‘No Aristide! No peace!’

Òganizasyon Fanmi Lavalas de Boston and their supporters picketed in front of Boston’s JFK Federal Building on Feb. 11, demanding the immediate return of democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to Haiti. Aristide was kidnapped in a U.S. imperialist inspired coup on Feb. 29, 2004. Haiti has suffered an extremely brutal occupation since that time, first by U.S., French and Canadian imperialist troops, and then by Minustah U.N. forces. The occupation has intensified since the devastating earthquake of Jan. 12, 2010. The effects of the earthquake, which killed more than 316,000 people and injured hundreds of thousands, continue to present a massive crisis for this country, already terribly impoverished by imperialism.

On the picket line, the Haitian community was joined by the International Action Center; the Boston School Bus Drivers, Steelworkers Local 8751; Fight Imperialism, Stand Together (FIST); and other anti-war activists. Bilingual placards and chants declared, “U.S./U.N. Imperialists — Hands Off Haiti!” “Obama/State Department — Hands off Haiti!” “No Aristide, No Peace!” “Jean-Claude Duvalier to Jail! Aristide to Haiti!” and “Victory for Fanmi Lavalas!” The protesters stated that the current “elections” are an imperialist-designed fraud. They explained that the most popular party, Fanmi Lavalas, has been barred from the process. Many spoke of the tremendous people’s victory in Egypt and vowed to continue the struggle to bring people’s power to the streets of Haiti.

— Report & photo by Steven Kirschbaum