DYASPORA AN AKSYON

CHALLENGE TO HUMANITY: REBUILDING HAITI

For the very same reason Americans fought against the oppression of King George III of England, Haitians fought against the army of Napoleon: FREEDOM. The French Revolution, against King Louis XVI of France, was also a strong desire for "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity". But the irony of it is that after both the Americans (with the help of 545 Haitians) and the French freed themselves from the yoke of tyranny, they saw nothing morally wrong with imposing very harsh economic and political sanctions on the people of Haiti. These sanctions would damage the development of Haiti for years to come.

Haiti fought the French and won their Independence in 1804, Many Europeans saw it as a brazen effrontery by the former slaves, having the audacity to defeat an imperial army and consequently prompting France and the rest of the western world to make plans to permanently put an end to the new Black Republic.

Napoleon wrote:

“My decision to destroy the authority of the Blacks in Saint Domingue is not so much based on considerations of commerce and money, as on the need to block forever the march of the Blacks in the world.”

The Republic of Haiti has been reeling under this continuous and vengeful onslaught ever since.

Although 545 Haitians joined the Siege of Savannah in 1779 on the side of the Americans against the British during the American Independence war, the USA sided with France over Haiti and refused to recognize Haiti as an independent nation for almost 60 years.

Napoleon, as part of his plan to re-establish the French empire in the Caribbean, was hoping to use the territory of Louisiana as a supply station for the island colonies. Once the Haitians had shattered his dream, Napoleon saw no reason to hold on to the territory. He was eager to sell it, and President Jefferson was equally anxious to buy it.

The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States, which obtained 530 million acres for $15 million. If not for the French defeat at the hands of the Haitians, the sale may not have taken place, leaving the United States possibly forever divided by a vast swath of French-controlled land.

Instead of gratitude, the United States focused on the political and financial exploitation of Haiti. The United States invaded and occupied Haiti from July 28, 1915 to August 1, 1934. Extreme violence was used to suppress any opposition to the occupation. As Ernest H. Gruening wrote in 1922: “nobody, be he ever so kindly and human, can wholly transmute a military Occupation into a lawn party.”

After the occupation, corrupt Governments were installed and supported in Haiti, as long as they were in line with the policies of the United States.

We, the Haitians in the diaspora, believe that the United States Government has a moral obligation to help rebuild Haiti.

1. By involving the Haitian Diaspora in all political and economic matters related to Haiti.

2. By holding politicians in Haiti responsible for crimes perpetrated against the Haitian people.

3. By preventing arms dealers from exporting arms to Haiti.

4. By implementing a sustainable economic system to directly help the Haitian people.

5. By repaying the $500,000 that was removed from the Haitian National Bank prior to the invasion of Haiti in 1914. The present value of this sum of money can be used to promote economic and social programs in Haiti.

We, the Haitians in the diaspora, are appealing to ALL PEOPLE OF CONSCIENCE to please sign this petition to raise a minimum of 500,000 signatures to accompany a formal letter to the United States Senate and House of Representatives requesting a meeting with a group of Haitian professionals living in the United States to help promote a lasting political and economic solution for Haiti.

This petition is being released in conjunction with the Haitian flag day, May 18, which represented a symbol of freedom during 219 years for oppressed people all over the world. Haiti is the second-oldest republic in the Western Hemisphere. The demise of Haiti will constitute a failure for humanity. Please join our fight by signing this petition.