First I want to say that I give special thanks to the people of California, not only to California but also to the common people of America. This is a very important moment for me to talk to you. I feel that this program will help anyone listening to it.

I am Jean-Charles Moise, the ex-mayor of Milot and I can say to anyone in California that knows me, you know that I speak the truth when I say that this is a very difficult time for us in my country. This is a time for me to say that I was elected democratically, elected three times, three times, and yet, after the coup, here I am in hiding from my own people. It is hard for me; I cannot talk about my own personal experience as it means nothing compared to the suffering of the rest of the people of Haiti. The current situation is very bad, very bad. You need to know exactly how bad it is here in Haiti for its people.

Those in power in Haiti, the rich, which make up not even fifteen per cent of the population, control all of the resources, all of the riches of our country. Eighty-five per cent of our people live in misery. I believe at this moment our current situation, our struggle, cannot have a successful outcome because this small group, these fifteen per cent that steal our resources, our riches, use any means possible to murder the people that want liberty, democracy, and the development of our country.

I believe that at this time in our struggle it is a time to see just how we can overcome this problem of the development of our country. We are trying to see how we can overcome our misery. We have struggled to help our children living in the streets, we have struggled to help the farmers, and we have struggled to help the workers. This very small group of rich have done everything possible to try and destroy the will of the people. This coup d’etat was not just against Aristide, but also against the very people of Haiti. I think that, as people of struggle, we are now struggling to find a successful outcome for our country. The economic situation, the political situation, and even the cultural situation are in danger.

People have asked me why I have not left as others have. I believe that we cannot abandon our people, we must struggle together with them. Since 1985 we worked hard for land reform; we wanted equitable land reform and others reforms to be able to work the land, such as equipment, which had been denied to the people for so long. So we worked with the farmers, but not just the farmers, but with all people from all sectors working together so that we could move toward liberty, towards democracy. But the rich, the dictators also have been working very hard to destroy the work we have done here in Haiti. It is the same in other countries in Latin America such as Venezuela and in the Caribbean. The people always are trying to throw off the shackles of oppression, but always the rich, with the help of the United States government, are attempting other coup d’etats.

But while there are similarities between us and other countries, here in Haiti the dictators and the ex-military have returned with a vengeance. They have murdered many people in the streets, they have murdered many in the countryside. We have a horrible situation here; people are starving, looking for food; there is no food, no work, and no money. We have nothing, nothing. Only those small fifteen per cent can live well here. We are struggling here, but it is important to keep working. We can’t just sit around to see how things are going to turn out. Nothing changes that way. It takes work.

I must say that we, even under this occupation, we have not abandoned our people, our struggle. We have organized many activities to return Haiti to the people. We have organized demonstrations, such as the one on December 16th in Cap Haitien, where tens of thousands of people came out. We did this to mobilize the people, not just the people of Cap Haitien, but of Haiti and of the international community as well. We have to recognize that this is not just a problem for the people of Haiti, but for the international community also. That is why we must say thanks to the people of California. Many of you have come many times from California to help us struggle against tyranny. Many of you have come to help us fight against these abuses of human rights. That is why we will always be grateful to you because you take up our struggle as your own.

Ours is a dangerous, dangerous situation. I tell the people of America, especially those in California, that while you think of what to cook for dinner tonight, think of us that struggle for our loved ones that have nothing to eat. Our cupboards are bare and we may go for four or five days without eating. There are many of us with children that are sick; if our children are sick, we cannot take them to the doctor.

At this time, the ex-military are murdering people in the streets with impunity. The de facto government is arresting people with impunity. Think of those who are in prison for opposing this illegal government. That’s why we ask you, from one people to another, to help us change this situation. We call upon you to support us, as the people of Haiti cannot do it alone. We implore you to hear our voices in this struggle. Call your president, call your senators, call your congressional representatives, and tell them that you stand with your brothers and sisters in Haiti. Tell them to listen to the cries of our people. They are murdering us; we need to work together to bring Haiti to its people. There are many in our prisons without charges. That is why this call is important. Your people can find their conscience again.

Please, please help us. There are many that work with the ex-military to kill our children. I believe that in this situation, the people of Haiti cannot do it alone. Many of you have travelled here to see for yourselves our misery. Your support has power for us. If you don’t believe me, believe this: after the coup in February, thousands fled to the hills. When we had our first huge demonstration in August, when our people saw the support from our friends in the U.S. many came down from the mountains and returned to their homes and families because they felt empowered by your support. We need that support now more than ever. Those that have come here that support us, like Kevin, like Sasha, like Pierre, we love you, the people of Haiti thank you, and we thank you as well.

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