It's only seven weeks until the Fifth Cuba/Venezuela/North America/Latin America Labor Conference - register and pay now online! Want to Register and pay online with charge card? Here's how at http://laborexchange.blogspot.com/ 1) Click on DONATE button (upper right at laborexchange.blogspot.com), follow instructions 2) Conference Registration is $55 (an additional $25 donation is requested for the special Free the Five dinner) 3) Enter the dollar amount - $55 or $80 (or more, if you can afford an additional donation to help with costs.) You and the labor exchange will both receive an email receipt that will be used at the conference to confirm your payment. 4) Send the info on the form below to laborexchange@action-mail.org THEN - Make your hotel registration at Hotel Palacio Azteca, request the Cuba Labor Conference rate that includes breakfast and Saturday dinner (Send your hotel confirmation number to laborexchange@action-mail.org and receive a FREE DVD compliments of Leftbooks.com - Choose One: Mission Against Terror; One Man's Story: Philip Agee, Cuba, and the CIA, or Posada Carriles: Terrorism made in USA.) (If you have any problems with reserving a hotel room, please let us know - call: 313 587 9285.) Conference Registration/ Datos para su inscripción a la Conferencia: Name/Nombre:___________________________________________________________________________________________ Address/Direccion:______________________________City,State, Zip/Ciudad, Estado, Zona postal:______________________ Phone/Telefono:_____________Fax:______________ Email/Correo Electronico:_____________________________________ Union/Organization/Sindicato:______________________________________________________________________________ [ ] Enclosed is my registration fee of $ 55 U.S. dollars ([ ] additional donation $25 requested - special Free the Five dinner, Friday) [ ] I would like to give a donation of $ ________ for a low-income participant. [ ] Envio mi registro y mi donacion de 55 dolares US y quisiera aportar la cantidad de $_______para aquellos participantes de bajo ingreso. ([ ] donación adicional - 25 dolares – una cena especial – viernes – por Los Cincos) Make checks payable to: Labor Exchange Haga los chekes pagables a: Labor Exchange US/Cuba Labor Exchange ● P.O. BOX 39188 ● Redford MI 48239 ● Phone/Fax: (313) 587 9285 ● Email: laborexchange@aol.com Reservations can be made at: Reservaciones de Hotel: Hotel Palacio Azteca Blvd Cuauhtemoc Sur #213 Colonia Davila 22400 Tijuana, Mexico *Toll Free from USA 1 888 901 3720 Toll Free From Mexico 01 8000266660 Single/Sencilla Room $98 U.S. Dollars • Double/Doble Room $141 U.S. Dollars (This will included two breakfasts and one dinner) (Este precio incluye dos desayunos y una cena) Please mention the/Favor de mencionar para un descueanto al: Cuba Labor Conference to get the discounted price. Reservations should be made as soon as possible/Realice su reservación lo antes possible. *If you have a problem please call 313 587 9285 or laborexchange@aol.com

Sent to us by Roger Annis.

July 14, 2008 By postal mail and e-mail Dear reader, The following is the first progress report of the Haiti Union Solidarity Fund. The Fund was launched in February, 2008. You can find the launch statement, along with this present report, at the Canada Haiti Action Network (CHAN) website, http://www.canadahaitiaction.ca. We are pleased to report that the cause of Haitian workers and trade unions is gaining a growing hearing and support across Canada. Among the progress that we can report are: * Since its launch in February, 2008, the Haiti Union Solidarity Fund has received more than $10,000 in contributions. You will find a complete list of these in the appendix to this report. We thank all those individuals and organizations who have contributed. You will receive a copy of this report and appendix by post mail. * The Secretary-General of the Confederation of Haitian Workers, Paul Chery, was one of the invited international guests to the May, 2008 convention of the Canadian Labour Congress in Toronto. Interest and awareness of the cause of Haitian workers has taken an important step forward in Canada as a result. * In January, a delegation From the Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ) visited Haiti. The delegation met with a number of Haitian unions and learned first hand of the economic calamity that unions and the entire country are facing. New solidarity projects have begun as a result. Monthly pledge to Confederation of Haitian Workers The first disbursement undertaken by the Fund has been a monthly pledge of $300 to the national office of the Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH). This began in January and has been paid until July, inclusive. This ongoing financial commitment has allowed the union to hire an assistant to the Secretary-General of the union, Paul Chery. He writes, “Our newly-hired administrator allows us to communicate with our affiliates and with our international friends through reports and correspondence. It was difficult for myself to look after all of this because of the amount of travel that I am obliged to do and because the demands on my time and our limited resources. “We thank you for this important gesture of solidarity.” The Fund’s directors have decided to increase this monthly pledge by $100 to $400 per month, starting in August, 2008. We have also undertaken the following two projects. New projects 1. Aiding the establishment of a computer centre at the CTH’s education conference centre, INAFOS, in Port au Prince. This will provide essential education and organizing tools and it will also generate revenue because the CTH is configuring the computer center to serve as an internet café for the surrounding community. The Fund will contribute $3700 for the purchase of solar panels required to power the computers. A pledge of $1000 from the CHAN affiliate in Winnipeg has kick-started this project. We welcome further financial contributions, and we are seeking donations of desktop or laptop computers. The CTH recently received four laptop computers from a delegation of members of the Industrial Workers of the World from Canada and the U.S. that visited Haiti in April. You can read the reports of that visit at www.iwwinhaiti.blogspot.com. 2. Supporting the work of the Association des professionelles de la santé d’Haiti (Association of Health Professionals of Haiti) with a $150 per month pledge. This is an association of Haitian nurses who, in cooperation with Haiti’s largest transportation union, the APCH, delivers vital health care services to the rural population surrounding Haiti’s capital city, Port au Prince. The Association receives some assistance from international health agencies, but needs much more. The Fund is receiving a pledge of $100 per month for this project from a small computer business in Vancouver, Performance by Design. We are adding $50 per month to this amount. Mail list for Haiti union solidarity The Haiti Union Solidarity Fund is establishing a mail list group for interested union activists and contributors. Please e-mail to one of the addresses below if you wish to join this mail list. Volume will be kept low, and only members of the list will be permitted to make postings. Many thanks to all who have contributed to the Fund – your financial support is having a positive impact on the ground in Haiti. For those who have not yet contributed, please consider doing so at whatever level you are able. Please note that the Haiti Union Solidarity Fund pays no administration fees; 100% of the funds it raises go to trade union solidarity projects in Haiti. In solidarity, Roger Annis, Kevin Skerrett Directors of the Haiti Union Solidarity Fund E-mail: rogerannis@hotmail.com, or kskerrett@cupe.ca Phone 778 858 5179 (Vancouver) Mail to: Haiti Union Solidarity Fund 50 Laurel St. Ottawa ON K1Y 3C9

Justice for laid-off garment workers in Haiti Joseph Lapp II, one of the ISC delegates who represented the IWW in Haiti in late April and early May, recently sent a letter to underwear manufacturer Hanes Brands, Inc. and Global Supply protesting the actions of Hanes subcontractor CD Apparel. In the letter, Joseph describes how during his trip to Haiti he became aware of the ongoing struggle of 500 factory workers who lost their jobs as a direct result of Hanes' decision to withdraw its contract from CD Apparel and move production to a different factory. The letter points out that although these workers were in time paid their legally required severance (a very tiny amount), they have not received the same level of compensation as workers employed under contract by Hanes in other parts of the world have been, in similar situations. The letter urged Hanes to fairly compensate the workers, expressing hope that the company will live up to its responsibilities but warning that if it does not the IWW will take further action as appropriate. Solidarity with fired Haitian workers The ISC wrote a letter expressing outrage over the recent arrest of two female workers at the Ministry of Social Affairs in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. These workers, along with others, were seeking redress over severance pay they have been owed since December of 2007 due to the closing of their place of employment. Since the owner of the factory where they worked, Jean Paul Faubert, has for six months refused to pay them their back wages, the workers were seeking help from the Ministry of Social Affairs. In response to this appeal these two individuals were arrested. In the letter, the ISC pointed out that it is the duty of the Ministry of Social Affairs to assist workers who are mistreated by their employers and that this recent action only gives credit the often expressed suspicion that the Ministry exists only to serve the interests of factory owners and business people, and not the workers. The IWW urged the Ministry to demand that Jean Paul Faubert pay the fired Sohacosa workers the severance pay that he owes them, as required under Haitian law.

The NarcoSphere has published a completely updated/rewritten version of Jeb Sprague's research on labor intervention in Haiti. Read the article here. CTH, privatization, and the post-2004 coup repression are cited often in the piece.

It is has been 9 months and still Lovinsky is missing. Where is he? The CTH calls on all our friends and family to call for the release of Lovinsky Pierre Antoine, one of Haiti's most valued human rights leaders. He was a long time advocate of Haitian workers and trade union rights. Sign this petition.

The International Workers of the World (IWW), also known as the Wobblies), have upon invitation sent a delegation to Haiti. CTH and IWW are in full solidarity to battle neo-liberalism and privatization. Read the delegation's blog in english here.

Our good friend and young Haitian journalist Nazaire St Fort has up an excellent piece on Haiti's rural economy and the activism of agronomy students. Read the entire piece on the INTER PRESS SERVICE. Nazaire has interviewed and photographed CTH trade unionists in the past. In the new piece he mentions one of our federations, Fédération nationale des paysans agricoles (FENATAPAO).

