END TO U.N. VIOLENCE IN HAITI

The U.N. occupation (MINUSTAH) that is costing $611 million for next year is becoming increasingly repressive, increasingly using teargas and shooting at protestors, killing an Aristide supporter at a June 18 funeral for Father Jean-Juste, leader within Aristideвs Fanmi Lavalas party. At a historic protest bringing together Fanmi Lavalas and student groups held on June 28th, the anniversary of the U.S. occupation, the first demand is that UN troops leave Haiti.

We call for:

1)An immediate cessation of U.N. repression and violence against Haitiвs citizens exercising their right to protest. Following this immediate cessation, the U.N. should issue an apology and denounce these acts of repression.
2)An end to the U.N. Occupation, or at the very least change their mandate to reduce troop levels and build infrastructure such as roads. If even half of the MINUSTAH budget of $611 million went to build roads, irrigation, water treatment plants or other infrastructure, this would make a big dent both in Haitiвs development needs and the populationвs image of the U.N.