Boston meeting features Fanmi Lavalas representative

On Jan. 10 a gathering of over 100 people of Haitian origin and supporters crowded into the United Steelworkers Local 8751 union hall in Boston for a rally to fight for the restoration of democracy in Haiti. The forum, hosted by Fanmi Lavalas of Boston, featured Dr. Maryse Narcisse, the highest-ranking international representative of Fanmi Lavalas and the direct representative of Dr. Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The meeting denounced the action of the Haitian Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) excluding Fanmi Lavalas from participation in February parliamentary elections in Haiti.

At Boston City Council. From left: Steve Kirschbaum, Frank Neisser, Andre Francois, Frantz Mendes, Chuck Turner, Claude “Toutou” St. Germain, Dr. Maryse Narcisse, Jean Serge Felix, Charles Yancey, Ayanna Pressley, Ed Childs, Jonathan Regis. WW photo

Dr. Narcisse has worked many years in both the public and private sectors, holding senior positions at the Ministry of Public Health and Population and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She has served as national coordinator for the World Health Organization’s Expanded Program on Immunization, the executive director of Education and Human Resources Development and director general in the Ministry of Public Health and Population.

The meeting was opened with a welcome to Dr. Narcisse and a statement of solidarity for the Haitian people from Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner. Frantz Mendes, President of United Steelworkers Local 8751 and the first and only Haitian-American president of a Steelworkers local, welcomed everyone to the Local’s union hall.

Over 80 percent of Local 8751’s membership is of Haitian origin. Claude St. Germain of Fanmi Lavalas of Boston gave welcoming remarks, calling on all to work together and unite to build and strengthen Fanmi Lavalas, saying, “Yon Sel nou Feb, Ansanm Nou Fo, Ansanm, Ansanm nou se Lavalas” — “Alone we are weak, together we are strong, together we are the Flood.” The meeting was conducted in Creole with translation available for those who needed it.

The meeting was chaired by Babeau Villier. Carole Elas presented Dr. Narcisse with a plaque from Fanmi Lavalas of Boston. Fanmi Lavalas members Philippe Andre-Jacques and Robert Benjamin also spoke. Daniel Ulysse gave a comedy presentation. An opening prayer was given by Bishop Filipe Teixeira OFSJC of the Diocese of St Francis of Assissi, CCA.

In her talk, Dr. Narcisse called on everyone to unite and to strengthen communication and cooperation among all of the Fanmi Lavalas chapters both inside and outside of Haiti. She discussed how Fanmi Lavalas was barred from Senate elections last April, and that the CEP was attempting to bar the party again from the upcoming February elections, even though the party has met all the constitutional requirements. Even though exiled President Aristide certified Dr. Narcisse as the representative of Fanmi Lavalas by e-mail to the CEP, they declared her mandate fraudulent.

Aristide was elected by a huge margin in 1990, culminating a popular revolution in Haiti against the U.S.-sponsored Duvalier dictatorship. He was kidnapped and flown out of the country in a U.S.-backed coup in 2004. As the elected president he should have a diplomatic passport, but it has been revoked by the current government. Aristide’s Fanmi Lavalas government was a peoples’ government that focused on education and health care and meeting the needs of the people.

Dr. Narcisse’s talk was followed by a spirited question-and-answer session. Haitian activist Jonathan Regis of the youth group Fight Imperialism, Stand Together spoke of organizing youth in solidarity with Haiti and asked Dr. Narcisse about Fanmi Lavalas’ efforts in bringing youth forward to participate in the struggle.

Miya X of the Women’s Fightback Network spoke of building and celebrating the leading role of women in fighting back against oppression around the world. Dr. Narcisse responded by discussing the importance to the movement of upholding and supporting the efforts of women to come forward under the most difficult circumstances.

On the morning of Jan. 11, Dr. Narcisse was accompanied by members of Fanmi Lavalas of Boston and the Boston School Bus Drivers to City Hall for a meeting with Boston’s four city councilors of color: Chuck Turner, Charles Yancey, Ayanna Pressley and Felix G. Arroyo. She was welcomed to City Hall by Councilor Turner, who asked her to explain how an election could take place in Haiti with Fanmi Lavalas, the peoples’ movement, excluded. The four councilors expressed support for a resolution deploring the exclusion of Fanmi Lavalas from the election and promised to work for its adoption by the Boston City Council as a whole.

St. Germain is a member of the interim coordinating committee for Fanmi Lavalas of Boston and an Executive Board member of USW Local 8751, Boston School Bus Drivers Union.