26 Fevriye 2008 Nan sa ki gen pou wè ak salè minimòm nan; wi nou dakò pou gen yon ogmantasyon nan salè minimòm nan. Depi 1984, salè minimòm nan te rete fikse a 15 goud; ki siyifi 3 dola US. Poutan, jody a ki fè 24 an pli ta, salè minimòm nan se 70 goud; men li egal a sèlman 2 dola US. Si ke nou konsidere to de vi an, salè minimòm nan ta dwe fikse a 300 goud pou pli piti. Men lè ke nou pran an konsiderasyon frajilite travay an Ayiti; pou ke pa gen plis travay ki pèdi, sektè sendika ki enkli CTH aksepte pou pwopoze 200 goud kòm salè minimòm; gen diskisyon ki ap fèt ak anplwaye yo onivo de yon komisyon tripati & abitraj ki gen pou pwopoze a gouvènman yon nouvo salè minimòm; aprè sa, nouvo salè minimòm nan ap prezante nan chanm palman pou yon vot final. De jody a rive mwa Mas ki ap vini la, travayè yo ap gen yon nouvo salè minimòm.

Concernant notre position sur le salaire minimum oui nous sommes pour une augmentation du salaire minimom. Car, depuis en 1984 le salaire étant fixé à 15 gourdes qui représentait 3 dollars americains pourtant aujourd'hui 24 ans après le salaire minimum est 70 gourdes équivalent à 2 dollars américains. C'est à dire, si on considère tous ces éléments et bien d'autres encore le salaire minimum devrait fixer à au moins 300 gourdes.Cependant , tenant compte de la fragilité du travail en Haiti et pour éviter la perte davantage d'emploi, le secteur syndical y compris la CTH accepte de proposer 200 gourdes comme salaire minimum qui fait déja l'objet de discussion avec le secteur patronal au niveau de la commission tripartite et d'arbitrage chargé de proposer au gouvernement un nouveau salaire minimum en vue de le soumettre au parlement pour le vote final.Alors, d'ici le mois de mars prochain les travailleurs auront un nouveau salaire minimum.

HAITIANALYIS TRANSLATION: Konfederasyon Travayè Ayisyen (CTH) declare sipò yo pou HOPE II inisyativ nan; yo kwè ke sa ap pèmèt vin gen plis travay pou sendika yo an Ayiti. Paul Loulou Chery, sekretè jeneral CTH sou zafè anplwa pou pwogram sa te di, Ayiti dezespere pou travay ak stabilite. HOPE II akt la ap pèmèt aksè lib san tarif a mache Etazini an pou vètman ki fèt an Ayiti; sa ap pwobableman pouse konpayi yo pou al ouvè faktori an Ayiti; ki siyifi plis travay pou ekonomi peyi Dayiti ki nan yon sitiyasyon dezespere. Chery te patisipe nan yon reyinyon ki te chaje avèk moun nan Pòtoprens kote li te mande pou sipòte HOPE II; lòt moun ki te prezan se Premye Minis, Jacques Edouard Alexis. HOPE II planifye pou vini avèk plis travay nan peyi a ki gen pou wè ak vètman pandan ke y ap sipòte administrasyon Préval/Alexis an; CTH mande pou gen yon pozisyon fèm kont privatizasyon. Diran ete 2007 lan, Préval te anonse ke Teleko, Elektrisite Dayiti avèk APN osijè a privatize. Nan mwa resan, ofisyèl nan CTH yo te di ke yo ogmante efò yo avèk anplwaye nan sektè piblik la pou opoze plan privatizasyon an. CTH byen koni nan katye pòv avèk kanpay yo an Ayiti pou fason yo òganize nan baz. Diran gouvènman enterimè a an 2004-2006, CTH te tonbe anba yon kanpay sistematik vyolans aprè ke yo refize sipòte anlèvman gouvènman eli an 2004. Òganizatè CTH yo di abilite pou ke sendikalis yo òganize vin amelyore sou administrasyon Preval la, men lavi chè a ansanm avèk dezas natirèl te frape manm yo di. Konfederasyon travayè a ap fè lòbi pou ke Ayiti ogmante pwodiksyon nasyonal la na zòn endistriyalize & kanpay yo. Fen ane pase a, pandan ke Chery t ap pale, li te di ke òganizasyon dwa zimen & moun ki solidè a Ayiti ta dwe fè tout sa yo kapab pou siveye & asire ke patron yo respekte travayè Ayisyen yo nan nenpòt nouvo faktori.

Bonjour mon ami, comme tu sais je fais partie de la Commission de la mise en oeuvre de la loi hope ( CMO-HOPE ) representant le sectuer syndical accompagné de deux autres camarades du secteur au sein de cette commission. Effectivement lors d'un déjeuner organisé par la Commission ou l'ambassadeur des USA et le premier ministre Haitien étaient présents en vue de solliciter les supports de différentes instances internationales dans le but de demander au Congrès Américain de voter une nouvelle loi accordant aux Haitiens HOPE 2. Alors moi aussi je me suis prononcé en faveur HOPE 2 qui a mon avis contribuera à réduire le taux du chomage en Haiti en créant plusieurs milliers d'emplois. Donc, c'est vrai la CTH est pour le vote de cette loi HOPE 2 par le Congrès des USA. J'en profite pour te demander d'adresser une lettre de support au Congrès au nom des travailleurs Haitiens particulièrement la CTH pour solliciter ce vote en faveur de HOPE2.

HaitiAnalysis-The Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH) has declared its support for the HOPE II initiative which they believe will bring trade union jobs to Haiti. CTH General Secretary Paul Loulou Chery, who sits on a labor-government panel organizing for the program, says that Haiti is in desperate need of jobs and stability. The HOPE act would provide tariff-free access to the United States market for apparel made in Haiti and would likely energize companies to set up shop in Haiti, meaning more jobs for Haiti's desperate economy. Chery spoke in support of HOPE at a recent packed meeting in Port-au-Prince attended by Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis.

While supporting the Préval/Alexis HOPE plan to bring more garment jobs into the country, the CTH has urged a hardline stance against privatization. Préval announced over the summer of 2007 that Téléco (Telecommunications of Haiti), ED'H (Electricity of Haiti), and the APN (National Port Authority) would be subject to privatization. In recent months CTH officials say that they have increased organizing efforts with public sector workers to oppose the state privatization plans.

CTH is well known across poor neighborhoods and rural areas in Haiti for its grassroots organizing. During the interim government period in Haiti (2004-2006) the CTH came under a sustained campaign of violence after refusing to support the 2004 ouster of Haiti's elected government. The ability of trade unionists to organize has improved under Préval, say CTH organizers, but the rising cost of living and natural disasters has hit its membership hard. The labor confederation is lobbying for Haiti to increase national production both in its industry and rural economy.

Chery, speaking late last year, said that human rights workers and the solidarity community at large should do all they can to help make sure the rights of Haitian workers are respected and actively monitored in any new factories. Haiti continues to be in need of a strengthened labor code and heightened minimum wage.

Les actes CMO-HOPE

Fourni par une récente délégation d'Haïti.

Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, coordinator of the Fondasyon Trant Septanm, has been in captivity for over four months. He must be set free and returned to his family.

Lovinsky supported the activities of CTH and he is pictured above at the 2006 world social forum with CTH Secretary General Paul Chery.

La CTH est constitué de onze fédérations et dispose de trois commissions nationales sur les femmes, les droits de l'homme, et de la jeunesse. Nous avons deux bureaux à Port-au-Prince et un bureau dans chaque département en Haïti.

1. Fédération des travailleurs de l'industrie et de la sous-traitance

2. Fédération des travailleurs et artisans professionnels; (FEHATRAP)

3. Fédération nationale des paysans agricoles (FENATAPA0)

4. Fédération nationale des travailleurs de la presse et la communication (FHTP)

5. Fédération nationale des travailleurs de la santé (FENATRAS)

6. Fédération nationale des travailleurs de l'éducation et la culture (FENATEC)

7. Fédération nationale des travailleurs de la construction (FENATCO)

8. Haïtien de la Fédération des coopératives et mutuelles d'assurance des travailleurs de la coopérative (FEHCOMTRA)

9. Fédération nationale du secteur du commerce (FENASCOM)

10. Fédération nationale des travailleurs des transports publics

11. Fédération nationale des travailleurs du tourisme (FENADETH)

12. Syndicat des employés de l'Autorité nationale Harbor. (SEAPN)

We would like to thank Guinsly for properly translating this communication to the press in October 2007.

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Confederation of Haitian workers (CTH) Worries About The Governance Of The Country

--------------

Today, the CTH has come to the realization that workers and the Haitian people are up to their last breath. Instead of this government taking concrete measures to put the country on the track of development, by facilitating the creation of jobs; they have instead put their heads between their legs in the privatization of government-owned enterprises. As a result there is widespread unemployment, misery and hunger.

At this very moment, the Preval/Alexis government has decided to lay-off more than 1500 people; mostly head of households who were working at the telephone company (Teleco); this is going to increase even more an already large sector of the population who are unemployed.

The Haitian People is facing a situation of calamity and suffering; the Preval/Alexis administration is satisfied in taking decisions that are anti-unions without putting into place any mechanisms to stop the privatization of state-owned enterprises. The CTH is asking, if it’s not a way to put an end to the life of workers in particular but of the Haitian People in general?

The CTH further states, if there is any hope for workers and the Haitian People to breathe a sign of relief? The worst part is that the government hasn’t done much to encourage investment and the private sector has virtually disappeared. As a result, the workers are left without any option; they are on their own walking the pavement.

If it were mandated to privatize state-owned enterprises, the CMEP law is very specific as to what steps the government must take in order to modernize those enterprises. The following applied; there should either be a contract to manage the enterprise, concession or capitalization. Which one has the government chosen?

Taking into account this fact, the CTH would like to bring the public’s attention that the CMEP law does not grant anyone the authority to privatize state-owned enterprises.

The CTH believe the procedure that is in place for the government to compensate the employees of Teleco is inadmissible and the amount of money put at their disposition for the number of years worked at the enterprise is insufficient.

