HAITI, July 28 — On the one hundred year anniversary since the 1915 U.S. imperialist invasion of Haiti, more than a thousand angry workers, students and youth demonstrated, marched and sang under the Progressive Labor Party’s leadership in the south of the country! The demonstration was called denouncing hunger, high prices, and the MINUSTAH occupation. MINUSTAH is an acronym for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, an imperialist military occupation began in 2004, following a U.S. imperialist-backed coup. This occupation intensified after the devastating earthquake on January 12, 2010, which massacred more than 250,000 workers, injured 300,000 and displaced 1.5 million more. MINUSTAH’s occupation is also responsible for the spread of cholera in the earthquake’s aftermath.
Workers from all over marched for kilometers singing militant songs with lyrics like, “why do the dogs of those with money live better than the poor, poverty is destroying them, it will not stay that way” and “we are rebelling, we cannot bear hunger [poverty, high prices, capitalism, etc.]. They arrived with plates, pots and spoons to hit to demonstrate that they cannot feed themselves. Many who came were inspired, and one participant later summarized his impressions to a friend: “the people who fight, will win, and we need to change the welfare of everyone.” Everyone agreed that we must organize other mass mobilizations and denounce the evil of capitalism.
Our Party extensively prepared for this event. After a quick meeting we got to work: hundreds of pamphlets were printed and sent for distribution, and mobilizations were called via social networks and on the radio station of the city. Contributions were taken for the banner and placards. Some of our comrades visited a nearby town days prior to the march. They gave a lecture about how the struggle is not about “poor” countries versus “rich” countries, but rather the fight against capitalism in every country and organizing for communist revolution. Other PL’ers mobilized door-to-door with friends and relatives in the area with a megaphone, and under a veil. On the day of the march itself we obtained a sound system, and our comrades ensured there was enough water for the marchers.
The lesson from this demonstration: workers were hesitant about the march, but when they saw it was a PLP comrade giving leadership to the demonstration, they asserted their confidence that this is a revolutionary and correct event. From the masses to the comrades, it inspired confidence.
The working class in Haiti and the abundant natural resources there have long been a target of U.S. imperialism. In 1915, the U.S. imperialists invaded, massacred thousands of workers, and began a brutal twenty year occupation claiming they were building “democracy.” While the French imperialists were busy stealing 80% of Haiti’s budget for over a century as punishment for the 1803-4 revolution that ended French colonial rule, the U.S. imperialist occupation re-instituted slavery to the working class of Haiti. The U.S. bosses also claimed its forests, oil and gas reserves, for exploitation. While the U.S. imperialist occupation supposedly ended in 1935, Haiti has been ruled by a string of U.S. imperialist-backed murderers since. MINUSTAH is only the latest.
This insatiable imperialist drive for labor and resources in Haiti is essential to capitalism. Under capitalism, competing imperialists are driven to exploit workers and resources all over the world that will guarantee them the greatest profits, and greatest power over other rivals. Meanwhile, workers in Haiti face escalating food prices, and whole communities are still displaced in camps without water, healthcare, or schools. The international working class has no stake in capitalism. PLP fights to smash the capitalist source of imperialism with armed revolution.
Our Party will continue to mobilize and work in this area where our demonstration inspired many and where there are friends and relatives becoming involved with our Party. Our struggle is the struggle with and within the working class for the establishment of communism!