| Batay Ouvriye union federation needs emergency funding
On May 27th, a group of thugs led by local authorities attacked us on the Guacimal orange plantation. Eleven people were arrested (two of them are still in prison). Two people, Francilien Exime and Iphares Guerrier, Batay Ouvriye members from St. Michel de L'Attalaye, were killed. Their bodies were buried at the site where they were killed. Several attempts on behalf of the relatives of the deceased to get the local authorities permission to have a religious service at the burial place have been rejected. The authorities either claimed that the two dead people were buried on a private property, or that they could not guarantee the security of the relatives. However, two weeks ago, during a protest at the Novella company offices to call for the release of all the detained Guacimal prisoners, Mr. Zephir - the Novella and Guacimal boss - agreed to let the relatives visit the orange plantation and organise a religious service on the burial sight. We are working with the families to prepare the religious service now. However, we are facing great financial difficulties in meeting our responsibilities. We have covered all the expenses related to the illegal arrest of the nine people - held in prison without being charged between 27 May and 20 August. Our meagre resources are completely exhausted. We must call upon all of you people whom have been following this ordeal and ask for your support. (The Haiti Support Group adds: Batay Ouvriye's costs incurred over the last months include not only legal fees for the lawyers who tried to get the nine detainees released in June, but also the expense of supporting the dependents of those detained. In Haiti, each worker supports an average of 11 relatives who are not earning anything. Therefore, Batay Ouvriye has been supporting around 100 people for three months. This represents an extremely large sum of money for an independent workers movement.) ESPM-Batay Ouvriye's funds are completely depleted. We need your support for the following costs: 1. The two families need money to prepare for the religious service and to cater for their parents and friends who will come to support them as is done in our culture; 2. Transportation for both families and friends, and Batay Ouvriye's members from Cap Haitien and St Michel de l'Attalaye to Guacimal; 3. Food and beverages for those attending the service; 4. Memorial plate to mark the burial sight on the plantation of the two assassinated Batay Ouvriye's members; 5. There are ten children and two wives of the murdered Batay Ouvriye members that need our financial support, particularly during this period when the new school year is just beginning; 6. Legal costs in the preparation of the prosecution of the persons responsible for the killing of Francilien Exime and Iphares Guerrier. Two lawyers will be hired to help us win justice for the dead union members
We need several thousand US dollars to even begin to cover our expenses. Please donate whatever you can to this memorial fund. Send checks or pay cash into the following bank account:
Appeal issued by ESPM-Batay Ouvriye |