In This Issue:
- Father Jack Celebrates His 40th Anniversary as a Priest
- A Letter from Our President
- Candlelight Prayer Vigil Held May 16
- Jubilee Interfaith Organization: Immigrant Rights Task Force
- In Solidarity: Current Activities
- Tonie Malone's Reflections on Her Trip
- Membership News
Father Jack Martin Celebrates 40 years in the Priesthood
Rev. John B. Martin -- our Father Jack -- recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. Father Jack, you are our founder, our inspiration, our friend, our example, our guide. We thank you for your love, kindness, hard work, courage, innovation, creativity, perseverance and faithfulness.
Ad multos Annos.
Anpil Anpil ane plis
A Letter from the President of HSNNE
A WORD FOR FATHER JACK..."Use me, Lord, and let me serve in every way I can. Let me channel Love and Hope according to your plan."
As you are celebrating your 40th Anniversary of Priesthood, I ask that God continue to love, bless and guide you. I pray that your vision, your love of God, and the love you express to your poor brothers and sisters in Haiti and elsewhere, is a beacon of hope to all who come in your path. Happy Anniversary and enjoy the moment!
AND FOR US ALL....We have watched much of the world turning its back on the daily corruption, brutal arrests, human rights violations and violation of the constitution that has been going on in Haiti. We also observe the people of Haiti steadfastly saying, "NO! to occupation. Aba slavery. We shall overcome!" Indeed the people will overcome the rape of their country and will continue to struggle for freedom, peace and an end to the occupation.
Who can accept the murdering of children in Cite Soleil or Bidon Ville or the death of hundreds of children from malnutrition, infectious but yet curable diseases caused by polluted water, lack of health care and simply the intensity of violence. I cannot help feeling incompetent and helpless but we need to cry: "Enough of the degradation, exploitation, injustice. Let Haiti Live! Let Haiti Live! She deserves it."
So, as we continue to mobilize, organize and advocate for peace, justice, security, respect for human rights and an end to the occupation, the international community is beginning to talk about the on-going violence in Haiti. Amnesty International cited the arbitrary arrests, ill treatment in detention centers and summary executions that involve the Haitian National Police. Congresswoman Maxine Waters points out that death squad members convicted in 2000 of the Rabatou massacre of 1994 have their convictions annulled while supporters of the Lavalas party, including former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, former Interior Minister Jocelerme Privert and others are illegally detained.
The New York Times reports "Violence and insecurity are ripping Haiti apart". I am once more going to make a "pitch" to all the readers. Let your friends, colleagues, organizations, the media, etc. know that there is a genocide going on in Haiti. I want you to contact your representatives and ask them to request that the occupiers, the United States, France, Canada and the UN provide the promised stability and security in Haiti.
Evel Fanfan, President of AUMOHD (The Association of University Graduates Motivated For A Haiti With Rights) reports that SWAT teams of armed forces are being called in to establish peace in Bel Air, Cite Soleil, etc. AUMOHD is sending an urgent humanitarian appeal to all human rights groups around the world and the Haitian people and friends to call for a national dialog. Haiti wants sovereignty and not a protectorate. She is the first Black sovereign country in the world. Haiti will overcome but needs your voices to plead her cause. Haiti needs you to stand up for its survival.
Georgette Delinois,
President
Candlelight Prayer Vigil Held May 16 in Jersey City
HSNNE sponsored a candlelight vigil and prayer service on May 16th, 2005, at St. Patrick's Church in Jersey City. Approximately 60 people gathered to show solidarity with political prisoners in Haiti, especially Yvon Neptune, who has been in prison since June 2004 on baseless charges. Prime Minister Neptune is close to death from a prolonged hunger strike to protest his illegal detention.
At the vigil, congressional aide, Yvonne Hatchett, read a statement from Congressman Donald Payne. In his statement, Congressman Payne made an urgent appeal to the Interim Government of Haiti to end repression and to free all political prisoners, as necessary steps toward a national dialogue, which must include all political parties.
The prayer service featured scripture reading, prayers and hymns in both Creole and English. Prayers were offered for justice, reconciliation and peace in Haiti. The event was covered by New Jersey News 12 reporter Drew Speier.
