Letter from the Coalition of Haitian Diaspora against the Referendum
From: Koalisyon Oganizasyon nan Dyaspora Ayisyen kont Referandòm 27 Jen 2021
To: Members of the United Nations General Assembly
Re: Stop Supporting Jovenel Moise’s Unconstitutional Project of Referendum to Replace Haiti’s Constitution of 1987
Date : June 2, 2021
Dear Members of the UN General Assembly,
The 1987 Haitian Constitution is clear: there can be no referendum to replace the 1987 constitution. Changes must come from amendments passed during the last session of a legislative body, and ratified at the first session of the following legislature (art. 284.3 of Haitian constitution of 1987). This process was written into the constitution as a “dictatorship safeguard” since Duvalier had used a dishonest referendum to establish his dictatorship.
In the name of the Haitian people, we thank the generalized international denunciation of the PHTK (Party in power, Pati Haitian Tet Kale or Haitian Skin Head Party) dictatorship. World wide support is encouraging and allows the population to renew a certain level of trust in humanity.
Unfortunately, we are sad to report that in spite of the universal acknowledgment of PHTK’s corrupt and criminal crusade, some powerful international forces are reluctant to withdraw their support from the current dictatorship. Their objectives are simple: maintain the PHTK government in power until it is possible to stage a transition that would effectively exclude the majority of Haitians from future political participation.
How do these forces manifest: the OAS, the UN, the CORE GROUP, the so-called civil society, scantily defined groups, willing to sidestep their charter prescriptions, in order to participate in this continued injustice imposed on the Haitian people? To that end, we want to denounce the current governmental tour of the Haitian Diaspora taking place in the USA. Led by the Minister of Interior Gonzague Day, reports from the first event indicate that, true to his reputation, Mr. Day is engaged in an intimidation campaign reminiscent of his father’s contribution to Papa Doc’s most sinister days.
No one knew it was taking place until an invitation was leaked on the web late Thursday, May 20, 2021. HDUH (Haitian Diaspora United for Haiti), along with unnamed organizations, were inviting the Haitian diaspora to an all-day conference in New York. Announced panelists included Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Haitian Interior Minister Gonzague Day, and the event was to be MCed by well-known Haitian TV personality Valerio St- Louis.
Once word got out, Congresswoman Clarke issued a public statement denying all knowledge of her participation at the conference. Valerio St-Louis withdrew his participation citing the fact that he was unaware of the nature of the conference. Indeed, most of the guests excused themselves and as a result, in order to avoid a complete flop, the Minister ordered New York’s Haitian consulate to issue an order to all employees “making attendance to the May 22 Conference, a condition for continued employment.”
The same group, including the consulate staff as participants, were in Spring Valley the following Sunday, scheduled to be in Delaware on Monday and finally Washington DC on Tuesday, thus claiming systematic engagement of the diaspora in a referendum process rejected by the totality of the Haitian population.
We want the Members of the UN General Assembly, as well as honest citizens of nations the world over to know that there are honest people in Haiti that can facilitate a transition where democratic institutions can be rehabilitated, prior to elections taking place. The international forces preparing a transition of exclusion must be stopped. They must be made responsible for every kidnapping, every political assassination, every disappearing of young activists staged by the totalitarian and criminal PHTK government they are supporting.
Because the systematic destruction of the state apparatus implemented by PHTK makes it currently impossible to stage inclusive and credible elections, we support a transition cloaked in the highest level of transparency, rooted in the participative processes prescribed by the 1987 constitution, thus guaranteeing participation at all levels of civil society. We reject any notion of exclusive transition or that a solution can be negotiated with PHTK.
Anyone determined to pretend the existence of constitutional ambiguity as far as the end date of Jovenel Moïse presidential mandate is participating in a conspiracy against the fundamental rights of all Haitians. All Haitians are clear: the current Haitian government is an illegally imposed government, in violation of the existing constitution (art. 134.2 and 134.3).
Following the signatures of these organizations:
Theoballe Pierre-Paul (Inisyativ Oganizasyon Florida)
Roland Sainristil (Solidarité des Haitiens de la Diaspora, SOHD)
Alain Zéphir (Renouveau Démocratique)
Mme Mélissa Jeune André (Fondation Centre d’Aide Rapha), Canada
Frénel Anacrayon (BACK-UP HAITI)
Pierre Labossière (Haiti Action Committee)
Tony Jean-Thénor (Veye Yo)
Fabienne Rene (Haitian Diaspora United (HDU)/Haitian Unified Hearts (HUH)/AyitiKapab – HaitiCan)
Jean Claudy Fils (Group Aksyon Dyaspora, GAD)
Mike Leonard (Get up Stand up for Haiti)
Patrice Laporte (Mouvman Antant Popilè, MAP)
Gilbert Thélusma (Vizyon Pwogresis)
Wilson Chery (Mouvement des Haïtiens de France pour le Respect de la Constitution, MOHFREC), Paris
Contact Numbers: 786- 285-5483, 646-363-2710, 514-679-7059, 917-815-2228
Cc: European Union
Organisation des Etats Américains (OEA)
Civil Society of Haïti
State Department
President Joseph Biden