Since we are a worker’s organization that believe in participative democracy; we encourage the process of dialogue that has been taking place between the government and the trade-unionists.

We think that there should be public debates by the government and the trade unionists as to the question of privatizing state-owned enterprises and particularly Teleco. From there, we will come out with viable and reasonable solutions; because the role of the government is not to engage in witch hunt, but rather to guarantee employment and to create work; which are essential conditions that allow workers to take care of their family with dignity.

Paul Loulou CHERY,Secrétaire Général

Hubert JEAN, Secrétaire Général adjoint

Resp. . Presse et Communication

We would like to recommend this movie THE PRICE OF SUGAR. You can read a review of the movie by Ben Terrall.Nos gustaría recomendar esta película EL PRECIO DEL AZÚCA

Voici un article du 31 janvier 2006: Haiti Press Network.

Lors de sa participation au sixième forum social mondial, tenu au Vénézuela, la Confédération des travailleurs haïtiens a plaidé pour un vrai soutient au peuple haïtien », a déclaré Paul Loulou Chéry, le coordonnateur de l’association.

Le sixième forum social mondial, organisé, cette année, au Venezuela sous le thème « Otro mundo es posible », a réuni des syndicalistes et des travailleurs venus du monde entier. Après sa participation au forum, le coordonnateur du CTH se dit satisfait de l’unité syndicale dans la région. Selon lui, « une autre Haïti est possible comme est possible un autre monde ».

« Tous les pays présents ont exprimé leur préoccupation pour une équitable répartition de la richesse mondiale ». « Les habitants ne doivent pas être au service de la richesse du monde, mais c’est cette richesse qui doit être disponible aux gens du monde entier », a déclaré le patron de la CTH.

« L’unité syndicale dans la région et dans le monde », tels sont les thèmes qui ont été mis en évidence lors du forum de Caracas. Les conclusions tirées auront pour objectif l’établissement d’un syndicat mondial, moderne, qui aura pour tâche principale l’amélioration des conditions de vie de l’ensemble des travailleurs.

Selon M. Chéry, « cette unité syndicale pourrait être difficile en Haïti », mais le CTH part à la recherche du soutien de toutes les associations syndicales haïtiennes.

Dans le cadre de « l’isolement et de l’exclusion d’Haïti », la CTH a rappelé au peuple Vénézuélien qu’Haïti a contribué à sa libération, son indépendance, puis son autonomie. Elle a profité l’occasion pour demander au gouvernement de Caracas d’insérer Haïti dans son programme Petro-Caribe, dans lequel Haïti a été exclus préalablement.

« Haïti devrait être la priorité dans la région car elle a aidé beaucoup de pays en Amérique dans la conquête de leur indépendance », a rappelé M. Chéry, avant de lancer un message de solidarité vers le monde afin d’aider Haïti dans la quête d’une stabilisation sociale, économique et politique.

Quant aux élections, la CTH se dit confiant dans leur réalisation le 7 février prochain. « Celles-ci sont la condition sine qua non pour qu’Haïti respire enfin un air de paix. « Le 7 février sera un jour historique, alors la CTH invite tous les Haïtiens à se porter aux urnes. C’est le jour où nous allons écrire une autre page de notre histoire », a indiqué Paul L. Chéry.

DRI/HPN

Port workers of the APN in Haiti have organized for many years now with CTH to defend worker rights and living wages. The APN is now under threat of privatization. We will have more on this. Here are photos of APN-CTH workers by Sasha Kramer, Director and Co-Founder of S.O.I.L.

In the new IPS article from Gonaives the CTH is sourced:

Secretary-General Paul Loulou Chéry of the Confédération des Travailleurs Haitiens (CTH), a national trade union confederation, says the situation is desperate. He has heard from numerous people living in the flooded areas who have faced severe weather for weeks. Chery said the CTH is trying to provide support to the many trade unionists living in the affected departments, but has few resources to do so. He explained that rising costs of living for the poor exacerbate the crisis. "The people of all these departments need solidarity at once," Chery said.

CTH with tens of thousands of workers in the south of Haiti has recently experienced troubles. The rising costs of living is hitting the poor extremely hard and with the rains many homes and peoples jobs have been damaged and hindered. The general condition workers are facing in the south has become miserable. CTH is attempting to organize aid for the groups in the south. Any support can be sent to our address on this website or contact us on the phone or email.

Our friends in North America have formed the Unions in Solidarity With Haiti to support the work of CTH and other real grassroots unions that are for defending workers rights, the public enterprises and democracy. It is also calling for an end to the occupation of Haiti by foreign soldiers that began after the 2004 coup d'etat. To contact the group in North America call phone 778-858-5179 or 613-864-1590. The group has just released this first statement:

TRADE UNION RESOLUTION

ON SOLIDARITY WITH THE HAITIAN PEOPLE

Whereas, the people of Haiti are suffering a deep economic and social crisis, combined with persistent human rights abuses;

And whereas, under pressure from foreign governments and lending institutions, the Haitian government has embarked on an extensive program of privatization of public enterprises;

And whereas, foreign governments, including Canada, bear a heavy responsibility for the situation in Haiti due to their participation in the removal of Haiti’s elected government in February, 2004;

Therefore be it resolved that (this organisation) commit to the following action plan:

1. Demand the withdrawal of all foreign police and military presence from Haiti.

2. Support those working in Haiti for the release of political prisoners and the wrongly detained.

3. Press the Canadian government for substantial assistance to social and economic development in Haiti. Assistance must respect the sovereignty of the Haitian government.

4. Promote delegations traveling to Haiti to learn more about the country and its people, including Canada's role, and to develop support to trade unions and other organizations concerned with human and social rights.

5. Encourage education programs that promote solidarity with the progressive social movements in Haiti.

The Secretary of General of CTH, Paul Chery, along with a CTH Haitian delegation are currently in Caracas, Venezuela. They are meeting with the ITUC to discuss organizing and participating in an upcoming Panama gathering of Southern American unions. There needs to be more pressure on ITUC and CLAT and others such as ORIT to investigate the privatizations and take a better stance in regards to Haiti. We will keep you updated. The CTH has built solid ties with the UNT Venezuelan labor movement and sees first person the positive and alternative workings of the Bolivarian revolution.

CTH is now on Flickr.

Ces photos sont d'un rassemblement récent de Port-Au-Prince, où autour cent organisateurs de CTH ont présumé. Cette photo a été soumise à nous par le journaliste haïtien Wadner Pierre. Les organisateurs multiples de CTH et les défenseurs de solidarité du Nigéria, du Canada et des Etats-Unis ont présenté des exposés.

This Canadian labour delegate has a blog with information on trade unions in Haiti:

A Healthcare Project of the Haitian Union of Health Officials

Union Launches Call for Strike

Trade Union Celebration and Gathering

Trade Unions in Haiti

From Haiti: Union and womens rights leaders to speak across Canada

CTH organizers have been holding many meetings with the organizers of SOETEL (the union at Haiti's public telephone company TELECO) and other civil sector unions organizing against privatization. CTH has over 1,500 workers in the ports that are also coming under the pressure of privatization.

This meeting [pictured below] was attended by a member of a US delegation, Paul Loulou Chery General Secretary of the CTH, Jean Mabou and others of SOETEL and a Canadian trade unionist and member of CHAN Roger Annis. This photo was taken in Port-au-Prince by graduate student and IPS author Jeb Sprague.

PROJET DE SENSIBILISATION DE LA POPULATION MOBILE DE LA PERIPHERIE DE PORT-AU-PRINCE SUR LES IST ET LE VIH/SIDA

Les syndicats des travailleurs, comme beaucoup d’autres entités ou structures sociales, sont confrontés à la dure réalité de l’épidémie du VIH/SIDA et doivent en gérer les multiples conséquences tant sur le plan individuel que collectif. La mobilisation de ce secteur permettrait aux interventions de lutte contre le VIH/SIDA d’atteindre les segments importants de la population. La situation actuelle du VIH/SIDA dépasse de loin toutes les prévisions faites concernant cette épidémie qui touche toutes les catégories socio-professionnelles. Les ravages qu’entraîne ce fléau dans les secteurs productifs de notre pays remettent en question les efforts de développement consentis ces dernières années. Ce projet qui vise spécifiquement les populations mobiles, se justifie non seulement par la nécessité de démédicaliser la réponse au VIH/SIDA mais aussi par le besoin d’aider ces groupes dont la grande mobilité les rend particulièrement vulnérable au VIH à gérer efficacement leurs risques personnels.

Axes Stratégiques

• Education par les pairs éducateurs

• Promotion du dépistage et de la gestion des risques

• Prise en charge psychosociale et thérapeutique

• Plaidoyer pour une législation en faveur de PV-VIH

Groupes ciblés

- Les travailleurs migrants (chauffeurs des grands axes routiers et commerçants migrants, cibles directs).

- Les mécaniciens, les contrôleurs, les travailleurs, cibles indirects.

LOCALISATION DES SITES

Ce projet vise a faire fonctionner 3 sites ou centres de dépistage volontaire. Les adresses ou références de ces derniers sont les suivantes :

1. 117, rue des Miracles (Port-au-Prince)

2. rue Chareron (local de la CTH)

3. 138, route de Frères (local INAFOS/CTH)

Voir le notre site Web de Paul Farmer http://www.pih.org/home.html

HaitiAnalysis authors Nazaire and Jeb have published an interview with Lamoun Chery and Jude Bonhomme, members of the CTH near Les Cayes.

Haiti Liberte has also published the interview with Lamoun Chery.

ALso read this wonderful article on visiting the chapel where Archbishop Father Romero was killed in El Salvador. The outspoken defender of the poor was killed in 1980 as he celebrated mass.

