Today (7/15/07) we wish a happy birthday for ousted former Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide!

Today we find Aristide in Africa living in exile away from his homeland of Haiti where he was democratically elected by the majority of the Haitian peoples. Aristide's message and platform was one of liberation theology, a belief that unending service to the poor, weak and underpriviliged people is the true service to God. Aristide's services to the poor and disenfranchised populace of Haiti resulted in his stepping on the toes of some very powerful people in Haiti's elite class of wealthy sweatshop owners (Andre Apaid, Group of 184, etc..) who incorrectly believed that Aristide's reforms risked their status as wealthy landowners by asking for a measly raise for workers and their rights to organize a labor union..

This false perception of threats to their elite status resulted in Haiti's wealthy class joining the US political regime under direction of GW Bush/Cheney in orchestrating a well though out coup against Arisitide in 2004, blaming him for the rampant poverty in Haiti. The actual cause of continued povertyin Haiti is lack of support from wealthier nations and years of economic boycott against Aristide by US, France and Canada..

Free trade agreements; WTO, NAFTA, etc.. also add to Haiti's poverty and economic instability by allowing unregulated US corporations import subsidized rice into Haiti, forcing small Haitian rice farmers (Artibonite Valley) and clairin growers out of business..

"Rice import tariff reductions in Haiti has made it more difficult for local rice producers to compete with imports. An article published in 1999 after evaluating agricultural and food price policy in Haiti concluded that "reducing tariffs on both rice and corn, decreased retail and farm prices and increased consumption and imports."[10] This is also confirmed by the IMF which in a report 2001 states "Trade liberalization has contributed to a large increase in imports of rice. At the same time, domestic production has gone down substantially."[11]

Some argue that the resulting flood of relatively cheap rice imports originating mostly from the United States has had a negative impact on Haiti. The decline in the demand for Haitian rice has been devastating to an already desperate rural population. Rice farmers are some of the most vulnerable members of the population; the alternative employment options for farmers in Haiti are extremely limited.

Furthermore, competition between Haitian and American rice growers is not exactly fair. While US rice production is "subsidized through a variety of mechanisms"[12], the small, struggling domestic rice industry in Haiti receives no support from the government. Rice farmers do not receive export subsidies or other types of domestic support. According to Mark Weisbrot, Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, "You can't expect a country like Haiti to compete on world markets immediately. If you look at those countries that have succeeded in dramatically increasing their per capita incomes -- countries like Japan, South Koreas, and Taiwan -- you will find hey all did it under some kind of protection."[13]

Several Haitian and international NGOs have claimed that the US is guilty of dumping rice in Haiti. The US now dominates the rice market in Haiti. Most American rice exports are handled "by a single US corporation -- American Rice Inc. -- which has enjoyed an almost monopolistic position in Haiti."[14] The Haitian government should investigate if US companies are selling rice at a "fair" price. Click here for a more detailed discussion of US rice dumping in Haiti."

article @;

http://www.american.edu/TED/haitirice.htm

Following the 2004 coup Haiti endured the relentless slaughter of Aristide's supporters in Fanmi Lavalas, the US/UN occupation forces negligence to stop violence, and the illegitimate regime of Gerard Tortue, an ally of Haiti'e elite sweatshop owners..

"In 1804, the success of the Haitian Slave Revolution has made Haiti the first black independent country in the world. This Haitian great victory symbolized not only a victory against colonialism and slavery but also against racism, injustice and tyranny.

Two hundred years later, while Haiti is celebrating the bicentennial anniversary of its independence, a small minority helped by the same colonialist countries that have supported slavery for many years organized a "coup d'état" against the democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and stopped the Haiti ongoing democratic process. This recent coup is the 34th bloody coup d'état that happened during these 200 years following 1804.

