The Toronto Haiti Action Committee and Community Development @ CESAR would like to extend an invitation to your organization to participate in the upcoming Haiti-Canada student solidarity conference taking place in Toronto from February 20th, 2008 to February 22nd, 2008.
The goals of the conference revolve around long-term solidarity with the Haitian youth and students. It is our hope that these goals will be achieved through local actions by individual student unions, organizations and clubs. We hope the conference will mark the beginning of this process and an opportunity for student organizations to help begin this new student network of supporters of Haitian youth and students. The specific goals and means of achieving these goals will be discussed at the conference and are not already pre-determined. The conference organizers will do all they can to promote a democratic environment for discussions and decisions.
BACKGROUND
February 2008 will mark the fouth anniversary since the Canadian backed overthrow of democracy in Haiti and the removal of Haiti’s democratically elected President, Jean Bertrand Aristide. What followed were two of the most violently repressive years in Haiti’s recent history under the foreign imposed defacto regime of Gerard LaTortue and widespread human rights abuses conducted by the Canadian funded and trained Haitian National Police and United Nations forces in Haiti (MINUSTAH) directed against Haiti’s pro-democracy movement and poor majority. These human rights abuses have been extensively documented by human rights organizations such as Amnesty International.
Today, the current popularly elected government of Rene Preval remains under siege with key posts in many ministries and Haitian institutions under the control of players remaining from the coup period. The country remains under the occupation of 8,800 UN troops and foreign police. Most of the political prisoners from the coup period remain in Haiti’s deplorable jails without charge while the judiciary and security forces remain in the hands of the Haitian elite and the foreign occupiers (Canada, France and the United States). The pro-democracy movement arising from among Haiti’s poor majority continue their historic struggle for sovereignty as we mobilize here in Canada to bring the truth of Canada’s nefarious role in Haiti to the Canadian public and put pressure on our government to end the assault on Haiti’s democracy.
SCHEDULE
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 (Evening) The Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. West
Cultural Event: “Haiti Held Hostage” Play + Jazz Benefit Concert (Double Bill)
A fundraiser “Hands Off Haiti”, a project to raise funds for Haitians via the Institute For Justice & Democracy In Haiti. A dramatic Canadian-focused adaptation of The Noam Chomsky Lectures written by Daniel Brooks and Guillermo Verdecchia: This production by students at the University of Guelph aims to show how the media perpetuates the idea of Canada’s role in Haiti as one of peacekeeping, when in reality the country has and is contributing to instability and bloodshed. It offers an important evaluation and exposure of how the propaganda model was and continues to be applied with success in Haiti…
The “Mohammad Ali Jazz Quartet” will be presenting both a traditional and new take on some jazz classics concurrently. Songtress Sara Marlowe will keep the old jazz sound alive while Mohammad Ali infuses Hip Hop into these standards.
Friday, February 22, 2008 (Day) Thomas Lounge, Ryerson University
Workshop: Student/Youth Resistance in Haiti
A workshop examining why it is necessary to build solidarity between Canadian post-secondary students & Haitian students & youth. This workshop will also look at concrete proposals as to how to achieve the aforementioned links. The main proposal will be a resolution for the local members of the Canadian Federation of Students in solidarity with Haitian youth and students. We hope to have this resolution passed locally by as many post-secondary student organizations as possible in the coming months. The specific goals and means of achieving these goals will be discussed at the conference and are not already pre-determined. The conference organizers will do all they can to promote a democratic environment for discussions and decisions.
Friday, February 22, 2008 (Evening) Thomas Lounge, Ryerson University
Panel Discussion: Student Solidarity between Haiti & Canada
BC Holmes, Stephen LaFrenie and Jen Hassum will make a presentation on the need for youth/student solidarity between Haiti & Canada. BC Holmes www.thac.ca was part of a fact-finding mission in Haiti in 2007 and has great first-hand insight on the education situation in Haiti. Stephen LaFrenie has been involved in bettering the education situation on the ground in Haiti for many years and has invaluable insight to share on the situation of youth and students in Haiti. Jen Hassum is the chairperson of the CFS-Ontario.
CONTACT
If you are interested in sending a delegate to the conference, please contact:
Mohammad Ali Aumeer
Toronto Haiti Action Committee / Community Development@CESAR
(647) 289-3910
socailisthiphop@gmail.com
For more information on the crisis in Haiti and Canada’s role please see:
http://www.canadahaitiaction.ca
http://www.ijdh.org
http://www.dominionpaper.ca/maps/2006/12/05/visualizin.html
http://www.thac.ca