The Association des propriétaires et chaffeurs d’Haiti (APCH—Association of Owners and Drivers of Haiti), a union of 2,000 transport workers in Haiti, has made a number of demands on the Preval government to improve the conditions for transport workers and stop the government's planned privatization program. At a recent press conference the communications director of the union, Fortuné Patrice, explained the demands:

-A reduction in the price of fuel. -A compromise in the government’s demand that transport workers and owner/operators pay up for vehicle license fees that went unpaid during the three and a half years of chaos that followed the February 29, 2004 coup d’etat in Haiti. The union says the de facto government provided no services during that time, so drivers or anyone else being asked to pay up should not have to pay. The APCH has offered a compromise payment from its members of half the fees owed. -Revision of the May 26, 2006 law that hiked various licensing and traffic fines by as much as 50 times. -An end to layoffs and privatisation plans for state-owned companies such as Teleco (telecommunications) and EDH (electricity). -Programs to improve the conditions of life for the poorest people in Haiti, such as reductions in the price of basic foods and more funding for health care and education.

If you are in the Port-au-Prince area the annual conference will be held tomorrow at the downtown office.

La Campaña TELECOMMUNICATIONS D’ HAITÍ S.A.M – TELECO -, aplicando su plan de reestructuración, despide a sus Trabajadores.

La pobreza del país, la debilidad de los gobiernos y el poder de las empresas Transnacionales facilita la explotación del Trabajador.

La CENTRAL LATINOAMERICANA DE TRABAJADORES ha hecho una denuncia por los hechos que significan violación de los Derechos Humanos y exigiendo al gobierno asumir su responsabilidad.

La CENTRAL LATINOAMERICANA DE TRABAJADORES – CLADEHLT hace un llamado a la empresa y exige el respeto pleno de los Derechos Humanos Laborales, en especial el respeto a los Convenios 87 / 98 de la OIT que garantiza la LIBERTAD SINDICAL y la CONTRATACIÓN COLECTIVA.

La CENTRAL LATINOAMERICANA DE TRABAJADORES – CLADEHLT denuncia en especial los planes de reestructuración de la empresa, ya que se realizan sin consulta con los Trabajadores, significa despido de personal y la empresa solo está interesada en maximizar sus beneficios.

TELECO debe respetar los Derechos de los Trabajadores.

Expresamos nuestra SOLIDARIDAD a los Trabajadores Telefónicos de Haití, reclamamos del gobierno mayor firmeza en su actuación – su obligación es velar por la vigencia efectiva de los Derechos Humanos - y exigimos a la empresa a debatir con el gobierno y los Trabajadores su PLAN DE REESTRUCTURACIÓN.

Ahora más que nunca es el TIEMPO DE LA LUCHA POR EL DERECHO Y LA JUSTICIA SOCIAL.-

JULIO ROBERTO GOMEZ, Presidente CLAT

EDUARDO GARCIA MOURE,Srio.General CLAT

RODOLFO ROMERO, Presidente CLADEHLT

Read this article on at the Inter Press Service.

Port-Au-Prince; July 11, 2007

Press Release

Concerns of the CTH, regarding the management of the Country.

After the democratic battle, led by the Workers and the Haitian People through their voting ballots during the elections of February 7, 2006; where they gave birth to a government conceptually eradicating unemployment, poverty and insecurity.

Today, the CTH notes that the Workers and the Haitian People are running out of breath; instead of this government taking concrete measures to put the country on the path of development, while facilitating the creation of employment, on the contrary, it prefers to duck into program of privatization of the public sector, while giving free range to unemployment, poverty and hunger.

At the present time, the Préval / Alexis government decides to reel more than 1,500 fathers and mothers, heads of household who work at Téléco, into unemployment, where they will grow the informal sector.

Facing the calamity and suffering situation in which the Haitian People stagnates; today the Préval / Alexis Government is satisfied by taking anti-union decisions without, however, succeeding in setting up programs that could bypass the privatization of the State sector. Isn't this a way to put an end to the life of the Workers in particular , and Haitian People at large, wonders the CTH?

Under this hospice, what kind of hope remains for the Workers and the Haitian People, a sigh of relief, points out the CTH.? The worst is that the government does not multiply many efforts to encourage investment, and the private sector has practically disappeared. As a result, the Workers are left to themselves and abandoned on the street.

Would the privatization of the State sector be a mandatory path, the law on the CMEP is very specific on the way the State should proceed, regarding their modernization; that is, by management contract, concession or capitalization. Which of these three ways does the government chose to reach these goals?

Therefore, the CTH brings to the attention of the public opinion that the law of the CMEP does not give any right to said authorities to proceed to the privatization of the public sector.

The CTH believes that the procedure set up by the State to compensate the employees of the Téléco is unacceptable. And that the funds made available, commensurate to the numbers of years of service in the sector are literally insufficient.

As an organization of Workers that believes in participatory democracy, the CTH encourages the dialogue process that already started between the government and the Union Movement.

Hence, the CTH thinks that the matter of privatization of the public sector, and particularly of the Téléco has to be updated by its two partners to be analyzed; then, it will lead us on the path of viable and reasonable solutions. For the role of the State is not a witch hunt, but preferably, to guarantee job security, while creating employment, essential condition to allow the Workers to take care of their families with dignity.

Paul Loulou, CHERY, ,Secrétaire Général

Hubert JEAN, Secrétaire Général adjoint

Response, Press & Communication http://www.haitilabor.org

Port – au – Prince ; le 11 Juillet 2007

Communiqué de Presse

Inquiétudes de la CTH face à la gestion du pays.

Après la bataille démocratique qu’ont menée les travailleurs et le peuple haïtien avec leurs bulletins de vote aux élections du 7 février 2006 ; où ils ont accouché un gouvernement dans l’idée d’éradiquer le chômage, la misère et l’insécurité.

Aujourd’hui , la CTH constate que les travailleurs et le peuple haïtien sont à bout de souffle ; au lieu que ce gouvernement prendrait des mesures concrètes pour mettre le pays sur les rails du développement en facilitant la création d’emplois ,au contraire , préfère rentrer la tête sous les jambes dans le programme de la privatisation des entreprises publiques en laissant le libre champ au chômage , à la misère et la faim .

A l’heure actuelle, le gouvernement de Préval / Alexis décide d’envoyer au chômage plus de 1500 pères et mères de famille qui travaillent à la Téléco, d’où ils vont grossir le secteur informel.

Face à la situation de calamité et de souffrance dans laquelle patauge le peuple haïtien ; le gouvernement de Préval / Alexis se contente, aujourd’hui de prendre des décisions anti-syndicales sans parvenir pour autant à mettre sur pied des programmes pouvant contourner la privatisation des entreprises de l’état. N’est-il pas une façon de mettre un terme à la vie des travailleurs en particulier et du peuple haïtien en général, questionne la CTH ?

En ce sens, quel espoir y a t-il pour les travailleurs et le peuple haïtien en vue d’un ouf de soulagement, opine la CTH. ? Le pire c’est que le gouvernement ne multiplie pas beaucoup d’efforts pour encourager l’investissement et les entreprises privées sont quasiment disparues .Comme résultat ,les travailleurs se sont livrés à eux -mêmes et abandonnés sur le pavé .

Si la privatisation des entreprises étatiques serait un passage obligé, la loi sur le CMEP est très précise sur la façon dont l’état procèderait en vue de leur modernisation ; soit par contrat de gestion, de concession ou de capitalisation. Lequel de ces trois voies choisit le gouvernement pour y parvenir?

De ce fait, la CTH souligne à l’attention de l’opinion publique que la loi du CMEP ne donne nul droit aux autorités concernées de procéder à la privatisation des entreprises publiques.

La CTH croit que la procédure mise en place par l’état pour dédommager les employés de la Téléco est inadmissible et la somme mise à leur disposition pour les nombres d’années de service à l’entreprise est pratiquement insuffisante.

En tant qu’organisation de travailleurs qui croit dans la démocratie participative, la CTH encourage le processus de dialogue déjà entamé entre le gouvernement et le mouvement syndical.

De cette manière, elle pense que la question de privatisation des entreprises publiques et particulièrement la Téléco doit -être mise à jour par ces deux partenaires pour être analysé ; de là , on débouchera sur des pistes de solutions viables et raisonnables .Car le rôle de l’état n’est pas de faire la chasse aux sorcières ,mais de préférence ,garantir la sécurité d’emploi et en créant du travail ; conditions essentielles permettant aux travailleurs de prendre soin de leur famille dans la dignité.

Paul Loulou CHERY,Secrétaire Général

Hubert JEAN, Secrétaire Général adjoint

Resp. . Presse et Communication

A Press Release by the CTH in regards to the Haitian governments pushing for the privatization of TELECO will be posted here, forthcoming. The CTH opposes every and any type of privatization of the government enterprises because privatization means unemployment and unemployment = the misery and weakening of the labor-union movement. We are now in contact with friends and international labor institutions to draw attention to the néolibérale latinoamérican plan that the government of Préval/Alexis is now applying. CTH will organize to oppose the privatization of all government sectors. The government of Préval/Alexis has just fired 1,500 workers from Teleco. The prior Latortue regime fired over 2,000 workers at Teleco alone.

Port-au-Prince le 28 juin 2007 (AHP)- Les employés de la compagnie nationale de téléphone (Téléco) ont repris leurs acitités jeudi à la suite d'une grève de 3 semaines pour protester contre des décisions jugées arbitraires prises par le directeur général de l'institution, Michel Présumé, dont la révocation d'employés, dans le cadre de la privatisation prochaine de la Téléco.

Cette grève a pris de nouvelles dimensions à la suite du refus de dialogue qu'aurait opposé M. Présumé aux responsables du syndicat qui allaient reclamer son renvoi.

