Brazil's President Lula da Silva is set to visit Haiti on Wed. May 28, commemorating the 4th anniversary of the first arrival of Brazilian UN troops in Haiti following the 2004 coup d'etat. 

Coinciding with Lula’s visit, a protest will be held in San Francisco on May 28^th demanding:

1. Withdraw Brazilian and all foreign occupation troops from Haiti!

2. Demand that all authorities in Haiti - including the Brazilian-led UN force - redouble their efforts for the safe return of disappeared human rights advocate Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine!

3. Free the political prisoners! End the continuing repression in Haiti!

Haiti Action Committee, organizer of the SF protest, says, “UN forces moved in as a proxy force, after US troops kidnapped the democratically-elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on Feb. 29, 2004 and installed a coup regime. More than 8,000 Aristide supporters were killed and thousands more 'disappeared', exiled or thrown into prison, where most remain locked up to this day.  Brazil commands the 9,000-strong UN force in Haiti, which has committed massacres and rapes in poor neighborhoods on July 6, 2005, on December 22, 2006, February 2007 and numerous other occasions -- attacking the civilians who are the base of support for President Aristide and his widely popular Lavalas political movement.”

The British charity Save the Children just released a report that children as young as six are being sexually abused by peacekeepers and aid workers, based on its research in Haiti, southern Sudan and the Ivory Coast.

Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, abducted on August 12, is still missing. The mobilization for his safe return continues: in the U.S. Congress (see the letter from Rep. Maxine Waters to President Preval); on the streets (weekly vigils in Haiti, as well as vigils by the Global Women's Strike at  Brazilian Consulates in London and Los Angeles ); and on the internet (Petition to Save Lovinsky.  Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine is a grassroots leader, member of the Lavalas party, and the    of Fondayson Trant Septanm, a Haitian organization that advocates for victims of the 1991 and 2004 coup d'etats against the democratically-elected governments of Jean-Bertrand Aristide.  He was last seen on the evening of Sunday, August 12, 2007 after meeting with a US human rights delegation visiting Haiti.  

We join with them in demanding action from Brazil, which commands the UN military mission occupying Haiti.  At this Thursday’s vigil outside the Brazilian Consulate in LA, get an update on Lula’s visit to Haiti and on the May 28^th protests in the Bay Area, London and Brazil.

Join global efforts calling for a safe return of Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine.  Vigil every Thursday from noon-1pm at the Brazilian Consulate, 8484 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills (at La Cienega).  If you can’t come, email or fax them your own letter for the safe return of Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine (model below).

Ad Hoc Working Group for Haiti:  CISPES/LA, Global Women’s Strike/LA, International Action Center/LA, Women of Color in the Global Women’s Strike, Ross Plesset and other concerned individuals.  For more info: la@crossroadswomen.net, 323-276-9833, & check out www.Haitisolidarity.net, www.globalwomenstrike.net

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Model Letter to Brazilian Consulate

Consul General of Brazil - LA
8484 Wilshire Blvd, 711/730
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Phone: (323) 651-2664, Fax: (323) 651-1274
tquintella@brazilian-consulate.org

Re: Disappearance of human rights activist Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine in Haiti:  I am deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of Mr Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, the human rights activist kidnapped on August 12, 2007 after meeting with a US human rights delegation visiting Haiti.  His wife and children, many friends and colleagues, and concerned people around the world, have been doing all they can to ensure his safe return.

Amnesty International has issued urgent reports for Mr Pierre-Antoine and his close colleague, Mr Wilson Mésilien who has been co-ordinating Fondasyon Trant Septanm (30 September Foundation) in Mr Pierre-Antoine’s absence. Mr Mésilien has received death threats and narrowly escaped abduction in November.  I enclose Amnesty’s report (at http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR36/003/2008/).

I am writing to you because Brazil heads the UN forces in Haiti and thus has committed itself to maintaining law and order there.  I urgently request that you do everything in your power to ensure that your government is taking every possible step to bring about Mr. Pierre-Antoine’s safe return to his family and community.  Given that your government is widely credited by the media with tackling gangs and restoring law and order in Haiti, it seems right and appropriate that you would want to prioritize finding a disappeared human rights activist. 

I enclose the statement made by actor and activist Danny Glover at a vigil outside the Brazilian Consulate in Los Angeles.  

