Recent Commentary From "NYC Friends Of Kucinich" Supporter L.S.White On Current Events In Haiti
Eleven years ago, I had the good fortune to be hired as a sound recordist for documentaries about Haiti, during the time of the first coup d'etat against President Aristide, 7 months into his first term. His campaign slogan was, "from misery to poverty with dignity", a modest goal for the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. They never gave him a chance. I witnessed first hand the crushing poverty and abject fear of the populace under the thugs that were running the country under Gen. Cedras and the FRAPH paramilitary. I also came to understand the United States complete complicity in everything that goes on in Haiti, past and present, Democrat and Republican. So, when the situation began to deteriorate shortly after Haiti celebrated the 200th anniversary of the overthrow of slavery and kicking the French out, I read between the lines very carefully. But you don't have to read between the lines to see what the Bush administration has done to the duly elected head of state in the past couple of weeks. Recent first-hand independent press reports and interviews with Pres. Aristide, collected with great difficulty, reveal that he was tricked and coerced into exile by the U.S. and France, and a puppet regime is being installed that will be compliant to the wishes of America and France. This must not stand. Congressperson Barbara Lee and John Conyers have introduced legislation entitled the TRUTH Act, calling for a full Congressional investigation into the Bush administration's organization of and complicity in Artistide's overthrow. Please write, call or email your representative and ask, no DEMAND that they co-sponsor this legislation. Eight million impoverished Haitians will be ever grateful to you.