[van-announce] Free Haiti! Rally Wed. Dec.21 4:30p.m.

[Derrick O'Keefe]

Rally to free Haiti!
Wednesday, December 21, 4:30 PM to 5:30PM
1125 Davie St., corner Thurlow, Vancouver BC
(outside the offices of Liberal Party MP Hedi Fry)

CBC News reports the death of "retired RCMP officer" Mark Bourque today in 
Port au Prince, Haiti. According to the report, Bourque was "patroling" the 
Cite Soleil district of Port au Prince with another Candian policeman when 
their vehicle came under fire.

Many Canadians will be surprised to learn that RCMP are present in Haiti and 
are "patroling" neighbourhoods. They will be disturbed to learn that the 
Cite Soleil district where Mark Bourque died has been the scene of scores of 
killings of ordinary Haitians in the past few months by the Haitian National 
Police (HNP) and a United Nations-sponsored foreign military force that 
includes Canadian police and military. They will be even more disturbed to 
learn that for more than one year, a Canadian police contingent has been 
training the HNP.

The Haitian National Police has been condemned by numerous human rights 
organizations, including Amnesty International, for widespread human rights 
violations, including the targeting of supporters of the elected government 
of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Aristide's government was overthrown in 
a violent coup and foreign invasion in February, 2004.

In order to inform the Canadian public of the violent and repressive reality 
of Haiti today under foreign occupation, Haiti Solidarity BC is convening a 
rally tomorrow, Wednesday, at 4:30 PM to reiterate our long-standing demands 
on the Canadian government. The rally will take place outside the campaign 
office of Liberal Party Member of Parliament Hedi Fry.

* End the foreign occupation of Haiti! Canada/US/United Nations out!
* Withdraw recognition of the illegal, "interim government"!
* Restore the constitutional government of President Aristide!
* End the repression of the Lavalas movement! Free all political prisoners!
* Haiti will be free!


Haiti Solidarity BC
December 20, 2005

For info: 778-858-5179, or 604-338-7450

***



"You can blow out a candle
But you can't blow out a fire
Once the flames begin to catch
The wind will blow it higher" - Peter Gabriel's 'Biko'


Derrick O'Keefe
Co-editor: www.SevenOaksMag.com
Contact: 604.324.6059