Les employés ont également endurci leur mouvement suite aux déclarations faites samedi par le président Preval suggérant que les employés qui partiront, pourraient recevoir 12 mois de salaires au moment de la privatisation de la Téléco.

Faisant savoir qu'ils n'étaient pas contre la privatisation, les grévistes ont jugé ces déclarations irresponsables, étant donné qu'un nombre important d'employés prêtent, onjt-ils dit, leur service à la Téléco depuis plusieurs dizaines d'années.

Ils ont plutôt réclamé des indemnités de 7 à 14 ans de salaires. Mais le syndicat a reclamé mecredi une trêve pour favoriser des negociations avec les responsables, à l'initiative de la commission Travaux publics et Communications du sénat.

Le président du syndicat, Jean Mabou, a annoncé une rencontre ce jeudi avec les membres de la commission présidéee par le séenateur Jean Hector Anacacis.

Des employés qui estimaient que la grève devait se poursuivre parallèlement aux négociations, ont obéi au mot d'ordre du syndicat.

Les différents service de la Téléco ont donc repris jeudi matin leurs activités paralysées par ce débrayage qui a fait perdre des centaines de millions de gourdes et privé les clients de services.

Mais les employés en ont imputé la responsablité au directeur général pour avoir refusé le dialogue. Ils ont égalememnt menacé de reprendre leur mouvement si les négociations n'aboutissaient pas et si les autorités refusaient de donner suite à leurs revendications.

Le sénateur Anacacis dit avoir de l'espoir. Il affirme que tout doit passer par le dialogue et la négociation.

Après la Minoterie et la Cimenterie d'Haïti déjà "modernisées" sous la première présidence de René Préval, ce dernier a annoncé la privatisation prochaine de l'Electricité d'Haiti (EDH), de l'Autorité portuaire nationale et des Télecommunications d'Haïti SA, 3 institutions qui seraient deficitaires.

Des employés de la Téléco ont dénoncé cette semaine un plan de sabotage des institutions publiques pour justifier leur cession à vil prix.

AHP 28 juin 2007 11 : 00 AM .

Teleco Employees are organizing against the privatization programing now being pushed by the government. See inglish translation of AHP article

"After this tour, we know that we are not alone. We have seen that there are people in Canada who understand the struggle of the Haitian people. For me in particular, to be able to speak about the situation of the Haitian women who are most excluded, most marginalized – I now know that we are not forgotten."--Euvonie Georges-Auguste, speaking in Montreal on June 4, 2007).

From May 22 to June 5, three trade union and women's rights leaders from Haiti spoke in eleven cities across Canada. The speakers were:

* Paul Loulou Chéry; Secretary General of the Confédération des travailleurs haitiens (CTH, Confederation of Haitian Workers)

* Ginette Apollon; Director of the Women's Commission of the CTH, and President of the health workers union affiliate of the CTH

*Euvonie Georges-Auguste, women's rights activist, and spiritual leader of the Voudon religion

The tour visited the following cities--Halifax, Fredericton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Victoria. It was endorsed by CHAN, a large number of trade union and other social organizations in Canada, too numerous to list. They include:

* Three national unions--the Public Service Alliance of Canada, National Union of Public and General Employees, and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. * The Canadian Labour Congress * Labour councils in Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver, New Westminster, and Victoria. * The National Action Committee on the Status of Women chapter in Halifax. * Student groups in Halifax, Toronto and Guelph. * Unions of health care workers in Alberta and British Columbia.

The purpose of the tour was to educate people across Canada and Quebec about the catastrophic social, economic and political conditions that prevail in Haiti, more than three years after a foreign invasion and coup that ousted the popular government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide and his Lavalas political party.

The speakers were representative of the majority opinion of the Haitian people. They want an end to the foreign occupation of their country and they are demanding substantial and meaningful international aid to help Haiti rebuild its shattered economy and social infrastructure.

The speakers' talks detailed the shocking conditions of life today in Haiti. According to the CTH leaders, the majority of Haitian adults are unemployed. In the countryside, where the majority of Haitians live, farmers cannot earn a livelihood. They have little or no access to credit, nor to markets and basic inputs such as seed and fertilizer. Agricultural laborers earn less than subsistence wages.

By all accounts, the solidarity tour was a great success. Public meetings in the eleven cities were well attended. More than one thousand people attended tour speaking events across the country, and hundreds more heard the speakers at guest appearances. Numerous special meetings were held with trade unions, women's rights groups, and other grassroots organizations. Several tens of thousands of dollars were raised to support the ongoing work of the organizations in Haiti represented by the speakers.

Participants at tour events were greatly moved by the description of the unbelievable difficulties of ordinary life for the Haitian people. As Paul Chéry described:

"The governments in Canada and the US say they are helping Haiti, but they are not. Haiti needs friends, not hypocrites…We are not animals- we need to live like human beings. We need jobs and food so that we can live like people."

Ginette Apollon commented: "This tour has been unbelievable. The reactions that we had from people, the warm reception we received, and the support and solidarity were superb. I have had the opportunity to travel to a number of other countries, and I have never felt this level of support and real connection with the people in different cities that came out to hear us and to meet with us. I greatly hope that the links that we have made through this tour can be followed up on, and strengthened."

We conclude this report with a few words from Paul Loulou Chéry of the CTH:

"There really are not words to express our appreciation. All I can say is one, big “merci!” to all the people involved in organizing or endorsing our speaking tour. We are returning to Haiti more confident than ever that there are people in Canada – all over – that support our struggle. We hope and anticipate there will be delegations traveling to Haiti from Canada and Québec as a result of this tour, and we look forward to welcoming you and giving you a first-hand perspective on our work and our situation. "

On Friday June 28th, the U.S. World Social Forum (WSF) in Atlanta will feature a workshop on Haiti, titled: “From Thomas Jefferson to George Bush: 203 Years of Keeping Haiti Down."

Speakers will include Actor/Director Dany Glover, Father Gerard Jean-Juste, Haitian labor leaders Duclos Benissoit and Lexeuste Cajuste, Executive Director of TransAfrica Forum Nicole Lee, Pierre Labossiere founder of the Haiti Action Committee and Brian Concannon founder of IJDH.

Go to: https://www.ussf2007.org/en/node/3651

Read a new article on IPS here.

A two-day transport strike last week gripped Haiti's major cities and underscored a mounting crisis over fuel prices, which rose nearly 20 percent in just two weeks. On Jun. 12 and 13, transport workers shut off their engines, leaving residents of Port-au-Prince and other urban centres largely without the services of taxis or the colourful buses and pick-up trucks known as tap-taps. A spokesperson for the Initiative de Secteur de Transport, an ad hoc strike committee representing 18 transport unions, Benissoit Duclos, said the action was driven by three pressing issues.

First, the government "has increased traffic fines so that what was a 50-gourde fine is now 1,000 gourdes and what was a 500 gourd fine is now 10,000 gourdes," he said. "Second, over the last three to four years, the government has not charged for nor distributed registration stickers for vehicles. They are now distributing these but ordering a lump sum payment of 4,000 gourdes for all the years that these were not distributed," Duclos told IPS. Lastly, the price of gasoline has become unaffordable for most drivers, rising by 34 gourdes to 207 gourdes per gallon this month. Many workers, with a salary that hovers around 70 gourdes a day, must spend 20 to 40 gourdes on transportation (35.4 gourdes equal one U.S. dollar).

The striking workers drive cars and buses, which the working poor depend on for transportation. While some drivers use company cars, many cars are independently owned. "Poor people, the majority working in the informal economy or assembly industry, cannot afford the higher costs of transportation that these measures would force upon us," said Changeux Méhu, president of ATCH, a union of bus drivers.

Port-au-Prince, le 12 juin 2007 (AHP)- La grève de 48 heures lancée par des syndicats de chauffeurs a paralysé ce mardi le transport en commun à Port-au-Prince et dans la plupart des villes de province.

Cette grève visant à protester entre autres contre les nouvelles hausses des prix du carburant et contre l'obligation faite aux propriétaires de véhicules de payer 4 années d'arriérés de vignettes, coïncide avec la tenue des examens pour les candidats de la 6ème annnée fondamentale.

C'est d'allleurs la princpale réserve exprimée sur l'organisation de ce mouvement.

Les tap-tap et les taxis étaient rares ou inexistants sur tous les circuits de la capitale. Ce qui a forcé de nombreux candidats à marcher des kilomètres pour se rendre dans leur centre d'examens, les autobus mis par le gouvernemennt à leur disposition, n'ayant pas été en nombre suffisant.

De nombreux autres citoyens qui ont dû se rendre à pied à leur lieu de travail ,ont exprimé le souhait que ce mouvement puisse pousser les autorités à trouver rapidement une entente avec les transoporteurs.

Un employé du secteur public a appelé le président Préval "à se libérer de ceux qui tentent de le prendre en otage pour prendre le temps de penser aux couches les plus défavorisées".

Un autre employé a fait savoir que ce n'est pas parce que Préval ne peut plus être candidat à la présidence qu'il doit oublier les masses qui l'ont voté.

Le président devrait se secouer avant que des secteurs politiques cherchent à exploiter ce début de raz-le-bol, a-t-il fait savoir.

Un des membres du comité organisateur de la grève Changeux Méhu, a rendu le gouvernement responsable de cette situation puisque, a-t-il dit, rien a été fait après plus d'un mois de négociations.

Il est inadmissible que les prix des contraventions passe de 50 à 1000 gourdes et de 100 gourdes à 10,000 gourdes et que les prix des produits pétroliers continuent d'augmenter sur le marché local, a déclaré Méhu Changeux.

Il a dit souhaiter que le gouvernement cesse de faire la sourde oreille et entende la voix de la raison, en prenant les décisions qui s'imposent.

