From the Presbyterian Washington Office:
Urge President Bush and Secretary Ridge to
Protect Haitian Refugees
[3-4-04]
ISSUE: Over the past several months,
violence has escalated in Haiti between armed rebels and supporters of the
now deposed, democratically elected President Jean Bertrand-Aristide,
plunging the small island nation into chaos. At least 100 people were killed
in February alone, which has led an increasing number of persons to flee in
search of refuge, often to the United States in crowded and unsafe vessels.
President Bush, however, made it clear that "we will turn back any refugee
that attempts to reach our shore," a policy in flagrant violation of
international law as established by the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees.
Indeed, in the past month the U.S. Coast Guard has repatriated over 867
Haitians without giving them a chance to adequately state their asylum
claims. While it is hoped that the international peacekeeping force will
stabilize the country, the U.S. still has moral and legal responsibility to
protect those persons who seek refuge from the dangerous turmoil in Haiti.
ACTION: Call or write the White House
and ask President Bush to provide protection for all Haitians intercepted at
sea, and to offer TPS (Temporary Protected Status) for a period of 18 months
to Haitians currently residing in the U.S. Thank him for contributing troops
to the international peacekeeping force, so that the country can be
stabilized.
Contact Secretary of Homeland Security Tom
Ridge and ask him to immediately halt all deportations and repatriations to
Haiti, due to the instability of the country and the almost assured threat
to the lives of all Haitians returned to the island at this time.
The number for the White House Comment Line
is 202.456.1111. You can also go to the Presbyterian Legislative Action
Center to compose you own e-mails
www.capwiz.com/pcusa/mail/compose
To write the President, send your letter
to: The Honorable George W. Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington, DC 20500
To write the Secretary of Homeland
Security, Tom Ridge, send your letter to: The Honorable Tom Ridge Department
of Homeland Security 2001 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20201
BACKGROUND: Haiti, one of the most
impoverished nations in the world, has a history of violent uprisings and
political instability. When the first democratically-elected President,
Aristide, was ousted by a military coup in 1991, the Presbyterian Church
(USA) was adamant in her calls for the restoration of order, justice and
peace in Haiti, and for the United States to stop the forced return of
Haitian refugees. Today, faced with a similar Haitian humanitarian and
political crisis a decade later, the Church's response must be the same. The
United States is morally and legally obligated to protect Haitian refugees,
and so should offer interdicted migrants screening for asylum instead of
simply repatriating them to their unstable country. In so doing, the U.S.
would encourage other nations in the region to open their borders to
Haitians seeking protection from the violence.
The Temporary Protected Status program was
established to provide protection to people who are temporarily unable to
return to their homelands because of dangerous and ongoing conflict. There
is international consensus that this is the current situation in Haiti, made
clear by the decision of the UN Security Council to provide peacekeeping
forces to the region. Thus, all Haitians currently in the U.S. should be
allowed Temporary Protected Status until it is safe to return to their
native country.
By calling for fair treatment of Haitian
refugees -- a chance to state their claims for asylum and the offering of
Temporary Protected Status -- PC(USA) seeks to uphold standards of human
rights, peace, and justice for all people, regardless of race, creed, or
nationality.
GA Policy:
1992 Statement - PC(USA), p. 918
1. Calls on the president and United States
government to:
a. Suspend immediately the high seas
interdiction and forced return of Haitian refugees; ...
f. Support the restoration of
constitutional order and democratic government in Haiti, so that the people
of Haiti, with the active support of the international community, can bring
peace, stability, and justice to their nation . . .
1993 Statement - PC(USA), pp. 60-61
Whereas, the situation in Haiti becomes
more desperate every day, with continuing human rights abuses documented by
various human rights groups and international observers; ... . . the 205th
General Assembly (1993) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):
1. Calls upon the civilian and military
authorities in Haiti to stop the killing and human rights violations now
going on in Haiti.
2. Calls upon the United States government,
the Organization of American States, the United Nations, and the
international community at large to take all necessary measures for the
restoration of the democratically elected government, of President Aristide,
of constitutional order, and of the rule of law in Haiti.
3. Supports the United Nations and the
Organization of American States in the deployment of observers and
peacekeepers into Haiti to prevent human rights abuses and to oversee a
speedy transition to democratically elected government. ...
6. Calls upon presbyteries and
congregations to act upon the concerns lifted up in their prayers by
a. engaging in letter writing and other
means of communicating with their members of Congress, the president, and
the Department of State, asking for continuous and more decisive actions;
b. providing greater financial support to
human rights organizations in Haiti for humanitarian assistance;
c. identifying and sponsoring local
programs in Haiti to foster peace and sustainable development through
training in peaceful conflict resolution, mediation and reconciliation, and
alternative economic and social activities; ...
===================================================
Office of the General Assembly Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk
Interim President, Chief Justice Hon. Boniface
Alexandre
Palais national de la Republique d'Haiti
Rue de la Republique
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Your Excellency:
I am writing to you on behalf of the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which represents some
2.5 million Presbyterians, to express our deep sorrow over the crisis in
which the Haitian people find themselves. Our church has been involved in
ministries of compassion with the people of Haiti for many years, including
our partnership with the Episcopal Church of Haiti at L'Hopital St. Croix in
Leogane and other of its ministries; therefore, our prayers for you also
carry the personal good wishes of many of our own members who have been a
part of those ministries.
At this critical time of transition, we
pray especially for you and those who join you in leadership, as you work
toward a peaceful solution to the conflicts within your nation. We note with
appreciation that this year marks the time, 200 years ago, when the Haitian
people secured their freedom from slavery and the right to govern
themselves. It is our hope and prayer that as you move toward a resolution
to the current governmental crisis, you will be able to secure a future for
your people that bears the marks of democracy, freedom, stability and peace
for all the people of Haiti.
Please be assured that we also commit
ourselves to urge our own government, as well as the leadership of the
United Nations, to use all the resources at their disposal to support you in
these efforts.
In Faith and Hope,
Clifton Kirkpatrick
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
cc: Rt. Rev. Jean Zache Duracin, Bishop of
Haiti
Rt. Rev. Frank T. Griswold, Presiding
Bishop, Episcopal Church, USA
100 Witherspoon Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202-1396
1-888-PCUSA-2-U (1-888-728-7228)
Provided by
Rev. Elenora Giddings Ivory
Director, Washington Office
Presbyterian Church (USA) 202-543-1126
110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 104
Washington, DC 20002
For more information, contact:
Elenora Giddings Ivory, PC(U.S.A.) Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue,
NE, #104, Washington, DC 20002. 202-543-1126, fax 202-543-7755. Email eivory@ctr.pcusa.org
