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Dec 21, 05
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RCMP Officer Dies in Haiti
*Below is Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO)'s statement
on the retired RCMP officer killed in the occupation of Haiti. MAWO is also sending our endorsement of the emergency action against the occupation called by Haiti Solidarity BC set to take place Wednesday December 21 at 4:30pm outside the offices of Liberal Party MP Hedi Fry and we are encouraging all our members and supporters and all people against war and occupation to attend.* Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) www.mawovancouver.org | info@mawovancouver.org | 604-322-1764 December 20, 2005 NEWS ITEM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS CONTACT: Kira Koshelanyk 778-881-6156 Shannon Bundock 778-891-1470 RETIRED RCMP OFFICER KILLED IN OCCUPATION OF HAITI VANCOUVER ANTI-WAR COALITION DEMANDS: CANADA OUT OF HAITI NOW! ----------------------------------- Support the Haiti Solidarity BC rally against the occupation of Haiti Wednesday, December 21, 4:30pm to 5:30pm 1125 Davie St. – at the corner of Thurlow, Vancouver BC (outside the offices of Liberal Party MP Hedi Fry) ---------------------------------- On the morning of December 20, Mark Bourque, a retired Canadian RCMP officer stationed in Haiti as part of the UN backed occupation forces, was killed while on patrol in Cite Soleil. Responding to the death Prime Minister Paul Martin stated, "Bourque was in Haiti as part of Canada's efforts to promote good governance and democracy, and his work there exemplified to the world the finest of Canada's values." Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) refutes Paul Martin's claims. In response to the death, MAWO co-chair Kira Koshelanyk said, "Mark Bourque's death is another senseless and tragic loss on top of the thousands of Haitian lives that have already been lost through the occupation of Haiti. The only way to put an end to these tragic deaths is to end the occupation of Haiti and join the Haitian people in their demand for self-determination." At the end of February 2004, Canada, the US, and France invaded Haiti and brought down the country's first ever democratically elected government. President Jean Bertand Aristide was forced into exile and the leaders of his Lavalas party were imprisoned or killed. Under the United Nations administered occupation of Haiti that has followed, Haitians have faced attacks in the forms of the round-ups of Lavalas party supporters in house to house raids and massacres like the execution of up to 50 victims by machete and hatchet on Aug. 21 in a soccer field in Gran Ravin-Martissant, Haiti. Canada has continued to play a central role in the occupation of Haiti through 100 RCMP officers, present as part of the UN occupation, to train and assist the Haitian National Police (PHN), the main force of suppression of the anti-occupation movement in Haiti. UN and PHN forces have stepped up their raids and attacks on Bel Aire and other Haitian cities in recent days in preparation for the planned Haitian elections in January – elections that the Lavalas party is banned from participating in. MAWO Co-Chair Shannon Bundock said, "The UN and PHN elections preparations have meant the suppression of people in Haiti who are organizing for the self-determination of Haiti and an end to the occupation. News reports on Bourque's death have stated that the shots fired at his patrol car are the fourth incident of shooting of occupation forces in the past five days; but reports on the shootings of Haitian people have been noticeably absent. "People in Canada play an important role in the Haitian demand for self-determination," Bundock concluded, "To honour the life of Mark Bourque and the tragic loss of uncountable innocent Haitian lives, we call for people in Canada to get involved in the anti-war movement and to take action alongside the Haitian people to demand that Canada get out of Haiti, and to end the occupation now." At the time of the drafting of this release, a planned rally against the occupation of Haiti has been announced by Haiti Solidarity BC (HSBC). Mobilization Against War and Occupation endorses and calls for all people against war and occupation to attend and support this demonstration. 