"Nous n'avons pas voté en faveur du changement pour être ensuite méprisés, a lancé le syndicaliste.

Des parlementaires ont estimé la grève juste mais ont déploré qu'elle soit organisée justement au moment où des enfants composent.

Les autorités gouvernementales ont quelque chose à faire pour désamorcer cette nouvelle crise, a dit Noël Eliphète, estimant aussi qu'elles devraient fournir davantage d'informations à la population sur la gestion de la chose publique notamment sur l'accord Petro Caribe trouvé avec les autorités venézuéliennes pour la fourniture de carburant.

Le parlementaire a estimé toutefois que les jours de grève ont été mal choisis en raison, a-t-il dit, des examens officiels de la 6è année fondamentale qui se déroulent actuellement.

Le coordonnateur de la Fédération des Transporteurs Publics Haïtiens (FTPH), Rétes Réjouis, s'est déclarée pour la grève puis qu'elle est susceptible de pousser les autorités gouvernementales à satisfaire les revendications des syndicats des chauffeurs. Il juge toutefois inopportun qu'elle ait été fixée aux jours retenus pour le déroulement des examens officiels de la 6è année fondamentale.

Il appelle les autorités à prendre ce dossier au sérieux pour éviter le blocage des activités et à travailler à l'amélioration des conditions de vie de la population.

De son côté, le ministre des affaires sociales et du travail, Gérald Germain, a fustigé mardi l'attitude des responsables des syndicats de transport en commun qui pensent qu'ils ne peuvent trouver satisfaction à leurs revendications que par la grève.

" J'ai été surpris de l'annonce de cette grève ", a déclaré M. Germain soulignant que les syndicalistes ont pris cette décision alors qu'ils étaient en pleine n´gociation avec différents représentants de l'Etat, autour de leurs revendications.

A la question de savoir si le gouvernement ne pourrait pas baisser les prix des propuits pétroliers, le ministre a répondu qu'Haïti ne produit pas de pétrole et qu'on doit réagir conformément à la fluctuation sur le marché international.

Gérald Germain appelle le secteur syndical à revenir sur la table de négociation puis qu'il y a d'autres pointts en discussion. AHP 12 juin 2007 4:05 PM

AHP_Haiti - Agence Haitïenne de Presse: Le transport en commun paralysé en Haïti par une grève pour protester contre la hausse des prix du carburant.

Transport workers have gone on a two day strike to protest rising costs. Taptaps in Port-au-Prince have been parked.

The speaking tour has wrapped up. Loulou Chéry, Ginette Apollon, and Euvonie Georges-Auguste, completed a 11-city solidarity speaking tour. Through a combination of open, public meetings, consultations with trade union and community groups, and informal social events, the delegates met with hundreds of people.

Euvonie on the tour: After this tour, we know that we are not alone. We have seen that there are people in Canada who understand the struggle of the Haitian people. For me in particular, to be able to speak about the situation of the Haitian women who are most excluded, most marginalized – I now know that we are not forgotten. Our difficult reality is known and recognized.

Ginette Apollon's comments: This tour has been unbelievable, the reactions that we have had from people, the warm reception we received, and the sense of support and solidarity, superb. I have had the opportunity to travel to a number of other countries, and I have never felt this level of support and real connection with the people in different cities that came out to hear us and to meet with us. I greatly hope that the links that we have made through this Tour can be followed up on, and strengthened.

Loulou Chéry expressed his thanks: There really are not words to express our appreciation. All I can say is one, big “Merçi!” too all of the people involved in organizing and supporting this Tour. It has made a big difference to all of us, and we are returning to Haiti more confident than ever that there are people in Canada – all over – that support our struggle. We also anticipate that there will be delegations and groups travelling to Haiti from Canada and Québec as a result of this tour, and we look forward to welcoming them there, to give them a first-hand perspective on our work and our situation.

In the near future videos, more articles and photos will be posted. Thank you everyone that helped!

lire l'article entier:

Les Syndicalistes haïtiens du Commerce

Un groupe du Travail haïtien méritant la solidarité internationale est le CTH. Dans sa forme précédente, en 1959, le syndicat fut fonde durant la dictature de « Papa Doc» Duvalier et reste un des syndicats les plus renommés d'Haïti.

Pendant que beaucoup de syndicats d'Haïti sont devenus prochement liés aux agences de subventions étrangères, CTH a promu un agenda de souveraineté, protestant contre les politiques néoliberales de privatisation. CTH a promu largement les Droits du Travail, pour l'emploi au sein des secteurs ruraux et urbains. Organisant selon un modèle progressif et collectif , ses fédérations couvrent l'éducation, le transport, les ports, l'industrie du vêtement, le travail artisanal et le secteur informel. La Confédération est aussi impliquée dans les programmes du développement économique, de même que des programmes d'alphabétisation et de santé. Il fait état d'une adhésion totale de 110.000 personnes.

Une délégation du Travail récente aux bureaux CTH de Port-au-Prince a vu des centaines de jeunes engagés dans les cours de langue. La Confédération, dont deux bureaux á Port-au-Prince, est présente avec des bureaux dans tous les dix départements d'Haïti . CTH est membre du CLAT régional (La Central Latinomericana de Trabajadores), CTC (Consejo de Trabajadores del Caribe), et ITUC (la Confédération de l'Union de Commerce internationale).

Dans un entretien durant la période intérimaire, le Secrétaire Général CTH Paul « Loulou » Chéry a expliqué: « c'est une crise sans précédent. Notre population n'a pas connu une situation aussi grave depuis la naissance du pays… La majorité de la population a été plongée dans la misère, et l'exclusion. Au niveau des ouvriers, c'est le désespoir, comme il n'y a pas pratiquement d'emploi. Il y a, peut-être, 15% de la population qui véritablement est employée […] De nos jours, le gouvernement DE facto se livre á une chasse aux sorcières. Ils créent une situation de terreur, une situation de crainte, de répression systématique. Cette répression a eu pour résultat le meurtre de milliers de gens depuis le passage au coup d'état ».

Les organisateurs CTH décrivent comment les conditions de travail se sont détériorées rapidement après le coup d'état en 2004, qui a renversé le Président Aristide. Des centaines de leurs ouvriers ont été persécutés, jetés en prison et des milliers d'ouvriers du secteur public ont été débauchés des emplois de l'Etat. Beaucoup d'ouvriers dans les fédérations CTH ont vu leurs véhicules et leurs lieux de travail ciblés par des pyromanes, des factions d'ex-militaristes et d'opposition anti-gouvernementale. Peu après le coup d'état, Chéry a fait face á une escouade de mort entrée dans sa maison, qui l'ont menacé de mort.

Avant le coup d'état, ils expliquent que l'embargo sur l'aide internationale contre le gouvernement élu a aussi créé le déclin économique, repoussant les investisseurs et nuisant á la capacité du gouvernement á réaliser ses promesses. Mais le gouvernement élu d'Aristide, observent-ils, même sous ces conditions, a soutenu une augmentation du salaire minimum et divers programmes profitant aux ouvriers urbains pauvres. Aujourd'hui, ils maintiennent leur indépendance de tout parti politique , mais décrivent le respect pour la démocratie comme une nécessité. Ils décrivent comment ils ont refusé de joindre le Groupe de la Campagne 184 , dans lequel des groupes du Travail soutenus par des subventions étrangères ont coopéré avec une vaste campagne de déstabilisation

Les ouvriers CTH veulent un pays fonctionnel, dans lequel ils peuvent s'organiser et améliorer leurs vies. Dan Beeton a résumé pourquoi les citoyens des Etats-Unis doivent soutenir les efforts continus d'organisation des syndicalistes haïtiens du commerce:

« À travers l'histoire d'Haïti, les Etats-Unis ont été d'habitude un mauvais voisin, envahissant et occupant le pays à plusieurs reprises, érigeant des dictateurs, et parfois bloquant l'assistance économique au pays. Nombres de prescriptions politiques économiquement endommageantes sont provenues egalement de Washington, y compris la privatisation d'industries d'Etat et la promotion de zones de traitement d'exportation qui entravent le développement de l'industrie haïtienne et produisent peu de Revenu…Considérant l'histoire des relations des Etats-Unis avec Haïti, les Américainsse doivent de soutenirle droit des haïtiens á organiser des syndicats du Commerce indépendants et ádé fendre uine politique qui encouragera un Développement réel et durable».

Ginette Apollon, á la tête de la Commission des Femmes CTH, Paul « Loulou » Chéry, Secrétaire Général CTH, et Euvonie George-Auguste, une dirigeante des Droits des Femmes Haïtiennes, et activiste, feront une tournee au Canada en Mai et Juin 2007. CTH a lancé récemment un site web à haitilabor.org

The CTH tour across Canada has been a great success thus far, meeting with hundreds of activists, students and trade unionists.

Here is just one of the report backs. From Barry Weisleder in Ontario:

Close to twenty union activists and staff of the Ontario Public Service Employees' Union crowded a boardroom at the union's Toronto regional office at 31 Wellesley Street East, 4 p.m. on May 25 to hear Ginette Apollon speak about the situation of workers in Haiti today.

Sister Ginette spoke in French, and with the able assistance of translator Charles Nantel, stunned the gathering with details about the abysmal working and living conditions in Haiti, and the uphill battle of the under-resourced Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH) against sweat-shop employers and 'yellow' unions. She spoke of the nefarious role of the Canadian state and its allies in the anti-Aristide coup, and the ongoing occupation and economic strangulation of Haiti. She also testified to the positive example of Cuba and Venezuela in providing doctors, medicines and cheap fuel to Haiti to alleviate the suffering of the majority.

In attendance at the meeting were OPSEU negotiators, grievance officers, communications personnel, staff reps., human rights activists and local union executive officers. Brother Joe Healey, Vice-President of the Greater Toronto Area Council of OPSEU, formally thanked Ginette for her remarks and presented her with a number of gifts from the union.

