It was 11: 45 AM, when Eugenia Charles of the
Fondasyon Mapou and Kathy Boylan of Dorothy Day Catholic Workers
gave the order for people to put themselves in position to begin
the rally. Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine led the demonstration with
the rhythm of the famous “Alleluia for Haiti” song.
Subsequently, the demonstration stopped in front of the White
House. Standing in front of the White House, but also standing
on the side of the Haitian people we demanded the return of
the democracy in Haiti. Over 50 people braved a cold that froze
their hands and feet and snow flakes that whipped the face of
all, standing with signs, banners and pictures chanting "Remove
Bush, Return Aristide," and "Justice for Haiti."
We began the 3rd part of the activity with a short prayer by
Bishop Thomas Gumbleton imploring the divine blessing on the
Haitian people, followed by Rev. Britt Mitchell who prayed for
the American people to see the light so that they would one
day understand what the US government is doing. Thereafter,
Eugenia turned the microphone over to several Haiti solidarity
activists like Johanna Berrigan of Catholic Workers of Philadelphia
who recently visited Haiti, Damu Smith of Black Voices for Peace;
Kathleen Sengstock from the office of Congresswoman Maxine Waters,
Lovinsky Pierre -Antoine of Fondasyon Trant Septanm; Bishop
Thomas Gumbleton, a champion of the Haitian people’s cause
and defender of human rights and Olivia B. Goumbri director
of EPICA.
The other part of the activity was an act of civil disobedience
held in front of the White House by Bishop Gumbleton, Kathy
Boylan and 4 other people, but it did not provoke any reaction
on the part of the police.
Around 1 PM Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, Fondasyon Trant Septanm
closed the demo by thanking everyone who made the effort to
come and show solidarity with the Haitian people.
*One Year after the United States-led Coup in Haiti
Taken from the report by Fondayson Mapou, at http://www.fondasyonmapou.org/memberspage2.html
Haitian Police Open Fire on Nonviolent March
for Democracy
February 28. 2005
by Bill Quigley, Loyola University New Orleans
School
of Law. Bill is in Haiti on a visit as a volunteer
attorney with the Institute for Justice and Democracy
in Haiti-quigley@loyno.edu
One year ago today, the elected government of Haiti, led by
President Jean Betrand Aristide, was forced out of office and
replaced by unlected people more satisfactory to business interests
and the US, France and Canada.
Today there was a large nonviolent March for Democracy called
for the neighborhood of Bel-Air (Beautiful Air). I attended
with Pere Gerard Jean-Juste and others from St. Clare’s
Parish. We started with prayers in the Church of Our Lady of
Perpetual Help in the center of Bel Air. After prayers we joined
the larger crowd outside marching and singing through the streets
of the old and quite poor neighborhood. Thousands of people
were walking and dancing to the beat of drums, loudly chanting,
“Bring Back Titi (Aristide)!!!!” in Creole, French
and English.
Fr. Jean-Juste has become one of the main voices for democracy
in Haiti since his release from prison several weeks ago after
48 days in jail with no charges. He was interviewed two dozen
times by local and international media during the walk with
the crowd. It all seemed like a peaceful unorganized mardi gras
parade until I noticed the Reuters correspondent was wearing
a bullet proof vest. MINUSTAH, the UN security presence was
all around. The giant moving party continued down Des Cesar
Street. The street was packed from side to side with people
carrying signs, umbrellas, and handmade cardboard posters all
calling for the return of democracy and Aristide. Neighborhood
people joined in or clapped and danced from their front steps.
Suddenly, at the corner of Monsiegneur Guillot Street and
Des Cesar, there was a loud boom from very close by. People
started screaming and running. Another boom, then another. As
people fled, I slipped on a pile of fruit and tried deperately
to hide behind a very small tree. As people rushed past and
dove into an opening in a concrete wall, the booms continued.
I then dove though the wall and hid behind a one foot wide concrete
pillar. The booms continued. People were down in the street.
I saw a big white official looking truck hurtling down the street
as the booms continued. Others saw police in black uniforms,
helmets, ski masks, and large guns shooting into the crowd.
People around me were huddled under stairs and crying. The group
from St. Clare’s pulled me into a corner and we we rolled
into a ball until the booms stopped.
Out on the street a man was down and unconscious. Fr. Jean-Juste
knelt over him and prayed. Down the street others were carrying
injured people on their backs. The crowd screamed that the police
were coming back and we ran down an alley into a small home.
Children were screaming, adults were crying, everyone was in
fear. We waited, dirty and drenched in sweat, until the growing
UN presence made it safe to leave.
Early reports document several people shot, at least one killed.
Others were beaten. Two men showed me where the police wounded
them.
As we drove slowly out of the now deserted neighborhood, the
faces of the people on the porches who were so happy minutes
before, were now somber, many crying.
As we rode back to his parish, Fr. Jean-Juste said:
“The Aristide supporters were such a big number, it was
very difficult to have a proper estimation of the crowd. The
message is clear. Our vote has been counted. It still must be
counted. There is no other way for Haiti to go forward but with
the return of constitutional order, the release of all political
prisoners, and the physical return of President Aristide.”
Though the march for democracy in Haiti was halted by police
shooting into the unarmed crowd, the people I talked to said
their march for the return of democracy in Haiti will continue.
Back to the top
EPICA: 1470 Irving St. NW, Washington,
DC 20010
Congresswoman Maxine Waters' statement read by aide Kathleen
Sengstock