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Dec 21, 05
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(msg from Haiti Solidarity BC)
Rally to free Haiti! Wednesday, December 21, 4:30 PM to 5:30PM 1125 Davie St., corner Thurlow, Vancouver BC (outside the offices of Liberal Party MP Hedi Fry) CBC News reports the death of "retired RCMP officer" Mark Bourque today in Port au Prince, Haiti. According to the report, Bourque was "patroling" the Cite Soleil district of Port au Prince with another Candian policeman when their vehicle came under fire. Many Canadians will be surprised to learn that RCMP are present in Haiti and are "patroling" neighbourhoods. They will be disturbed to learn that the Cite Soleil district where Mark Bourque died has been the scene of scores of killings of ordinary Haitians in the past few months by the Haitian National Police (HNP) and a United Nations-sponsored foreign military force that includes Canadian police and military. They will be even more disturbed to learn that for more than one year, a Canadian police contingent has been training the HNP. The Haitian National Police has been condemned by numerous human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, for widespread human rights violations, including the targeting of supporters of the elected government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Aristide's government was overthrown in a violent coup and foreign invasion in February, 2004. In order to inform the Canadian public of the violent and repressive reality of Haiti today under foreign occupation, Haiti Solidarity BC is convening a rally tomorrow, Wednesday, at 4:30 PM to reiterate our long-standing demands on the Canadian government. The rally will take place outside the campaign office of Liberal Party Member of Parliament Hedi Fry. * End the foreign occupation of Haiti! Canada/US/United Nations out! * Withdraw recognition of the illegal, "interim government"! * Restore the constitutional government of President Aristide! * End the repression of the Lavalas movement! Free all political prisoners! * Haiti will be free! Haiti Solidarity BC December 20, 2005 For info: 778-858-5179, or 604-338-7450
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Dec 21, 05
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I think this is a sad use of a tragic death these countries did not bring down the government. From what I remember wasn't there a Haitian military leader leading a coup against the Haitian president the conditions were horrid when troops and Officers hit the ground in Haiti. I am wondering any of these groups that are so against this so called occupation do they have any Haitians in them cause I know a couple of Haitians and they were in support of what went down.. Just wondering
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Dec 21, 05
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The general lack of knowledge on the current situation available to citizens is calculated.
Sadly the occupation of Haiti is one of the Canadian governments prime examples of its imperialistic expansion under the guise of foreign aid, and positive puplic opnion is initiated by a general lack of conclusive information and rhetoric that masks the brutal realities that Haitian peoples face AS A RESULT of occupation. There is a large number of Haitians involved in the Haitian Solidarity Movement here in Canada, in fact we have the largest on the globe. Haitian peoples here in Canada not only face the reality that the current landscape in Haiti is a product of Canadian Governmental meddling, but also face similair discrimintation and exploitation in the homefront. -President Aristade was democratically elected. His only opposition was a small "elite" of business owners and corrupt officials who recieved funding and logistical aid by Canadian NGO IFESC (International Foundation of Elections Systems Canada) well before the "coup" -The US and Canada both had closed doors meeting in which blatant and completely forthright languafe was used explaining the need to remove President Aristade. -President Aristade was "not playing ball" with the US, more specifically, he was unwilling to further privatize integral state run sectors including communications. -The US special forced were responsible for kidnapping President Aristade, while Canadas "special forces" the JTF2 were on the tarmac lending tactical support. The previous facts outline step one in Canadas imperialistic invasion of Haiti >>"Further Debase the established concept of national soveriegnty" -Haiti is an example of Canadas newest experiment "The Responsibilty to Protect Doctorine" but realistically takes its influence from the age old racist policy know as the "white mans burden" -Current positions that are politically sensitive and agressivley funded by CIDA including Human Rights sectors such as Womens rights and Media, are "without eception, active players within the elite minority political opposition to Aristades government -A large contingent of Lavalas(Aristides Political Party) members have either been murdered or jailed -Active financial aid droped