Originally: Haitian Americans Question the Congressional Black Caucus? and CARICOM?s Inquiries into Aristide?s Departure
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, March 4, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Marie Bell – (305) 331-0365
Linda César – (305) 303-7611
Marc Villain – (305) 206-5062
Haitian Americans Question the Congressional Black Caucus? and CARICOM?s Inquiries into Aristide?s Departure
We have followed with dismay the requests of members of the Congressional Black Caucus and CARICOM for an investigation into Aristide?s departure from office in Haiti. As natives of Haiti, we ponder on their attachment to the reign of a dictator who has brutalized and led our country and its people into abject poverty and unparallel socio-economic abyss. We have watched and suffered thru, along with our brothers back home, over 14 years of populist anarchy instituted by Aristide where corruption, human rights abuse, and oppression reigned. All discussions have focused on either (one man) Aristide or the ?rebels?. What about the hundreds of thousands of protesters that peacefully asked for his resignation in Haiti, Miami, D.C. Paris, and New York. Don?t our voices count? We should not be used for partisan or racial politics.
The persistent inquisitions being made by members of CARICOM and members of the Congressional Black Caucus since Aristide resigned are intriguing and suspect at best. How can one insist on defending a corrupt head of state we have loudly rejected and demanded his departure from Haiti? These non-Haitians relentless support of a defunct and terrorizing leader who has literally fueled his demise begs questions to their understanding of democracy, and whether or not they know better than us what is good for us and our motherland. We want to remind the black caucus and CARICOM that ?black on black crime? is still a crime.
We are asking members of the Congressional Black Caucus and CARICOM leaders to simply back off in the affairs of Haiti if they choose to ignore the real interest of our motherland and its people. We remain convinced that Aristide?s departure from Haiti was imminent as the Haitian people rejected his brutal and dictatorial rule.
Someday soon, Aristide and his acolytes and supporters will have to answer to the justice systems in Haiti and Internationally for having brutalized and committed countless crimes against us and our motherland for, we vow to never again see a dictatorial rule in our beloved Haiti.