About the Haitian Priorities Project

HPP comes to flourish under the leadership of Jacob Francois (Founder of Project 2000 International) and Eugenia Charles (Founder of Fondasyon Mapou), both have dedicated years of the lives advocating for a just and equitable Haiti, while serving the underserved. Their hope is to provide a new direction for a dormant Haitian Diaspora to become pro-active, while enhancing their ability to advocate for a stable democratic Haiti. Moreover, they anticipate HPP serving as a center of information to help dispel negative stereotypes and provide in-depth analysis on Haiti.

The Haitian Priorities Project (HPP): Coalition for an improve U.S. and international communities policies for Haiti invites you to join hands with us to provide support for the Haitian people's struggle for Democracy. We urge you to join us in saying "NO" to the human rights abuses and failed policies in Haiti.

The U.S. policies, the non-responsive behavior of the United Nations and the international communities have exacerbated crisis in Haiti. They have trampled and overthrow Haiti's democratic process. Rebels are walking freely on the streets of Haiti, members of the Small Machetes Army "Lame Ti Manchèt" killing innocent civilians with impunity, and violence is rampant in areas like Petion-Ville, Delmas, Martissant, Carrefour, etc. No action has been taken by the peacekeeping forces in Haiti to curb such violence, besides conducting ongoing violent operations in Cité Soleil.

The Haitian Priorities Project condemns the arbitrary operations that MINUSTHA (United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti) undertakes in Cité Soleil, operations that cost the lives of hundreds of innocent Haitian civilians, particularly women and children.

Since the 2004 coup d'état, many renown institutions have confirmed through various reports that impoverished Haitians become targets of a terror campaign, because of their political affiliation. The media has been instrumental in creating and maintaining a climate of terror with their focus on Cité Soleil, while the humanitarian crisis reaches new disturbing proportions, and collateral damages has reached new heights.

Therefore we are committed to:

  • Encourage and facilitate Haitians within Haiti to exercise their civic responsibility while adhering to democratic principles and the respect for human rights.

  • Define concrete strategic tactics and training for the Diaspora and Haiti that would enhance the Haitian leadership's skills, reinforce the mobilization movement while rebuilding democratic institutions.

  • Ensure that the U.S. and the international communities institute policies that maximize the development of Haiti 's democratic institutions, while respecting the country's sovereignty, right to self-determination, and the governance through a democratic process.

  • Provide the American public with accurate information about Haiti's democratic transition, including direct information from grassroots organizations and other partners in Haiti.

  • Accurately articulate the situation in Haiti through the media and other means, as well as developing and maintaining a dynamic solidarity movement in the U.S.

The Neo-Cons of Haiti have had many opportunities to speak to the detriment of the Haitian people's desire. HPP believes that it is imperative NOW, for ordinary citizens of Haiti to get their chances to be heard in Haiti, the US and internationally. As such HPP will attempt to provide support for the Haitian people's struggle for Democracy, rights for sovereignty, respect of their human rights and self-reliance. Presently, the Haitian mandated priorities for this Coalition are as follows:

  • Support the Liberation of all political prisoners, demand just and equitable treatment for all prisoners in Haiti and the return of all Haitians in exile.

  • Call for an end to the systematic repression of democratic supporters, impunity, and a call for due process in the Haitian judicial system.

  • Call on a team of Human Rights Observers comprised of members from the Haitian parliament, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the African Union, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR), International Parliament Federation including members of the United States Congress-particularly the Black Caucus' Haiti Task Force to evaluate the human rights situation, investigate and bring to justice the perpetrators who have the take the lives of hundreds of innocent Haitian civilians, because of February 2004 and thereafter. Especially, an immediate investigation into the killing and massacre that MINUSTAH has committed in Haiti.

  • Call on the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Assembly of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians (ACCP), Organization of American States (OAS), the United States Congress to investigate the circumstances leading to February 29, 2004; particularly to determine the role of the U.S., France, and Canada in obstructing the democratic process in Haiti. Everyone is urged to endorse H.R.351 (introduced in the House of Representatives) to establish the Independent Commission on the 2004 Coup d'Etat in the Republic of Haiti.

  • Demand that the U.S. and other countries with Haitian refugees grants Temporary Protective Status (TPS) to persecuted Haitians and an immediately halt to indefinite detention and deportation of Haitian immigrants. Everyone is urged to support the Haitian Protection Act of 2007 (introduced in House of Representatives) HR 522 as well as HR454 to amend the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (HRIFA) of 1998.

  • Demand a temporary suspension of the repatriation of Haitian nationals who have committed crimes in the U.S. until a comprehensive program is developed in order to monitor these individuals once released back into the Haitian society.

  • Demand that United Nations Security Council revises MINUSTAH (United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti) mandate and focus to a civil mission that assist the Haitian government in rebuilding Haiti's infrastructure with concrete things like roads, schools, libraries, community centers, etc - Otherwise the occupying force must leave Haiti immediately, and the budget of MINUSTAH must be reallocated to develop and an emergency program for Haiti.

  • Demand complete elimination and forgiveness Haiti's external debt in order to facilitate the process of rebuilding Haiti.

  • Urge the Haitian parliament to revisit the Haitian constitution in order to make ways for Haitians in the Diaspora to play a vital role in building democratic institutions and become stakeholders in development of Haiti.