severely over 600% from 1994 - 2002 setting up a completely transparent destabilization of the country prior to the "coup" and eventual "invasion" -CIDA supported the US trade embargo to Haiti at one point before the occupation -NGO's that support the current occupation of Haiti such as "Development and Peace," and "Rights + Democracy + Alternatives" are actively funded by CIDA -Active investment and development has been made in Haiti, providing Wireless Internet for citizens who for the most part are living off less than 1$ USD a day. The previous facts outline step one in Canadas imperialistic invasion of Haiti >>Disguise imperial government domination as development. -Jean piere kingsley "trusted head of elections canada" and a board member for the NGO IFESC was sent to Haiti to oversee the most recent of election processes. -Jean piere kingsley was also the head overseer of the latest elections in Iraq -a RCMP force of over 100 officers are entrenched in the HNP, having 1-2 officers direct police forces of well over a 100 as well. -Canadas special forces the JTF2 were working as "security operatives" during the elections and are reportedly still in active duty in Haiti The previous facts outline step one in Canadas imperialistic invasion of Haiti >>Establish Canadas reputation as trusted elections monitors. Since the invasion of Haiti: - the life expectancy for Haitian men is ~51% for Haitian women ~48% -83% of the Haitian population doesn not have access to safe drinking water -Rate of enrollment for elementary school is ~53% for secondary school ~13% -close to 90% of the Haitian population live on less than 1$ USD daily. The UN mission was intially led by Canada and now Brazil has been involved in several slaughter of innocent women, men and children in some of the poorest areas in Haiti including Port Au Prince and Citie Soleil. UN troops stood by and watch several incidents (massacres) involving (RCMP trained) HNP involving masked officers shooting into unarmed crowds of demonstrators UN troops reporedly have been responsible for a large contigent of "head shot" deaths, and currently "tag" all bodies, as there is very little distinguashable features in the facial region. This is just a brief synopsis of whats going in Haiti, bong, and i havent conncected the events specifical to Haiti nor have i related them and explained the links with other Canadian government lead operations in the world. Come out to an event and we can talk more, and check out some links in the meantime. http://www.canadahaitiaction.ca http://www.haitiaction.net/ (*this ones pretty intense and extremly graphic) http://www.zmag.org/content/showarti...55&ItemID=7905 http://auto_sol.tao.ca/node/view/1100 http://mawovancouver.org http://firethistime.net http://www.zmag.org/lam/Haitiwatch.cfm there is also a book recently produced by journalist anthony fenton outlining the horrific realities of Haiti and his recent travels there. I forget the name of the book but you can buy it @ any Haitia Solidarity BC meeting or @ chapters. If you come across any accounts by Yves Engler or Kevin Pina (both journalists who have been to Haiti countless times, and have made several documenteries) check them out as well Its somewhat brief, but i hope this helps. 
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Dec 21, 05
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Since the invasion of Haiti:
- the life expectancy for Haitian men is ~51% for Haitian women ~48% -83% of the Haitian population doesn not have access to safe drinking water -Rate of enrollment for elementary school is ~53% for secondary school ~13% -close to 90% of the Haitian population live on less than 1$ USD daily. Now what were those percentages before this supposed invasion... I still stand by that useing the death of the retired mounty to further your own agenda is deplorable at best considering he was a volunteer and obviously believed in what he was there to do.
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Dec 21, 05
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I sponsered a little Hatian girl named Johnia Dorelus through World Vision =)
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Dec 22, 05
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Deaths of Canadians are tragic, and even more so when they are uneccesary and as a result of a corrupt government pitting potentially "honest officers" against an indegenous peoples that are reisiting imperialist invasion. The fact is this RCMP officer was part of a 25 man "mercenary team" who was hired above and beyond the initial enlisted force of 100 officers. My agenda? Deplorable? Get a grip. I think if your going to share your opinions, and engage in discussion, its time to do some more research and investigation in not only the current realities and history of Haiti, but the RCMP as well. I given you links, and some info, and some of my opinions, the rest is in your hands. Do whatever the fuck youd like. Last edited by fable; Dec 22, 05 at 02:30 AM.
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Dec 22, 05
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