Human rights organizations reports and direct talks with Fanmi Lavalas grassroots have shown that the situation in Haiti is one of insecurity and generalized violence. Rights of citizen are not protected; Haitian people can no more speak freely or demonstrate. Since President Aristide forced departure, Fanmi Lavalas members and supporters across the country have been killed, illegally arrested, and many more are in hiding or in exile, properties have been ransacked or confiscated. The country is being governed without any constitutional rule. All democratic principles are being violated.

It's clear that since February 29th, 2004, Haiti is under occupation. Instead of celebrating their independence, Haitian people are brought back to the period prior to 1804 where they had to fight for freedom, justice, respect of people vote and basic human rights. It is ashamed that in the 21st century, power can be used to overthrow a democratically elected president."

article cont's @;

http://www.haitiaction.net/News/FL/8_13_4.html

These false perceptions also resulted in US journalists being fed incorrect info about the causes of the coup in Haiti, prompting some to mislabel Aristide as a "sell-out" who was unable to fulfill his previously stated reforms. Given the similarities to the US led coup against Hugo Chavez in Venezuala, it follows that Aristide being ousted from his office only benefits the wealthy elite, sweatshop owners and far-right neoconservative hijackers of US democracy (aka GW bush regime). As one of these initially misled journalists, i offer my sincere apologies to Jean Bertrand Aristide, Fanmi Lavalas and the Haitian people for having spoken out against Aristide before hearing the entire story. The truth is i should have known better than to depend entirely on sources from the wealthier suburbs of Petionville. Given the previous coup against Aristide earlier research would have disproven Aristide as a "sell-out" in 2004. We cannot discount the harm done by the rumor media of gossip and character assassinations taking place amongst otherwise king-hearted middle class Haitians who are susceptible to local dis-info campaigns or expressing right-wing ideologies to appeal to their elitist neighbors..

This from Zmag;

"Disinformation media



"The Haitian press, most notably Radio Metropole, Radio Vision 2000, Radio Kiskeya, Radio Caraibe and Tele-Haiti, have shown themselves to be wanton whores in the campaign to sow confusion and panic among the people. They are active players in the U.S. campaign to destabilize Haiti's constitutional government. With total disregard for principles of "objective journalism," they circulate exaggerated reports of violence by Lavalas, turn a blind eye to violence on the part of the opposition, and underreport the size and frequency of Lavalas demonstrations demanding President Aristide fulfill his five-year term in office. They regularly produce and air commercials calling upon the population to "claim their democratic rights" by joining anti-Aristide street actions. Just as in Venezuela, where local elites use their media to spearhead the opposition to President Hugo Chavez, the clear objective in Haiti is to throw the constitution in the trash and force President Aristide to resign.



Never mind that Radio Vision 2000 is owned by the same right-wing Boulos family that funds the Haiti Democracy Project in Washington D.C. Never mind that Tele-Haiti was founded by Andre Apaid, the self-proclaimed leader of Group 184 that was "created from whole cloth" by the Haiti Democracy Project. (See “The Bush Administration’s End Game for Haiti,” December 4.) Never mind that two prominent journalists of Radio Metropole were funded by the U.S. State Department to tour the United States in mid-January of this year to meet with editorial boards around the country to spread their message of the evils of Aristide's "dictatorship." Ignore the fact that they are a major source of information for the Associated Press, Reuters and France's venerable RFI whose reporters can be seen openly sharing "information" with them buddy-buddy style on any given day. Here’s the way it works: Metropole reports a fabrication; AP and RFI pick it up for their wire services, then Kiskeya and the others report it again in Haiti backed by the credibility of the international press. The positive feedback loop of disinformation for the opposition is now complete."

article @;

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=4967

Then it is up to independent non-corporate media to be aware of these events prior to their unfolding so that we don't make mistakes and inadvertantly support the hidden policies of the GW Bush/Cheney regime and their CIA coups against populist leaders like Haiti's Aristide. We also call for an end to his exile and a dignified return of Aristide to Haiti where he may again run for office of Haiti's President (without interference from US, Group of 184, sweatshop owners, etc..)..

We wish Former President Aristide a Happy Birthday!!

A Fanmi Lavalas supporter