Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, representative of the seventh congressional district of Massachusetts and co-chair of House Haiti Caucus, and Reverend Dieufort Fleurissaint, leader of the United Haitians of America, agreed in speaking out this Wednesday, June 1, 2022, on the need for Haitians to determine their future.
In a note made public, these two advocates of Haitian rights highlight the “Month of May chosen to be the month of Haitian heritage” by recognizing the vast contributions of the Haitian diaspora throughout the Commonwealth and the United States of America.
And the authors continue that Massachusetts’ 7th Congressional District is home to one of the largest Haitian diaspora communities throughout the United States and “the impact of our Haitian neighbors is undeniable.” “From the historic election of Ruthzee Louijeune, the first Haitian-American to serve on the Boston City Council, to Marie St. Fleur, the first Haitian immigrant to hold public office in Massachusetts, our Haitian neighbors are a daily reminder of their rich culture, history, accomplishments, and contributions,” say
Ayanna Pressley and Dieufort Fleurissaint.
Further, they advocate for real engagement in advocating for necessary and long-overdue change in Uncle Sam’s policies and relationship with the Haitian people, which, according to the authors, have perpetuated anti-noirness and exacerbated injustice.
“Last September, the brutalization of Haitians and other migrants at the Del Rio border in Texas shocked the world and shed new light on the role that U.S. policy has played in destabilizing Haiti for decades. We saw harrowing images of thousands of Haitian migrants crammed under the Del Rio Bridge and pursued with horse whips by customs agents and border patrols, drawing striking parallels to our country’s treatment of enslaved blacks and ongoing instances of state violence. These devastating images only showed the world what Haitians have known and experienced for a long time,” the congresswoman and the reverend said. And rightly so, they mentioned the successive calamities that have hit Haiti, including the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that shook the southern peninsula of the country and tropical storm Grace. “All these events of such magnitude have exacerbated the destruction and violence on Haiti and the Dominican Republic.”
Congresswoman says she regrets the U.S. migration policy towards Haitians, not without mentioning that last year the Biden administration extended temporary protected status for Haitians based on “security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights violations, crippling poverty and a lack of basic resources, which are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.” “We strongly advocated for this and applauded the administration’s announcement at the time; however, despite the clear worsening of these conditions on Haiti and the neighboring country, the United States has continued to deport thousands of Haitian migrants under the, what she calls, racist and xenophobic Title 42 policy. “Ayanna Pressley and Dieufort Fleurissaint could not be clearer and sharper, stating that a lasting solution to the Haitian crisis will require the United States to withdraw its support for de facto leader Ariel Henry, who lacks legitimacy with the Haitian people, and instead partner with members of Haitian civil society working to end the corruption and impunity that are driving people to flee Haiti/Dominican Republic.
Haitian rights activists also pointed to a kind of Haitian political momentum. Indeed, they point to the fact that despite the threat of kidnappings and murders of activists and journalists, Haitian civic and political leaders from all walks of life came together to create the Montana Accord, with a roadmap for a transitional government that would hold credible elections and restore constitutional government in Haiti. In an unprecedented show of unity, this effort garnered the support of more than 900 signatories, representing millions of Haitians, including most major political parties, religious and faith-based groups, labor unions, civil society organizations and the business community. This massive political and popular mobilization underscores the deep and intertwined crises afflicting Haiti and the need for an inclusive, civil society-led process to restore stability and democracy.The joint memo from Congresswoman and Reverend adds that now is the time to reaffirm that all black lives matter, including Haitian lives, and to pursue policies, both foreign and domestic, that reflect this truth. The Biden administration should use its authority to grant humanitarian parole to Haitian migrants in the U.S., release those stuck in ICE, and end illegal deportations under Title 42 once and for all, as former Special Envoy Daniel Foote noted in his September resignation letter. “I do not believe that Haiti can have stability until its citizens have the dignity to truly choose their own leaders in a fair and acceptable manner. Haitians need to hear that the United States supports courageous civil society and political leaders who are crafting an inclusive transition to democracy, not the same circle of corrupt politicians and wealthy oligarchs responsible for the violence and suffering Haiti faces.
In this Haitian Heritage Month, we stand together to celebrate community and work together for real and meaningful progress,” the note concludes.