Pricey Editor,
Reviews of the therapy and situations of Haitian migrants, together with ladies and youngsters who travelled to the Del Rio Texas Border, remind us but once more of the more and more determined plight of Haitian financial migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.
As Caribbean individuals who work for gender, social, financial, and environmental justice, we stand in solidarity with the folks of Haiti. We acknowledge our shared historical past of oppression by way of racism, pressured migration, enslavement, indentureship, colonialism and neo-colonialism. We recall the Haitian folks’s heroic revolution for freedom and the way this victory was sabotaged by punitive measures and reprisals, together with the exacting of compensation for former enslavers. We uphold the demand for reparations for Haiti for the unjust and merciless blockade and cost of hundreds of thousands to compensate former slave homeowners – it’s a debt but to be paid.
We’re appalled subsequently on the persevering with political and financial destabilization that maintains persistent poverty and insecurity and undermines hope for a way forward for peace, equality, and a good high quality of life for Haitians.
Deteriorating situations have been exacerbated by a tsunami-like collection of disasters, stretching again to the 2010 earthquake. This 12 months Haiti has been hit by one other earthquake and a storm, inflicting additional lack of lives and the destruction of communities – houses, infrastructure, hospitals, and different social companies.
That is happening even because the Haitian folks, with meagre sources, wrestle to take care of a raging international pandemic. The assassination of President Jovenel Moise has contributed to the destabilization within the nation.
This destabilization permits for the rise, consolidation, and affect of gangs, in addition to loss of life and vigilante squads, all of whom function with impunity. Numerous Haitians have been killed and harmed, together with human rights defenders and group activists as legal gangs have interaction in turf wars for energy and management of meals and different sources.
Haitians are entitled to lives of dignity. But centuries of exterior domination and extraction imply that Haitians, regardless of their efforts at self-determination, proceed to be marginalized and oppressed.
It’s the human situation to search for methods out, to hunt alternatives for peace and safety, particularly for the sake of kids. And so, the worldwide group has a accountability to assist Haitians in Haiti in addition to those that flee due to despair and concern.
We condemn unequivocally the oppressive, racist, and inhumane therapy by US Border Patrol Brokers in opposition to defenseless Haitians.
Inside this context, we name on the President of america of America to finish the deportation of Haitians to Haiti and we name for renewed efforts by CARICOM to speed up and enhance humanitarian and improvement efforts for the reconstruction of Haiti.
Past measures to help those that go away Haiti, the folks of Haiti should be supported within the institution of a mechanism for real nationwide dialogue amongst a various and credible illustration of Haitians. That is mandatory to achieve broad consensus on a pathway to justice, democracy, reconciliation, renewal, and financial, cultural, and social sustainability. Communities and civil society organizations should meaningfully take part on this dialogue in the direction of discovering options.
We name on the College of the West Indies and different instructional and improvement entities within the Caribbean to redouble their efforts to assist Haitian instructional and different types of improvement.
We additional name on CARICOM, by way of the Heads of Authorities, and in live performance with the peoples of the Caribbean, to place in place a mechanism for the granting of particular refugee and asylum standing to Haitians fleeing persecution and financial destitution – momentary or everlasting. We remind our leaders of their dedication to the free motion of Caribbean nationals afforded to all CARICOM nationals. This should apply additionally with out discrimination to Haitian nationals.
We acknowledge our debt to Haiti. We affirm the braveness of Haitians to whom we owe our consideration and resolve to restore historic and persevering with harms.
Yours faithfully,
Rosina Wiltshire
Mariama Williams
Judith Wedderburn
Alicia Wallace
Linnette Vassell
Maggie Schmeitz
Increase Your Voice St. Lucia
Vanda Radzik
Danuta Radzik
Jean Lowrie-Chin
Asha Kambon
Joan Grant Cummings
Sharda Ganga
Alissa Trotz
Leith Dunn
Imani Duncan-Value
Roberta Clarke
Eudine Barriteau
Cecilia Babb
Peggy Antrobus