is $250 for the year plus a donation of supplies.

5. SPONSORED STUDENTS

Our new student sponsorship program is just getting started with three
students fully sponsored for the coming year. The cost of sponsorship is
$350 a year, which covers tuition, school uniforms and a monthly stipend to
assist with food costs.

6. FUNDING SOLUTIONS IN HAITI

First, a huge thank you to Natacha Thys and her colleagues at the
International Labor Rights Fund for acting as a fiscal sponsor for SOMA!  We
'd like to thank those who have made donations to support our work with
SOMA:

Organizational Donations/Grants:
Public Welfare Foundation, $25,000 for the Emergency Assistance Fund
Rights Action, $4,000 for Emergency Assistance and general support
EPICA, $500 pass through Emergency Assistance for the FAENNE and CHREDU

Individual Donations:
Carol and Alan Binstock * Donna M. Neff * Ellen R. Gabin * Deborah Cohen *
Barbara Jo Krieger * Lucille LePage

In-Kind Donations:
Ingrid Lofgren for organizing a fundraiser at Franklin's Restaurant and
General Store in Hyattsville, MD.
Elise Hansen for organizing events in Gloucester and Cambridge, MA.
The Bookstore in Gloucester, MA for hosting a fundraising and informational
event, and for the gift of an African American art history reference set for
the artists of Jacmel.
Harborside Cycles and Coley Bryant in Gloucester, MA for donations of
bicycle parts, bicycle shoes and t-shirts.
Chris Miles for providing web and email services and technical support.
Tami Piccione for art supplies and postcards.
Artisans World Gallery in Cambridge, MA for hosting an informational event.

7. WISH LIST

If you can donate any of these items you can save us some money! Email
Melinda at somahaiti.org<mailto:Melinda at somahaiti.org>.

Art Supplies
Postage Stamps
Fax Machine
Color Printer
Computers
Tools (old and broken ones are welcome, too)
Old Cell Phones
Sponsors for Artists and Students
Donations!

WANT TO GET CREATIVE?
We'd like to set up partnerships between the artists' cooperatives here in
Haiti and art departments at colleges and universities. Contact your alma
mater or institutions in your area to see if they would be interested.
Solicit donations from local art stores and artists.  Start a drive for
basic art supplies like paints, canvases, charcoal, pencils, easels, etc.

8. IN THE NEXT UPDATE:
Status of Emergency Assistance Funding
Details about Artists Cooperatives
Human Rights and Governance Update on the Southeast
The Second Emergency Assistance Organizational Profile
Situation in Port-au-Prince
Announcement of Delegation on Women's Situation, January 2005

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TAX-CHARITABLE DONATIONS

To support humanitarian relief work in Haiti, make check payable to "Rights
Action" (writing "Haiti Fund" on the memo-line) and mail to:

UNITED STATES:  1830 Connecticut Av, NW, Washington DC, 20009.
CANADA:  509 St. Clair Ave W, box73527, Toronto ON, M6C-1C0.

DONATE BY INTERNET in the USA: www.rightsaction.org<http://www.rightsaction.org/>.  CFC # 9914.

WIRE DONATIONS TO RIGHTS ACTION in the USA and Canada, contact:
info at rightsaction.org<mailto:info at rightsaction.org>, 416-654-2074.

Thank-you.  Grahame Russell, co-director Rights Action

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