Resolution Against the U.S./U.N. Occupation of Haiti

Resolution Against the U.S./U.N. Occupation of Haiti
Submitted to the National Antiwar Conference Held at La Roche College in Pittsburgh on July 10-12, 2009

Adopted unanimously by the National Assembly to End the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and Occupation's national antiwar conference on July 11, 2009

Whereas, Haiti -- the first Black republic, has been subjected to foreign occupations throughout its history, including an almost continuous U.S. occupation since July 29, 1915; and

Whereas, the U.S. promoted two coup d'etats against the legitimately elected president of Haiti, Jean Bertrand Aristide, first on September 30, 1991, and then on February 29, 2004; and

Whereas, the two coups were carried out to promote the interests of the U.S. multinational corporations and the entrenched oligarchy, to ensure the repayment of the foreign debt contracted under the Duvaliers, and to maintain the sweatshop conditions enabling the super-exploitation of the Haitian people; and

Whereas, since the 2004 overthrow of Aristide, Haiti has been occupied by a so-called United Nations "peace-keeping" force -- the MINUSTAH -- which is nothing but a U.S.-led occupation force against the interests and sovereignty of the Haitian people; and

Whereas, the MINUSTAH troops have shot and killed Haitian workers and activists struggling for a return to democracy and for an end to the slave-like conditions imposed by the transnational corporations.

Therefore, be it resolved that the National Antiwar Assembly in Pittsburgh calls for the immediate withdrawal of the 12,000 UN occupation troops from Haiti and the return of democracy, beginning with the return of all exiled political leaders, particularly Jean Bertrand Aristide; and

Therefore be it further resolved that the National Antiwar Assembly in Pittsburgh calls for the immediate and total cancellation of Haiti's foreign debt so that the $1 million paid each week in debt repayment to foreign banks can be redirected to rebuild a devastated country; and

Therefore be it finally resolved that the National Antiwar Assembly in Pittsburgh calls for redirecting the $584 million destined annually by the UN to the MINUSTAH occupation troops toward a national reconstruction plan to build roads, hospitals, schools, and infrastructure -- so that Haiti can rebuild, free from all foreign occupation.

--[Submitted by Fignole St. Cyr, General Secretary, Autonomous Confederation of Haitian Workers (CATH); Colia Clark, Grandmothers for Mumia & Richard Wright Centennial Project; and Alan Benjamin, Editor, The Organizer Newspaper, and Member of the National Steering Committee of US Labor Against the War (for id. only)]