Let Haiti Live: Coalition for a Just U.S. Policy

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National Plan

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The Let Haiti Live Coalition unites organizations and individuals to advocate for U.S. policies which respect the independence and self-determination of the Haitian people and their Republic. The Let Haiti Live Coalition is committed to building a dynamic and well-informed network of solidarity to support the Haitian people in their pursuit of democracy, human rights and equitable development.

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1. Goals: Over the next several years, Let Haiti Live will position itself to be a broad-based coalition that fights for:

1. Democracy and sovereignty for Haiti
2. The rights of the most oppressed in Haiti, specifically workers and farmers
3. U.S. foreign policy that respects national self-determination and human rights.

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2. Central Demands:

1. Restore President Aristide and constitutional democracy in Haiti.
2. The U.S. should hold a Congressional investigation to ascertain the role played by agencies of the U.S. government in the destabilization and ouster of the administration of President Aristide.
3. Halt deportations of Haitian refugees and grant temporary protective status to those seeking refuge.
4. The UN Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) must take action to protect the human rights of the most vulnerable Haitians, and the supporters of Fanmi Lavalas and President Aristide who have become targets of a terror campaign since February 29th.

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3. Framework:

LHL will position itself as a national coalition that includes any organizations that share the goals stated above. Outreach will be expanded to labor unions, community-based organizations and appropriate non-governmental organizations that share the goals and demands of LHL. LHL is coordinated by a national steering committee. See (6) Functioning for more details. A national strategy meeting - by invitation only - will be held after the November 2004 election to sum up the results of the U.S. elections; their implications for Haiti; and the steps toward building an expanded Let Haiti Live Coalition.

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4. Principle objectives through December 2005:

(a) No recognition of the provisional government:

1. -Demand the creation of a bi-partisan commission of Congress to investigate the role of the U.S. in the events of February 29th, as well as full disclosure of U.S. assistance and training for opposition sectors in Haiti.
2. -Demand a comprehensive disarmament campaign in Haiti.
3. -Support demands for a comprehensive investigation of the circumstances surrounding the coup by the UN and the OAS.
4. -Expose political repression being carried out in Haiti

(b) Secure economic assistance for Haiti that advances sustainable development and humanitarian assistance:

1. Debt cancellation for Haiti
2. Oppose HERO Act
3. Gain UN involvement in supporting economic development
4. Promote an alternative and progressive economic development strategy

(c) Support "One Standard" campaign and the rights of Haitian refugees to be treated with dignity:

1. Expose the mis-treatment of Haitian refugees and the disparate conditions.
2. Secure Temporary Protective Status for refugees.
3. Creole interpreters available on Coast Guard craft
4. Free David Joseph and other unjustly interned refugees

(d) Work to create the conditions necessary for human rights to be respected in Haiti and promote initiatives to positively impact the human rights situation:

1. Expose the existence of political prisoners under the Latortue regime and work for their release
2. Focus on the plight of specific groups such as women to build a rapid response human rights network
3. Influence international human rights organizations with testimony and up-to-date information from the ground in Haiti
4. Support human rights organizations and activists with technological and monetary assistance, accompaniment programs, etc.

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5. Resources: LHL will primarily rely on the resources of its constituent organizations and stay away from seeking coalition resources. This will avoid competition within the constituent organizations. Member organizations should make available staff time or other resources to help the coalition.

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6. Structure/Functioning:

a.Membership to the Let Haiti Live Coalition comes in two categories. Anyone can join the Let Haiti Live? email list, and be part of the action campaigns coordinated by LHL. If you would like to become a formal member of the Coalition, there is a range of engagement available:

• The Steering Committee, described in detail below at (b).
• The Coalition's Working Groups have evolved to respond to the needs of the coalition to develop and carry out campaigns and initiatives at any given time. Working groups are subject to revision based on the current campaigns and organization of work. For descriptions of current working groups see Appendix 3.
• Action Network members lend their names to the Coalition and participate in Coalition actions, especially action alerts and events.
• The Advisory Council includes individuals and organizations that may lend their names to the coalition, and if available, speak at press conferences, or prepare pieces for publication.

b. The Let Haiti Live Coalition is coordinated by a National Steering Committee. A list of current steering committee members in Appendix 2. Individual members are responsible for the following:

• Set up weekly meetings of steering committee.
• Monitor working groups and make sure they are functioning.
• Take notes and find moderators for each weekly call.
• Define the overall goals and direction for LHL.
• Vote for members to join the steering committee.
• Make tactical decisions on activities that further our goals and direction and be the leadership in organizing those activities.
• Produce LHL educational and outreach materials.
• Update and moderate the LHL website and list serves.

c. The steering committee as a whole will make decisions by 2/3 majority about signing onto petitions, letters, etc. that fall clearly within the stated objectives and demands of the Coalition. In the case of potentially divisive decisions, the steering committee will email the entire Coalition list and call for concerns or votes against.

d.To be eligible to be a member of the steering committee, you must participate in at least 80% of coalition conference calls for a three-month period. You can then be nominated or nominated yourself, and acceptance is given by a 2/3 majority of the existing steering committee.

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7. Let Haiti Live Email Lists: The Let Haiti Live Coalition has two email lists. Both are moderated by Melinda Miles and Eugenia Charles.

• Let Haiti Live?@lethaitilive.org is the main list of LHL. It is a public list, and anyone interested in getting more involved and receiving regular updates is on this list. Uses of the list include: articles, analysis, action alerts, working group call announcements and event announcements.
• Let Haiti Live?-info@lethaitilive.org is the private email list of the active members of the Coalition. Members who participate in conference calls and representatives of organizations on the steering committee are included on this list. This list is used for posting minutes of conference calls and other internal discussion items.

