Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Haiti action

Thursday, July 21
EMERGENCY PROTEST!
STOP U.N. "PEACEKEEPER" MASSACRES IN HAITI!

Gather: 4 P.M. - Powell and Market, San Francisco
March to Brazilian Consulate, 300 Montgomery: 4:30 P.M.
Followed by Picket at the Brazilian Consulate.

On the morning of July 6, 2005, more than 350 heavily armed United Nations "peacekeeping" forces killed at least 23 unarmed people in the densely populated Port-au-Prince neighborhood of Cite Soleil. Some estimates indicate that 50 or more may have died. The UN Force Commander, Brazilian Lt. General Augusto Heleno, claims there was a "firefight," yet there were no UN deaths or injuries.

THIS WAS A MASSACRE. Photographic evidence and eyewitness testimony confirm that the U.N. murdered unarmed civilians, including a 4-year old child, shot through the head.

Cite Soleil has been the focus of attacks by both UN forces and the Haitian police because it remains a powerful base of support for the democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the Lavalas movement. The U.N. operation targeted and killed Emmanuel "Dred" Wilme, a well-known community leader in Cite Soleil, who had been in the forefront of the neighborhood's resistance to the illegal coup regime. The attack came just a few days after U.S. Ambassador to Haiti James Foley labeled Haitian grassroots activists as "terrorists" and "gang members", sending a clear signal that it was now open season on civilians.

Since a U.S.-orchestrated coup overthrew the democratic government in February 2004, a United Nations force of 7500 troops has occupied Haiti. The U.N. has supported the coup regime, which has killed and imprisoned thousands of innocent people. As the U.N. mouths its concerns for human rights around the world, it attacks the poorest communities in Haiti and backs up the violent repression carried out by the Haitian police. Brazil continues to do the bidding of the United States by heading-up this brutal U.N. military operation in Haiti.

On July 21, there will be coordinated protests in many U.S. and Canadian cities to condemn the U.N. massacre in Cite Soleil. Please join us!

END THE U.S./U.N. OCCUPATION OF HAITI!
RESTORE DEMOCRACY AND PRESIDENT ARISTIDE!

Sponsored by the HAITI ACTION COMMITTEE. Endorsed by the ANSWER Coalition.
For more information: visit www.haitiaction.net or contact haitiaction@yahoo.com or 510.483.7481.
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