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Haitian Activist Patrick Elie to Speak Across Canada

This tour is being organized by the Canada Haiti Action Network (CHAN).

Please check out the information below for Patrick Elie's schedule to find out when he will be speaking in your area:

Speaking tour will address illegal 2004 invasion, foreign occupation, and human rights violations in Haiti

Patrick Elie, a Haiti-based political rights activist and former Minister of the first government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide (1991-96), will speak in 18 cities across Canada in February and March. The purpose of his speaking tour is to give a voice to those demanding an end to the illegal invasion and occupation of Haiti in 2004 and ongoing human rights violations committed by a United Nations-sponsored occupation force and the foreign-trained and armed Haitian National Police.

"Democracy and constitutional rule was overthrown in Haiti in February 2004 by a coup," explains Andrea Pinochet, an organizer with Haiti Solidarity BC, in Vancouver. "The elected president of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, was forced into exile at that time. Since then, thousands of his supporters have been killed, jailed, or forced into exile. Patrick Elie is a voice for the restoration of sovereignty and democracy in Haiti."

Since February 2004, the social and human rights situation in Haiti has been disastrous. A series of high-profile reports and commentaries, including from the United Nations own spokespeople for human rights, indicate that conditions in Haiti are "catastrophic" (UN official) and getting worse. Canada is a major player in the coup and its aftermath.

The election of René Préval on February 7 offers new hope for the Haitian people, Patrick Elie said in a telephone interview from Port au Prince the day after the vote. "The high participation of the Haitian people in this election shows that our desire for constitutional and democratic government cannot be denied. The United Nations forces in Haiti must respect the choice of the people and facilitate a rapid restoration of constitutional rule.

"It must end its support to the illegal interim government and the human rights violations associated with it, and provide whatever assistance a new government under President Préval deems necessary."

Elie recently helped to found a political rights organization in Haiti called Sant Obsèvasyon Sitwayen ("Citizens Monitoring Center"). It advocates measures to facilitate a return to democratic and constitutional rule in Haiti.

Elie's six-week tour will begin in Montreal on February 15. It is sponsored by the Canada Haiti Action Network and by local Haiti solidarity committees in each city.

Patrick Elie is available for media interviews. He is fluent in English, French and Creole. To arrange an interview or for information on the national tour, please contact Kevin Skerrett at 613-864-1590 (Ottawa); Roger Annis at 778-858-5179 (Vancouver); or Yves Engler at 514-219-9185 (Montreal). Or you may contact the tour by e-mail at: haitisolidaritybc@yahoo.ca.

Speaking Dates and Locations:

February 23, 24 - Windsor, Ontario
February 25 to 28 - Toronto
March 1 - Kitchener, Guelph
March 2 - Oakville/Mississauga
March 3 - Hamilton
March 4 to 7 - Ottawa
March 8, 9 - Rest days in Montreal
March 10, 11 - Fredericton
March 12 to 14 - Halifax
March 15, 16 - St. John's NF
March 17 to 20 - Vancouver
March 21, 22 - Victoria
March 23 - Calgary
March 24, 25 - Edmonton
March 26 to 28 - Winnipeg
March 29 - Return to Montreal
early April - Kingston ON

For background information on Patrick Elie and the situation in Haiti, please check out the following links:

Interview with Patrick Elie by Vancouver Haiti activist Anthony Fenton:
www.law.miami.edu

* Statement by Louis Joinet, Haiti expert of the UN Human Rights Commission, November 29, 2005:
www.ijdh.org

Extensive archive of articles on human rights in Haiti:
www.globalpolicy.org

posted by Annamarie at 3:13 PM