As you know, Mr. Pierre-Antoine is loved and respected by many, and is committed to the cause of those who have least.  He founded Fondasyon Trant Septanm, which advocates for victims of the 1991 and 2004 coups d'états against Jean-Bertrand Aristide; and co-founded Fondasyon Kore Timoun Yo for street children in Port-au- Prince, and FAM, a center for teenage mothers.

Mr. Pierre-Antoine is important to people all over the world who care about Haiti and acknowledge our enormous debt to the Haitian people who did the unthinkable. They overthrew their slave masters and the most powerful empire of the time, giving us the first victory in the struggle to end slavery in the Americas.  Their victory strengthened everyone resisting exploitation and injustice, and directly aided the movement to liberate Latin America.  The world has largely ignored this enormous contribution.  But we would expect Brazil, whose population is in the majority people of color, descendents of those who also underwent and overthrew slavery, to do it’s utmost to protect a Haitian defender of justice.  

In response to calls from Haitian people, vigils and fasts for Mr Pierre-Antoine’s release have been held at Guyana’s headquarters of CARICOM, the Caribbean Community Secretariat, and in cities in Spain, the US and the UK.  Prayers and services for Mr Pierre-Antoine have been held in UK churches.  An internet petition has been signed by over 2100 people, including many prominent individuals, and an Early Day Motion in the UK Parliament is calling for Mr Pierre Antoine’s release.  Pax Christi International and others have joined our call for action.

I am disappointed that you have so far not responded with urgency and compassion to Mr Pierre-Antoine’s disappearance, but have instead distanced yourself from responsibility for these events in Haiti.  Please let me hear from you as matter of urgency what steps your government is taking to ensure your UN forces and other authorities investigate this case with the zealousness it deserves.

Yours sincerely  

signed

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You can also send copies of your letter to:

President Préval, Palais National
Port-au-Prince, Haïti
Tel: 011-509-245-0474
Fax: (206) 350-7986 (a U.S. number)     Email: avokahaiti@aol.com
(This is fax and email of Institute for Justice  & Democracy in Haiti; they will ensure a copy of your letter is delivered to President Préval)

UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)
Tel: 011-509-244-0650/0660
FAX: 011-509-244-9366/67
Or Fax: Office of Secretary General (New York): 212-963-4879

United States Embassy
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Tel: 011-509-223-4711, or 222-0200 or 0354
FAX: 011-509-223-1641

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Danny Glover’s Statement at the Vigil & Fast for Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine  Nov. 13, 2007

"I really appreciate being here with my friends and my brothers and sisters here. We not only support the release of Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, but also we have an opportunity once again to draw attention to what is happening in Haiti. Often what happens in Haiti is under the radar screen, even though we who are in the progressive community understand and keep a watchful eye on what is happening in Haiti. The rest of our communities around the country and ultimately the world, do not get this information.

"The tragedy of the 2004 coup d'etat against the Lavalas government, against President Aristide is still resonating in the lives of the Haitian people, even though our friend Rene Preval has been elected president, he has had little power to do what is just in the country itself.

"We honor the presence of the Brazilian forces there because we think there's a possibility that the world can see what is happening in Haiti with their presence. So we honor their presence, but we need them to do more. We need them to call on all their resources to make sure that our brother Lovinsky is placed in safe hands and that he is returned to his family; returned to his community, where he does so much work.

"I had several chances to meet my brother Lovinsky while in Haiti (just recently in 2006 for the presidential inauguration), and I was just amazed at the work that he has done around Haiti. During the time when bandits were running around Haiti committing all kinds of havoc, who were attempting to disrupt the electoral process, who were attempting to undermine the peace and dignity of the Haitian people, here's Lovinsky doing the work in communities, doing the work in organizing communities and organizing people.

He is a vital part of the way we envision the new Haiti that comes out of the ashes of the destructive and destabilizing coup d'etat in 2004. And we need him out there along with all those who are out there doing that work. We know that his kidnap was an attempt to elicit fear within the Haitian people. We kidnapped one of their leading spokesmen, one of their leading organizers, someone who is passionate about justice in the Haitian community. And once he's kidnapped, then it strikes fear in the rest of the population.

"We will denounce that kidnapping and denounce those who hold him. We want him back, we need him back, and it's upon all of us in the world, all of us who are concerned citizens, all of us who are in governance to be a part of this rescue mission. Because we are not singularly rescuing Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, we're playing our part in making the Haitian people themselves receive justice. Thank you."