Those who participated in the vigil expressed interest in joining together at similar actions to demonstrate unity with the people of Haiti in their ongoing struggles. HSNNE is hopeful that media coverage of events such as the prayer vigil will raise awareness among Americans of the role of their government in overthrowing the democratically elected President of Haiti and contributing to the chaotic climate in Haiti.
Jubilee Interfaith Organization: Immigrant Rights Task Force
Haitians here in America are suffering from imprisonment in detention centers. The Elizabeth Detention Center is the worst place in the country. The majority of its detainees are from Colombia and Haiti.
Asylum seekers get placed in detention centers. Despite being in the most dreadful conditions, the cost per person is $180 a night. That comes from tax dollars! According to Charlie and Geri Mulligan of IRATE, Hudson County Correctional Center gets $10 million a year while Passaic gets $15 million for its state prisoners. It is a business.
A focus of all Jubilee Interfaith Organization (JIO) members is to get the In-State Tuition Act passed.
McCain-Kennedy-Kolbe-Flake-Gutierrez Bill is a landmark bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform legislation which attempts to fix our nation's broken immigration system. According to the National Immigration Law Center, the specific outcome of this process is dependent on the economics and politics of immigration, states. The best way to ensure results are favorable to immigrants is to build the political strength of immigrant communities and for people of good will to continue to work together.
In Solidarity: Current Activities
In his Spring letter in Nouvel Fonkoze, Father Joseph Phillippe speaks about solidarity, the first principle that guides the work of Fonkoze. He states that Fonkoze encourages their clients to form solidarity groups of five women. The group members commit to helping each other through the difficult periods, and they do so enthusiastically. They understand, Father Phillippe continues, that everyone will have a sick child now and then, and during that time they may need to use a part of their loan reimbursement to buy medicine or go to a doctor. The others willingly help that mother out this month, knowing that next month one of them might have a similar problem.
This is building of relationships, and it is a concept emphasized by Sister Parish, Inc. in their partnering with rural communities in Central America. This organization forms long term relationships which result in working on projects together: the marketing of crafts; training health promoters; building homes and churches; providing scholarships to keep youth in school; and supporting new and widely different programs in communities.
They put relationship first because it is so important to the creation of a relationship of equality. Their mission upholds that their first task as North Americans is to learn from our southern brothers and sisters what they have to teach us about faith, hospitality, courage, struggle and life.
On retreat in mid May, members of HSNNE reflected on our solidarity with the people of Haiti shown through medical delegations, educational and economic development projects and tuition assistance. Like Sister Parish, HSNNE maintains relationships with the people and responds to their requests rather than imposing something on them. We have been awed by their faith, warmed by their hospitality, astounded by their courage and moved to join in their struggle. With the increased suffering since the February '04 coup we have a greater need to take on a stronger advocacy role to address the violence and human rights abuses that are being committed against the poor people in Haiti.
We have a new relationship with Evel Fanfan, president of AUMOHD, a human rights advocacy group in Port-au-Prince, who spoke at our monthly meeting and we continue our relationship with Brian Concannon and Mario Joseph, this year's HSNNE award winners, who keep us informed.
As advocates, HSNNE is focusing on two bills that are in Congress now: HR 946 and HR 945. HR 946 would establish an Independent Commission to investigate the U.S. involvement in the removal of the Aristide government. HR 945 is "New Partnership for Haiti Act of 2005" to combat TV and HIV. (NOTE: For more information on these bills, see the the Library of Congress web site and enter the bill numbers.) We can contact our representatives through 1) visits, 2) letters, 3) phone calls, 4) email. The most effective is visits. See http://www.ijdh.org/, the web site of The Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti.
Tonie Malone's Reflections on Her Trip
Tonie Malone reported on her January 2nd, 2005 trip with four other committee members. They delivered twelve large bags of medicines and supplies to the Grande Plateau where more than 70,000 people of Pignon live high above sea level. The new Toyota truck given to Father Adius Alphonse of the sister parish was a reminder of the ten-year twinning project. This deserved a celebration and so it happened with goat stew and chicken, rice and beans, fried plantains, baked macaroni and cakes. Words of thanks and appreciation to all persons and corporations were expressed.