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8. The national steering committee has identified spokespeople for the Coalition. In speaking for LHL they must reflect the points of unity of LHL and not necessarily the point of view of their respective organizations. Beyond these specific spokespeople, steering committee members are empowered to make outreach presentations on behalf of LHL. Any other member who would like to represent the Coalition in a formal presentation should seek approval from the steering committee.

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Appendix 1

MEMBERS OF THE LET HAITI LIVE COALITION:

Ad Hoc Committee Against the U.S. Coup in Haiti * Antwan Izmery Memorial Projects * Association Canado Haitienne pour la Sauvegarde de la Souveraineté d'Haiti (ACHASAUSHA) * April 16 VT? Citizens Lobby * Black Voices for Peace * Council on Hemispheric Affairs * East Bay Sanctuary Covenant Haiti Committee * Doctors for Global Health* East Timor Action Network * Eritaj Foundation Inc. * Fondasyon Trant Septanm * Friends of the Third World Inc * Global AIDS Alliance * Global Ayiti Granmoun Entènasyonal (AGE) * Global Exchange * Global Justice * Haiti Action Committee * Haiti Reborn/Quixote Center * Haiti Solidarity Network of the Northeast * Haiti for Change* Haitian Ministry Commission Catholic Diocese of Richmond * Haitian Apostolate - Archdiocese of Boston * Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH)* INTERCONNECT * Jubilee USA Network * Marin Interfaith Task Force on Central America and the Caribbean * Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns * Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate Justice and Peace/Integrity of Creation Office * National Black Environmental Justice Network (NBEJN) * Office of the Americas * Orthodox Church in Haiti * Save Africa's Children * Pax Christi USA Haiti Task Force * Presentation Sisters * Rainbow/PUSH Coalition * Richmond Diocese Haiti Solidarity Committee * Richmond Diocese Office of Justice and Peace * Robert F. Kennedy Memorial's Center for Human Rights * St. John the Baptist Haiti Sister Parish * St. Michael's Catholic Church * St. Joseph Church* Sosyete Makaya (SOMA)* The 10th Department Organization for Haitian Empowerment * Trans Africa? Forum * US Peace Council * Washington Peace Center * Pastors for Peace/DC * EPICA (Ecumenical Program in Central America and the Caribbean) * No War on Cuba Movement*

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Appendix 2

Steering Committee Member Organizations September 1, 2004

1. Haiti Action Committee, Pierre Labossiere
2. Quixote Center/Haiti Reborn
3. EPICA, Olivia Goumbri
4. Fondasyon Mapou, Eugenia Charles
5. Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), Brian Concannon
6. Global Justice, Nicole Lee
7. Marin Interfaith Task Force on Central America, Dale Sorenson and George Friemoth
8. Trans Africa? Forum, Selena Singleton and Letitia Mosby
9. Sosyete Makaya (SOMA), Melinda Miles

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Appendix 3

Let Haiti Live Coalition Working Groups September 1, 2004:

Policy/Congressional Action

1. driver: (none at present)

members: # Dale Soreson (MITF),# D'Wanna Lee

• Demand an investigation into the circumstances of the February 29th coup by

Organizing around Rep. Barbara Lee's TRUTH Act;

• Creating and circulating a petition to be used in street and web organizing which calls for an investigation;
• Supporting CARICOM's call by continuing to add to the petition on the LHL website; and
• Supporting other demands for investigation.
• Arrange meetings at embassies of Western Hemisphere nations.
• Organize lobby days and other events to brief politicians and political candidates.
• Work for economic initiatives which will benefit the majority of Haitians, including
• Developing anti-HERO legislation;
• Securing analysis of the HERO legislation;
• Supporting the Jubilee Bill; and
• Publicizing the impact of debt cancellation.

Media

1. driver: Melinda Miles

members: #Anthony Fenton,#Ben Terrall (HAC),# Brian Concannon (IJDH), #Lynn Robinson (Ad Hoc Committee Against the US Coup in Haiti)

• Create a press kit including
• Concise White Paper Outline
• One-page briefs to backup the White Paper
• Nurture the progressive media.
• Identify high profile supporters and work to place op-eds.
• Maintain a blog on the LHL website highlighting regular instances of misinformation in the mainstream media.
• Organize editorial board meetings in major cities.

Human Rights

1. driver: Melinda Miles

members: #Anne Sosin (IJDH), #Brian Concannon (IJDH), #Moira Feeney (Center for Justice and Accountability), #Judy Dacruz, #Shirley Pate (No War on Cuba), #Olivia Goumbri (EPICA), Eugenia Charles

• Circulate human rights reports from LHL members organizations as broadly as possible and get them posted or linked to LHL member websites.
• Broaden audience for human rights in Haiti through topical foci, ie: political prisoners, women.
• Meet with mainstream human rights organizations with evidence, reports to encourage them to report on all abuses occurring.
• Develop initiatives to affect the human rights situation on the ground in Haiti including developing a material assistance component.
• Participate in activities of the One Standard campaign for Haitian refugees, including the case of David Joseph.

Outreach and Education driver: members: #Nick Mantini, #Carolyn Slauson (Church World Service), #Melinda Miles

• Educate people about the situation in Haiti, perhaps by converting the press kit into an outreach/education packet.
• Promote information on the activities of economic cooperatives, trade unions and other popular organizations in Haiti.
• Promote LHL member organization delegations and findings to broadest possible audience.
• Develop initiatives to build the Coalition and movement for Haiti.