Student in Soldarity with Haiti

Canada has played a criminal role in Haiti since the 2000 election of President Jean Bertrand Aristide. On February 29, 2004 Haitis elected government and president were ousted by a foreign-backed right wing rebellion. The coup was consolidated by a resolution of the United Nations (UN) Security Council calling for first a military and then UN occupation force.

Canada participated in both the military and UN components. What followed were two of the most violently repressive years in Haitis recent history. Human Rights reports exposed extensive human rights violations against the pro-democracy movement by the Canadian trained Haitian National Police and UN forces. The economic and social policies of the current nominally sovereign government of Haiti are controlled by international institutions, including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the UN agencies.

Canada has been a leader in an international intervention that has meant disaster for Haitis poor majority, resulting in increasing unemployment, poverty, hunger and lack of public services. The 10,000 member UN occupation regime in Haiti is contrary to the Haitian peoples struggle for justice, democracy and efforts to create a socially progressive government.

Therefore, we, the undersigned supporters of Haiti solidarity demand the following:

1. Withdrawal of all foreign police and military presence from Haiti.

2. Call for the release of political prisoners and the illegally detained.

3. Substantial Canadian government assistance to Haiti for social and economic development that respects Haitian sovereignty.

4. A full independent public inquiry by the Canadian government into the Canadian role in Haiti since the 2000 election of Aristide, with emphasis on the 2004 coup detat and its consequences.

5. Complete cancellation of Haitis odious debt in accordance with international law.