Dear Caribbean Community, Sign The Petition for Haiti

To: CARICOM Secretariat/Member Nations’ Heads of Government

Title: Take a Stand for Democracy in Haiti – Support a Haitian-Led Solution  

Petition Campaign: CARICOM People and their Diaspora Support the Restoration of Democracy in Haiti

We, the undersigned, urgently appeal to the CARICOM Member Nations through the CARICOM Secretariat to take immediate action in assisting our brothers and sisters in Haiti in their quest to restore democracy. We implore you to remove international support for the current de facto authorities and allow a legitimate, Haitian-led solution to emerge.

In the past decade, under the leadership of the Parti Haitien Tet Kale party (PHTK) and its allies, Haiti’s democracy has been systematically dismantled. Shockingly, not a single elected office, as mandated by the Constitution, has been filled. Gangs, some of which are linked to the government, now control more than half of the country. Corruption and mismanagement have siphoned off substantial funds from public services, resulting in an alarming inflation rate of over 15% annually for the past three years. Tragically, 4.7 million Haitian citizens face acute hunger, placing Haiti among the top 10 countries suffering the most from hunger worldwide. Disturbingly, Haiti is the only nation on this list without a recognized armed conflict, and the sole country outside Africa and the Middle East.

As citizens of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), we share a deep sense of grief and compassion for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. When Haiti achieved independence in 1804, it became the first free Black country, blazing the trail for independence movements in many Caribbean nations. Haiti holds the distinction of being the first nation to abolish slavery, thereby laying the groundwork for our own emancipation.

Haiti has endured over two centuries of punishment for its pursuit of freedom, and the consequences persist to this day. Haitians have courageously fought against foreign occupation, political interference, and economic manipulation orchestrated by powerful members of the international community, many of whom attained their prominence through the institution of slavery. The current international support for the de facto Haitian government, installed not through a Haitian process but by an announcement from the “Core Group” led by the United States, represents the latest effort to maintain control over Haiti.

Participating in international support for a corrupt, repressive, and unconstitutional government in Haiti would not only betray our countries’ democratic standards but also the democratic principles upheld by CARICOM and the Organization of American States (OAS). Furthermore, it would constitute a profound betrayal of our Haitian brothers and sisters, who have already made immense sacrifices for our collective freedom.

The people of Haiti are uniting across party lines, class divisions, and other barriers that often impede collaboration. They are proposing inclusive, legitimate paths to a transitional government that can replace the de facto authorities and oversee fair elections. They firmly believe that if the international community ceases to prop up the de facto regime, civil society can exert enough pressure to force its resignation or elicit meaningful concessions toward fair elections. Unfortunately, the United States and other entities show no inclination to reduce their support for the de facto authorities. Therefore, Haitians urgently require the assistance of Jamaica and CARICOM.

Despite being small nations, CARICOM countries have played pivotal roles in restoring democracy in Haiti in the past. In 1994, Jamaica led the CARICOM component of UNMIH, a successful UN peacekeeping mission that was deployed to reinstate Haiti’s elected government. In 2004, Jamaica provided shelter to President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was abducted from Haiti aboard a United States plane. Despite immense pressure from the United States to abandon their principles, Jamaica and CARICOM unwaveringly refused to recognize the illegitimate government and exclude it from CARICOM proceedings. This courageous stance, coupled with Haitian resistance against the illegal regime, compelled the internationally-supported authorities to hold elections and restore democracy.

Once again, the Haitian people are counting on us to champion their freedom. We implore you, on behalf of all Caribbean Peoples, to stand up for democracy in Haiti by:

1. Refusing to participate in any initiative that would support Haiti’s illegal de facto government.
2. Proposing the suspension of Haiti from CARICOM’s activities until fair elections are held.
3. Insisting that the OAS Working Group on Haiti, propose the implementation of the Inter-American Democratic Charter’s procedures applicable to “an unconstitutional alteration… that seriously impairs the democratic order in a member state.”

We call upon the CARICOM and their member countries not to succumb to pressure from the United States and Canada to support Prime Minister Ariel Henry and the PHTK party and its affiliates. Instead, we urge CARICOM to announce its support for a broad-based, credible, and Haitian-led solution that does not hinge upon the approval of the current regime or any particular actor. We implore you to adopt policies consistent with this approach. In taking this stand, we stand in solidarity with the thousands of Haitians taking to the streets—journalists, security guards, doctors, factory workers, mothers, and fathers—who simply desire the freedom to shape their own destiny, free from corruption, fear, and towards peace and prosperity.

We appreciate the Caribbean government’s commitment to assisting Haiti’s democracy, and we welcome CARICOM’s support for a genuinely Haitian-led solution. However, it is paramount that the primary role of the CARICOM, is to enable the Haitian people to reclaim their own government. Caribbean government must refrain from supporting any specific political party or sector, and refrain from dictating the path that Haitians should take towards democracy. Achieving a stable and just Haiti, which serves the best interests of Haitians and the United States government alike, necessitates that Haitians lead and own their democratic process.

For a stronger Haiti,

Learn more about the petition and the organizers at “Voices United A Petition for Democracy in Haiti,”  at The NeoLiberal by renaldocmckenzie.com

Sign the Petition For Haiti by Clicking on the Link Below:

Take a Stand for Democracy in Haiti – Support a Haitian-Led Solution

Note: We have updated the petition to make it easier for participants to sign without requiring an account or donations. Please click on the link Here for the Petition form on our Google Form. There are several versions of this petition based on the community you’re in. This Petition is for all CARICOM citizens and those who have connections in the Caribbean (the diaspora) and will be sent to the CARICOM Secretariat. The Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti has a Petition for Haiti for US citizens that will go the President Biden.

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