Haiti

Batay Ouvriye: After the January 12, 2010 Earthquake in Haiti

Mick — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:10:42 -0800

Below is a recent position statement from the Haitian workers and peasents organization Batay Ouvriye. As an anarchist-communist I don't agree with everything Batay Ouvriye says, notably in this statement their call for a "workers state", but I think it is an important voice that needs to be heard now which is why I'm posting this to my blog here on Linchpin.ca. Read it for yourself, it's well worth your time.

Quote:

POSITION STATEMENT

After the January 12, 2010 Earthquake

Update from Batay Ouvriye in Haiti

Mick — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:56:29 -0800

Just got this via the Organisation Communiste Libertaire in France. It is a direct appeal from Batay Ouvriye in Port-au-Prince, Haiti dated Jan. 20, 2010.

French version can be read here. What follows is the English translation.

Quote:

BATAY OUVRIYE

CALL FOR SOLIDARITY AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE
12 JANUARY 2010 IN HAITI

On January 12th, 2010, an earthquake hit us, the Haitian people, terribly.

Besides the public buildings, for sure, it was the popular neighborhoods that were most destroyed. No surprise there, since they are the most fragile, the most unstable structures; they are the ones who never received any services, nor consolidation, nothing; quite the opposite, the ruling classes were always set on getting us out, displacing us, which is why we were never able to even try to consolidate ourselves by our own means.

¡Llamado para Solidaridad y Fondos para l@s obrer@s de Haití!

Linchpin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:17:20 -0800

Para contribuir directamente con tarjeta de crédito:
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14/01/09- Una catástrofe ha caído encima de Haití cuya dimensión solo vemos la superficie en este momento. El pueblo haitiano estará luchando para rehacer sus vidas y sus hogares posiblemente durante decadas en vista del colapso sin precedentes, tanto físico como social. Pero a pesar de la incertidumbre de los terremotos, esta desastre no es natural, una monstruosidad de nuestros tiempos. El alcance de los daños del terremoto es parte de las consequencias de la explotación desenfrenada que en cada paso pone la ganancia por encima de la salud, la seguridad y el bienestar del pueblo haitiano.

Appel à la solidarité et à l’envoi de fonds pour les travailleurs d’Haïti!

Linchpin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:00:22 -0800

Appel à la solidarité

EDIT: Suivez ce lien pour contribuer

et à l’envoi de fonds pour les travailleurs d’Haïti !

Une catastrophe naturelle vient de s’abattre sur Haïti, dont nous n’entrevoyons encore que la surface. Les haitiens vont devoir lutter pour reconstruire leur vie et leurs maisons, et ce vraisemblablement pour des décennies considérant cet effondrement sans précédent, à la fois physique et social.

Pourtant, malgré les l’imprévisibilité des tremblements de terre, ce désastre est contre nature, une monstruosité de notre temps. L’ampleur des dégâts du tremblement de terre fait partie du coût de l’exploitation effrénée qui, à chaque moment, met le profit devant la santé, devant la sécurité et devant le bien être du peuple de Haïti.

Call for Solidarity and Funds for the Working People of Haiti!

Linchpin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:51:46 -0800

Joint statement from Miami autonomy and solidarity and the Batay Ouvriye Haiti Solidarity Network

[Français], [Castellano], [Italiano], [Ελληνικά]

Donate Online with a credit card!

Money Orders/checks:
Payable to Miami Workers Center (in memo write MAS)
Miami Workers Center
6127 Northwest 7th Avenue
Miami, FL, USA
33127-1111

01/14/09- A natural disaster has descended upon Haiti whose scope we only are seeing the surface of at this time. The Haitian people will be struggling to rebuild their lives and their home possibly for decades in light of unprecedented collapse, both physical and social. Yet despite the unpredictability of earthquakes, this disaster is unnatural, a monstrosity of our time. The extent of the damage of the earthquake is part of the cost of unrestrained exploitation which at every step put profit above the health, safety, and well being of the Haitian people. While the world watches on ready to help, power is being dealt an opportunity. The Haitian workers and peasants have been fighting for their rights to even the most basic level of existence for decades, while the UN-occupying force, the state, and the ruling elites maintain the social misery without relenting. Now as Port-Au-Prince is in rubble, new opportunities arise for rulers to rebuild Haiti in their own interests, and likewise for the Haitian workers and peasants to assert their right to their own Haiti, one where they will be not be forced to live in dangerous buildings, and work merely to fill the pockets of elites, foreign or domestic.