Pam Doig, an OPSEU Head Office staff representative, welcomed Ginette on behalf of OPSEU's President-elect Smokey Thomas, who sent his regrets at being unable to be present.

I particularly want to thank Pam for working with me in the days leading up to the meeting and for facilitating the outreach, the refreshments and the venue for our highly successful gathering.

Euvonie Georges-Auguste arrived at the conclusion of the meeting, fresh from a speaking engagement at Ryerson University. I briefly introduced her to the OPSEU folks, who responded warmly and included her in photos with Ginette and union officers.

Nearly everyone present provided personal contact information for ongoing news and connections with the Toronto Haiti Action Committee. A couple of unionists invited Ginette to an event in the Toronto francophone community the next day.

Judging from comments by a number of participants, the CTH can look forward to meaningful support from OPSEU bodies, and CHAN/THAC can look forward to a partnership with OPSEU in the field of solidarity with the workers of Haiti.

From friends in CHAN:

After many months of planning, promotion, and building support, the Canada-Haiti Labour and Women's Solidarity Tour was launched tonight (Wed. May 23) in Ottawa with an open public meeting at the main hall at PSAC national office.

Some 45 audience members, including a number of newcomers to the subject, heard direct reports from Paul "Loulou" Chéry (CTH trade union) and women's rights organizer Euvonie Georges Auguste. Loulou Chéry began with an overview of the difficult economic and social situation currently facing Haitian workers. He pointed out first and foremost that the terrible economic situation - particularly the mass unemployment in the Haitian economy - was worsened significantly by the turmoil and upheaval unleashed by the coup d'etat of February 29, 2004.

He pointed out, for example, that he himself had to go into hiding for a period of time after the coup, recognizing that as an independent trade union leader openly opposed to the coup, he was unpopular with the forces (both Haitian and international) that were running the country at the time. He also underlined the fact that the few sources of international support enjoyed by the CTH prior to the coup were suspended afterward.

After providing those gathered with a description of the many efforts of the CTH and its leaders to re-organize and solidify themselves organizationally, he finished with some reflections on the new reality of the country following the election of President René Préval in early 2006. He pointed out that while the experience of the new government has been in part disappointing, there is no question that there is a certain degree of security and stability that simply did not exist under the de facto coup regime. But, despite a number of meetings with trade union leaders, and a stated desire to achieve social "inclusion" from all sectors in major decisions, the conclusion reached by the CTH is that President Préval has - too often - been "listening to the bosses" rather than the workers.

He concluded with an invitation to all assembled, and particularly the trade unionists, to work toward establishing a partnership of solidarity (not "aid" or "help"). He envisioned that this might be established through the formation of a trade union grouping (from one or more trade unions) which might offer some ongoing cooperative relationships. In particular, he extended an invitation to all interested to form delegations that might travel to Haiti - on the invitation of the CTH - to see directly the operations of his union, and the terrifically difficult circumstances within which they must operate.

The next presentation, from Euvonie Georges Auguste, focused on the very difficult situation of Haitian women. In particular, Euvonie introduced herself as a member of the clergy with the religion of Vaudou, with a particular emphasis on the empowerment and education of rural women. She pointed out that the vast majority of rural women are not only very poor and marginalized but also practitioners of a religion that has been systematically repressed by the various political powers that have ruled Haiti since the Haitian revolution of 1804. Nonetheless, the practitioners of Vaudou have survived and continued to struggle, despite their isolation and fundamental exclusion from the larger Haitian society.

Euvonie talked about her work with the BRAV women's network, a group that has been particularly devoted to the provision of basic women's literacy and health information programs. She was the national coordinator of a significant project which aimed at extending a successful program that provided training and literacy centres across the country. The objectives for these centres was to establish safe spaces within which to wage the campaign against HIV/AIDS, and provide young women with basic education and supports. According to Euvonie, young women who become pregnant are among the most excluded and oppressed sectors of Haiti's population. "They are tossed aside," she says.

It was while working on the expansion of these basic women's education centres that Euvonie experienced the 2004 coup d'état that not only sent President Aristide into exile, it forced her into exile as well, effectively destroying the program that she and her organization had been building for almost two years. Since her return to Haiti from her exile in St. Lucia in 2006 (after the inauguration of President Préval), she has been organizing to re-establish the networks and organization that had been in place. However, she and her organization do not have a financial base from which to operate, and she indicated a serious interest in finding partner organizations in Canada with whom she might work to consolidate the re-establishment of her organization.

The question period that followed demonstrated that the audience - including a number of active members of the Haitian community from the region - was interested in the presentations, and very serious about wanting to see ongoing relationships established. A number of copies of the special issue of Press for Conversion on Canada in Haiti were sold, and several dozen email addresses were collected. Finally, the presentations were also digitally recorded - our objective will be to make the recording available online (at canadahaitiaction.ca) as soon as possible. We hope that organizers of the Tour in other cities will also consider making digital recordings of presentations or interviews given by our Tour delegates, for sharing and compiling once the Tour is complete.

All in all, a very successful kick-off for what we in Ottawa and Gatineau hope will be a terrific two-week tour. Tomorrow night our delegates will speak to a major public meeting - our first - held in Gatineau. One thing that tonight's event certainly made clear: there is simply no substitute for hearing voices of real, grassroots movement leaders - directly, without the mediation of journalists, politicians, or others who tend to interfere with the truth!

Many of the federations and unions within CTH were attacked following February 29 2004. One of these was FAENNE (Federation of Associations of Teachers in the North and Northeast -Haiti). A FAENNE official explained in late 2004 that "The man who came with my arrest warrant is the OPL representative for the north." For over a year members of the OPL, local ex-military and the CNEH private school union intimidated members of FAENNE. The OPL has long advocated privatizaiton, while FAENNE has advocated public education for all. Some FAENNE workers were fired from jobs, others were threatened with jail and had property attacked. FAENNE workers did not have a cent, no offices or equipment left after repeated attacks, they were not able to afford travel even to CTH national meetings.

But we now have received good news from AUMOHD (Association des Universitaires Motivés Pour Une Haïti Des Droits). FAENNE and AUMOHD report that the CNEH has finally ended its campaign of intimidation. The workers of FAENNE are now secure. But they still need support! The authorities have failed to investigate or jail many of the ex-military in the north of Haiti that have persecuted and even killed trade unionists.

Jacob Jean François, General Secretary of FAENNE

CTH lancera son tout premier "Travail et Tournée de Solidarité des Femmes" à travers le Canada.

Nous espérons rencontrer une grande variété de gens et propager la voix du mouvement du Labeur haïtien. Ginette Apollon, à la tête de la Commission des Femmes de la Confédération des Travailleurs haitiens (CTH), Paul « Loulou » Chéry, le Secrétaire Général du CTH, Euvonie George-Auguste, une dirigeante des Droits des Femmes Haïtiennes et une activiste, feront tournée au Canada en mai et juin 2007.

Lisez un nouvel article qui discute des problèmes importants à propos du Labeur ici à Haïti. Toutes donations pour nous aider a couvrir nos frais de transport peuvent être envoyées à Haïti, à :

CTH, 117, Rue des MIracles, Port-au-le Prince, Haïti W.I

Ou aux Etats-Unis à :

(aux soins de la) CTH, P.O BOx 2218, Berkeley, CA 94702, Etats-Unis.

Ou au Canada à :

(aux soins de la) CTH, 50 Laurel St., , Ottawa, SUR K1Y 3C9 Canada.

Ottawa les 23,24 mai, Toronto, Ontario méridional le 25 au 28 mai, Halifax les 25,26 mai, Winnipeg les 27,28 mai, Calgary, Edmonton le 29 mai, Fredericton les 29,30 mai, Vancouver le 30 mai, Victoria le 31 mai, Montréal le 2 au 5 juin

Dear Friends,

We are writing to inform you of the Canada-Haiti Labour and Women's Solidarity Tour that will travel to eleven cities across Canada in late May/early June 2007. The tour will feature three trade union and women's rights leaders from Haiti. They are Ginette Apollon and Paul Chéry of the Conféderation des travailleurs haitiens (CTH), and women's rights leader and activist Euvonie Georges-Auguste.

The initial list of sponsors of the speaking tour includes:

* Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)

* National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE)

* Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)

* Ottawa and District Labour Council

* Halifax/Dartmouth District Labour Council

* Vancouver and District Labour Council

* Hospital Employees Union (division of CUPE)

* CHORHA (Haitian community organization in Hull/Ottawa)

* Canada Haiti Action Network (chaptersin 13 cities)

* LACHASauSHA (Haitian community organization in Hull/Ottawa)

* Nowar-Paix (Network to Oppose War and Racism--Ottawa)

* Rassemblement Outaouais contre la guerre (ROCG)

* Canadian Union of Public Employees,Local 4600 (Ottawa)

* Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group (NSPIRG)

* OPIRG-Carleton

* OPIRG-Toronto

* Hands Off Venezuela - Ottawa

* Café Justicia

* Grupo Apoyo Pueblos de las Americas(GAPA)

* Ottawa Fair Trade Network (OFTN)

* Cross Cultural Sound Exchange

* Global Justice Working Group of First Unitarian - Ottawa

* Halifax Peace Coalition

* Student Coalition Against War (SCAW--Halifax)

* St. Mary's University Women's Centre (Halifax)

* Dalhousie University Women's Centre (Halifax)

* Stopwar.ca (Vancouver)

Our goal in each city is to organize seminars, public meetings and other exchanges with the delegation in order to learn more about the situation in Haiti and to stimulate ongoing contact and solidarity between trade union and women's rights organizations in our two countries. The tour will also serve to raise funds for the difficult and ongoing work of the speakers and the organizations they represent. Any participation and financial support that you can offer to the speaking tour is welcome. All funds raised beyond the travel costs of the tour will go to the CTH's organizing efforts and to the grassroots women's organizations that the speakers represent.