Tonie wrote they visited the new store the parish built, new classrooms, the health clinic. They also held meetings with the micro credit leadership group and Father Adius, who coordinates all their endeavors.
The micro credit loans are the cornerstone of the programs at St. Joseph, Keyport. Over 2,000 people in Pignon hold them. A man tells of buying chickens with a $100 loan, breeding them and selling them for $300 and now he is moving on to something else with his new loan. Another woman said her donkey, bought with a micro loan, surprised her with twins and now her whole life changed as she was able to sell the babies and use the profit to build up her business. Thanks to our turkey loans, turkeys are all over the place and the seeds we sent down have grown into a marvelous vegetable patch.
We asked them for new ideas and it's oxen. They'd like to purchase oxen to plough the fields and run a sugar cane press. In another area, it's a water pump and in another, a fruit tree in everyone's backyard, for starters.
The store/warehouse, run by the teachers of the school for the benefit of the micro credit ti machanns (small market traders) now needs a cement wall around the building with an iron access gate, since security after the coup is an issue.
The directors of the three schools run by the church asked for a week long teachers' training seminar for the forty-one teachers of the schools. Henri Claude thinks it is necessary for his teachers to be conversant with the latest technology.
At another meeting, we were asked to pick up the tab for ten more students in secondary school. Education plus health, plus credit assistance are the tools of empowerment. Inflation has a disastrous effect on the poor and the costs of education go first.
We are sending a young woman to nursing school but until she is ready, we were asked to help pay the salary of a nurse. We met the part time lab technician whose salary we pay, and saw that she was using the book we bought them called, When There Is No Doctor. The faith and spirit of the people of Pignon and of our donors have been an inspiration to all of us.
Membership News
Fundraising and Use of Funds
HSNNE is grateful to all those who contributed to the Dinner Dance. It was a social success and we were privileged to hear Brian Concannon and Mario Joseph and have them present for our monthly meeting and press conference at Seton Hall Law School Haiti Rule of Law Project.
If you have any ideas for a fund raiser, we would appreciate hearing from you. As you can imagine, the needs in Haiti are great. One that has come to our attention is that Evel Fanfan and his AUMOHD staff have lost their office space and need funding to find a new place.
Throughout this past year, HSNNE has contributed to the sea container, flood relief in Mapou and Gonaive, Tsunami relief, the Gros Morne seed project, Jean Rabel restavèk program, AUMOHD'S computer, camera, etc. to aid them in their work, Brian Concannon and Mario Joseph, Fondasyon Mapou, to name a few. In addition, we have provided a part time stipend for Sister Kay, and printed Kenbe Fèm for over 300 recipients. We are also getting our web site up and going soon.
Join Our Email List
If you enjoy this newsletter and would like to help us in printing it, please make a contribution. Membership in HSNNE is $10-15, which includes Kenbe Fèm.
If you would like to be on our contact list, please send your email address or phone number. Email kayssj2@aim.com or call (973) 622-7056. Let us hear from you with ideas, suggestions or information pertaining to our Haiti ministry.
A Note from a Friend
We've also received a note from one of our friends, Angela Smith. Angela did internship at St. Joseph's Center while working on her thesis for her Master's in Sustainable Development from the School for International Training in Vermont:
"I just wanted to share that it's been a very powerful experience for me being a part of HSNNE, learning about Haiti, and getting to know a group of amazing people. Thank you so much for welcoming me and for opening my eyes to both the struggle and the hope. Please keep me updated on your work. Wherever I end up, I will continue to try and spread the truth about Haiti and pray for the Haitian people. Blessing to you all for your good work!"
Send Us Your Ideas!
Please use this link to print a form so you can send information regarding membership, ideas or suggestions.
NOTICE:
We also learned from Guy Antoine, who was on retreat, that the poem "Until She Spoke" by Frederick Douglass, which was on the back cover of our dinner dance journal, was an adaptation of a lengthy prose piece that Guy extracted and titled. Nice work, Guy! Thanks.