Support Aristide's Return to Haiti

HAITI ACTION COMMITTEE ALERT.

http://www.haitisolidarity.net/article.php?id=444

TO: President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michele Obama:

Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former liberation theology
priest, was elected by the people of Haiti as their
president in 1990 and again in 2000 (by 60% and 92% of
the vote respectively). Both times he was overthrown by
military coups - in 2004 directly by the US with
backing from France and Canada. UN troops have occupied
Haiti ever since, and thousands of people have been
persecuted and even killed for demanding his return.

After the earthquake, President Aristide told the
media, from his forced exile in South Africa, that he
wanted to come back immediately to be with his people.
So far he has not been allowed home. On 22 May 2010,
Haitian women meeting at the Democratic Debate at the
Aristide Foundation for Democracy on May 22, 2010
launched a petition that has gathered over 20,000
signatures. They have invited people internationally to
add their names.

"We, the women of Haiti, believe that in the wake of
the void left by the earthquake of January 12, which
devastated the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince and
much of the southwest, Jean-Bertrand Aristide has
tremendous contributions to offer towards the
rebuilding of the country.[We] ask President Obama to
return President Aristide and his family, without
conditions, as required by Article 41 of the Haitian
Constitution." (full text below)

Haitian women know what's best for them and their
families, and for the reconstruction of their
communities and their country. We urge you to meet
their demand so that President Aristide and his family
can finally return home.

TO SIGN THE ON-LINE PETITION, CLICK HERE:
http://www.petitiononline.com/haitiwom/petition-sign.html

Background

On 8 March, International Women's Day, 3,000 women at
Camp Mesiane, Vilaj Solidarite, Champs de Mars, Place
Boyer, Bonne Fille, Mais Gate, Site Soley and others
issued a statement calling for the return of Jean-
Bertrand and Mildred Aristide, and for women's demands
to be central in the reconstruction of Haiti. Soon
another petition was circulating - it already has more
than 20,000 signatures.

Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former liberation theology
priest, was elected by the people of Haiti as their
president in 1990 and again in 2000 (by 60% and 92% of
the vote respectively). Both times President Aristide
was overthrown by military coups; in 2004 it was
directly by the US with backing from France and Canada.
UN troops have occupied Haiti ever since, and thousands
have been persecuted and killed for demanding his
return.

After the earthquake, Aristide told the media, from his
forced exile in South Africa, that he wanted to come
back immediately to be with his people. So far he has
not been allowed home despite the growing call for his
return. Women and men are invited to sign in support of
the women's demands.

Open Petition from Women of Haiti to President Barack
Obama For the Return of former President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide to Haiti

"We, the women of Haiti, represent more that 52% of the
Haitian population. For the past two centuries we have
waged a long struggle to be able to exercise our
political rights against tremendous opposition.

Thanks to President Aristide in 1991, the exercise of
women's political rights began to be a reality. Jean-
Bertrand Aristide is the only president of Haiti who
worked to officially open up space for all Haitian
women to participate in the political life of the
country at every level. To advocate and educate for the
respect of women's rights, and to ensure that women's
voices were represented at every level of government,
President Aristide created a Ministry of Women's
Affairs.

At the same time beginning in 2001, President
Aristide's administration initiated social programs
that benefited women and children, such as a national
school lunch program, a national literacy program, the
construction of hundreds of new public high schools and
primary schools, and a public health program with
health clinics in every communal section of the
country.

We, the women of Haiti, believe that in the wake of the
void left by the earthquake of January 12, which
devastated the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince and
much of the southwest, Jean-Bertrand Aristide has
tremendous contributions to offer towards the
rebuilding of the country.

Women who have been participating in the democratic
debates at the auditorium of the Aristide Foundation
for Democracy each Saturday since the earthquake launch
this petition and undertake to gather signatures of
women throughout the country, from every department of
Haiti to ask President Barack Obama to return President
Aristide and his family, without conditions, as
required by Article 41 of the Haitian Constitution.

We ask women around the world who support the popular
movement of Haiti to take up this petition, add their
names, and send it to President Obama and his wife
Michele Obama."

This petition was launched by women meeting at the
Democratic Debate at the Aristide Foundation for
Democracy on May 22, 2010.

Endorsement call issued by: Global Women Strike (GWS)
and Women of Colour in the GWS
www.globalwomenstrike.net

Email: [log in to unmask] Tel: 323-276-9833

Information: www.Haitisolidarity.net Email:
[log in to unmask] www.Aristidefoundation.net

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