From May 22 to June 5, 2007 CTH will be launching its first ever Labor and Women Solidarity Tour to take place across Canada. We hope to meet with a wide variety of people and spread the word about the Haitian labor movement. Ginette Apollon, head of the womens commission of the Confédération des travailleurs haitiens (CTH), Paul "Loulou" Chéry, General Secretary of the CTH, and Euvonie Georges-Auguste, a Haitian women's rights leader and activist will be touring Canada in May and June of 2007. Read a new article that discusses important issues for labor in Haiti here. Any donations to help us in our transportation expenses can be sent in Haiti to:

CTH, 117, rue des miracles, Port-au-Prince, Haiti W.I

or in the United States to:

c/o CTH, P.O. Box 2218, Berkeley, CA 94702 United States.

or In Canada to:

c/o CTH, 50 Laurel St., Ottawa, ON K1Y 3C9 Canada.

Above is a map of our tour dates in Canada: : Ottawa May 23, 24, Toronto, southern Ontario May 25 to 28, Halifax May 25, 26, Winnipeg May 27, 28, Calgary, Edmonton May 29, Fredericton May 29, 30, Vancouver May 30, Victoria May 31, Montreal June 2 to 5

Here is a well compiled report back on the international day of solidarity at the HaitiJustice blog. A large contingent of CTH workers accompanied the demonstration in Port-au-Prince.

JOIN the CTH in protesting the foreign occupation of Haiti on February 7, 2007. 62 cities in Latin America, North America, Africa, and Europe have joined the call to action. Haiti once again has a democratically elected government but many of the policies put into practice by the illegal interim government remain in place.

Here is a interview with CTH general secretary that discusses the 2004 coup d'etat.

A Situation of Terror: Haitian Union Leader on the 2004 coup

Paul Chery interviewed by Kevin Skerrett

November 04, 2005

In late September 2005, the General Secretary of the Confédération des travailleurs haitiens (CTH - one of Haiti’s biggest unions), Paul “Loulou” Chéry, visited Ottawa and Montréal. Chéry was on a speaking tour organized to allow Canadian and Québecois trade unionists direct access to a trade union voice from Haiti.

Kevin Skerrett, a trade union researcher active with the Canada Haiti Action Network, interviewed Loulou on September 26. The interview focused particular attention on the perspective of Haiti’s labour movement on the February 29, 2004 coup d’état that overthrew Haiti’s elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, along with thousands of other elected officials. The following is a translation and transcript of that interview.

***

Kevin Skerrett: First of all, can you introduce yourself a bit, and give us a sense of the current situation in Haiti?

Loulou Chéry: Yes, my name is Paul “Loulou” Chéry, and I am the General Secretary of the Confédération des Travailleurs Haitiens, the CTH. I follow the current situation very closely, obviously, especially the situation of the labour movement, and the population in general. After the coup of 29 February, 2004, the general situation has deteriorated a great deal. It is a crisis without precedent, our population has not known a situation this grave since the founding of the country. There is the appearance of life, but in reality, there is no life.

The majority of the population has been plunged into misery, and exclusion. At the level of the workers, there is hopelessness, as there are practically no jobs. There are, maybe, 15% of the population who are truly employed. Even those who work, do not have the “luxury” of being unionized. There are some exceptions to this. For example, we have the APN, the National Port Authority, and there is a union there, a strong union, affiliated to the CTH. At the post office, there is a union which is linked to the Québec Federation of Labour, which also has a good working relationship with the CTH. There is also Teleco (the publicly-owned national telephone company), where there is a union which is independent, but which also has a relationship with the FTQ (Québec Federation of Labour).

As for the other state enterprises, there are not really any unionized workforces, and in the private sector, there is practically no unionization. There are only unions in certain professions, such as teachers, artisans, informal sector, transport, and here they are independent unions.

Currently, as you know, we are facing elections, in order to elect a president, a president who will succeed President Boniface [Alexandre], the current de facto president, who replaced President Aristide after the coup. At this point, the de facto government is conducting a witch-hunt. They are creating a situation of terror, a situation of fear, of systematic repression. This repression has resulted in the killing of thousands of people since the execution of the coup. Despite this, they are now organizing elections.

What is the reaction of the population to this planning of elections? The people are not ready for elections, this is clear. They are organizing them anyway, because the three countries (Canada, US, France) have to prove that they were right to remove President Aristide through the coup. They have to prove to everyone that this was the only solution, and so they are proceeding with the elections even though any future “elected” president will be what we call a “puppet” president – meaning, a president who has no power. No real power. The real decisions will be taken by Washington, by Ottawa, etc.

And, I think, right after February 7 2006, the protests will start the very next day. These elections are already contested. And this will create a paralysis.

KS: So this new president is not going to have any legitimacy in the minds of the population?

LS: No. It’s impossible, because it will not be the will of the population that will be expressed in these elections; it’s the will of small groups who will “select” someone to be the president.

KS: On the coup d’état itself, the Government of Canada has claimed that President Aristide had lost support among the population of Haiti…

LS: This is false. It’s totally false. Whatever they say, it’s false. Certain small groups were manipulated by certain political leaders of the political opposition. And, the Group 184, which is led by the bosses, did influence a student group, which unfortunately today regrets what happened, and they now understand that the situation is totally different from what they had claimed at the time.

KS: Were there not trade unions that signed-on to the Group 184 (a “civil society” political opposition group)?

LS: There were no unions; there were certain trade unionists.

KS: What’s the difference?

LS: The union is the structure that brings together the collectivity of the membership. But, there were certain influential individuals who went around the union structure, and affiliated themselves to the Group 184 as individuals. Doing so meant going completely outside the norms, the principles, the democracy of the union. This is to say, it did not reflect the labour movement or any of the unions as a whole. This was a small group of what we call, in general, we refer to these individuals as dissidents, dissidents who use the name of the movement, who leave the movement and use the name of the movement to involve themselves in politics.

KS: So, for you, for a Canadian NGO, such as Rights and Democracy, to suggest that the Group 184 was a “promising” civil society movement, what would be your reaction to this suggestion?

LS: Listen, this was a systematic campaign of dismantling and destabilization of the Lavalas government. It was a media campaign, orchestrated by certain media in Haiti, of which I could give you several names, that supported and paid a lot of money to spin lies and send lies outside of Haiti, to say that President Aristide had lost his popularity. On the ground, it’s completely different. I can give you an example. On the first of January 2004, there were about one million Haitians in the streets, supporting President Aristide. And again, on the 7th of February, there were more than one million Haitians out in the streets supporting President Aristide – more than a million! Imagine! And never, ever, could the opposition put close to 100,000 people in the street. Never. It’s just like in Venezuela. Remember? There was a small group who wanted to overthrow President Chavez. Fortunately, they weren’t able to do this…

KS: They nearly did.

LS: Yes, nearly. But the population mobilized, and they blocked it. They stopped a coup very similar to what later unfolded in Haiti.

KS: And perhaps, without the intervention of the US military in Haiti, we might have seen the same mobilization, the same sort of thing could have happened in Haiti. A popular mobilization in defense of their elected government.

LS: Exactly. Because, the US trained a group of former military, former soldiers, former police officers – now called “rebels” – who went into certain areas of the country, and started killing people, killing police officers. It became a “capture” of the population that they would use to justify their intervention. And, in doing so, they killed the dream of the people with this coup.

KS: We have heard a lot in the alternative press, since the coup, about the fact that there are still many people in Haiti who continue to demonstrate in the streets their support for President Aristide and the elected constitutional government. But in our Canadian newspapers, such as the Globe and Mail, and even in some of our “alternative media”, such as the NGO called Alternatives, we read about a supposed campaign of violence, a terror campaign, carried out by Lavalas called “Operation Baghdad”. I’d like to know your reaction to these stories.

LS: They use this phrase to demonize the movement, the people, and Lavalas supporters in particular, in order to stop this movement. There have been instances, at times, of infiltration by thugs, who infiltrate demonstrations in order to create panic and disorder. But in general, the demonstrations are quite peaceful. However, several times, I don’t have all the dates right here, but several times, it has been the police that opened fire on the crowd. And, this did provoke a hostile reaction from the crowd, some of whom went after the police, and things degenerated. They took from this, they labeled this “Operation Baghdad”. But there is no “Operation Baghdad”. It’s totally false.

KS: It doesn’t exist?

LS: It doesn’t exist! It’s to misinform people, to distract people away from the real problems, and the real causes of this violence.

KS: Last question. Our government, the Government of Canada, is claiming that they are delivering financial aid for the reconstruction of Haiti, the construction of highways, of schools, etc. What is your sense of the validity of these claims, and what is the perception of Canada among the population of Haiti?

LS: The people of Haiti view the United States, Canada, France, and even the United Nations, very badly. Very badly. Because, the population does not see among these countries any will to truly help the population. We don’t see it. There are promises, promises to donate and rebuild, and these promises today remain just that - promises. The suggestion that Canada has been building highways – I have not seen a single kilometre of highway built by Canada. I am not everywhere, I live in Port-au-Prince, so it’s possible that I may have missed something – but I doubt it. I think I would have heard about this.

KS: Loulou, thanks for your time.

LS: No problem.

***

On November 12, at 1:00pm, the Canada Haiti Action Network will kick off a “Pan-Canadian Week of Action” in solidarity with the people of Haiti with a mass demonstration on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. For more information, see: http://www.canadahaitiaction.ca

To join the email info-list of the Canada Haiti Action Network, email kskerrett@cupe.ca