HAITI - A MAN MADE HUMANITARIAN DISASTER
There is nothing natural about the scale of the humanitarian disaster in Haiti. The cataclysm of death and human misery has been caused by the poverty and appalling housing and lack of civil infrastructure. As the earthquake struck, the mud and adobe shacks, and corrugated iron hovels of the slums fell like a house of cards, entombing the residents; the minimal public health and emergency services were overwhelmed; and people already weak and malnourished have less resilience to survive.
Haiti is poor. Half the population rely upon money sent to them from relatives abroad for basic necessities; there is little industry, and the agricultural sector has been undermined by “free trade”, unable to compete with the state supported and industrialised agricultural sector of the USA. Over the last decades, tens of thousands of ruined farmers have left the countryside for the only slightly less precarious existence of the urban slums.
Yet there has been no government action to address the poverty and inequality, and to build the economy. Since 2004 the country has been under United Nations occupation, yet the limited mandate of the UN is only to provide support to the Haitian police and assist public order; and the toothless government of President Rene Préval, himself a good man, can act only as a mere marionette manipulated by the wealthy Haitian elite, who are little more than mobsters. The government has been paralysed by the weakness and poverty of the Haitian economy; by its physical dependency upon UN soldiers; by the necessity imposed upon it of opening Haiti’s economy to international competition; but most of all by its lack of legitimacy in the eyes of the Haitian people.
For in 2004 the massively popular President of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former Catholic priest devoted to the serving the poor, was overthrown by a dirty coup d’état; a plot hatched in the government corridors of Paris, Washington and Ottowa. Since the invasion, living standards have collapsed, and the reforms of President Aristide aimed to help the poor have been reversed
The foreign occupation has done nothing to improve the lives of ordinary Haitians. Canada for example, poured more than $200 million into Haiti after the coup, but that money has gone into training police or propping up Haiti’s prison and judicial system. Little or no Western funding has gone to desperately-needed health care and education services, or to vitally important transport and communication infrastructure.
The police and military occupation force has targeted supporters of the ousted government of President Aristide in a deadly campaign that has cost thousands of lives. In 2007, a study published in the medical journal The Lancet estimated that in the capital city Port au Prince alone, eight thousand people died violent deaths in the two years following the coup. Half of those died directly at the hands of foreign-trained and armed police, or death squads composed of members of the disbanded Haitian armed forces.
The UN occupation, and the security forces of the Haitian state see the civilian population of Haiti not as citizens to govern, but as a problem to be contained,. This explains the contempt with which Aristide’s massively popular party, Fanmi Lavalas, is barred from participating in the electoral process. A contempt that is reciprocated as the majority of the Haitian poor actively boycott the elections in which their party cannot stand.
The full details of the current aid efforts are still unclear, but early indications are that maintaining public order has been a higher priority than delivering emergency humanitarian assistance. All of the aid being delivered is welcome, but in the long term what is needed is to focus on building and rebuilding civil society and economic activity that is sustainable and dignified for the Haitians; a proud people who never did nor never shall lie at the feet of a conqueror.
That is why, for socialists and progressives, the best way of providing assistance is through the Haitian Emergency Relief Fund, which is a solidarity organisation with links to grassroots activists on the ground in Haiti.
Since its inception in March 2004, the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund has given concrete aid to Haiti’s grassroots democratic movement as they attempted to survive the brutal coup and to rebuild shattered development projects.
They need help, not only for this immediate crisis, but in order to support the long-run development of human rights, sustainable agriculture and economic justice in Haiti.
Donations will be forwarded to HERF’s partners on the ground to help them rebuild what has been destroyed.
Details of how to donate are here:
Other blog articles worth reading on Haiti: Nadra’s Race Relations blog; Mondoweiss, Liam Mac Uaid, Dave Osler, Though Cowards Flinch, Smirking Chimp, Scottish Socialist Youth, Left Foot Forward, Left Outside, Mostly Water, Kasama, Sign of the Times Net, Oread Daily, Thoughts of a Ghetto Intellectual, Black Looks, Pambazuka and Liberal Conspiracy
Why were the left not reporting this before, too fucking obsessed with Iran that’s why, too busy tailing the neo liberal agenda. (Present company sort of excluded).
Comment by SteveH — 18 January, 2010 @ 2:20 pm
It is not a bad question Steve.
I have been slightly unusual on the British left in flagging up Haiti every few months, I think there were 8 articles on haiti here before the earthquake, and new left review did have a very good article a while ago. Global Womens Strike have also done solidarity work with Haiti, and in support of Aristide.
On the world stage there has been signifiant solidarity with the haitian people from Venezuala and Cuba; and there has been a vigorous solidarity network in the USa, inclduing the support of Hollywood actor Danny Glover.
But in terms of the left groups in britain they woefully misread the situatioon with the 2004 coup, Chris harman wrote in socialist worker at the time emphasising alleged corruption by aristide, and untruthfullyt reporting that Arsitide had presided over privatisation; and the USFI took a similarly negative view of arsitide.
Much more nuanced and positive ws the response of the American ISO who stressed the good points of arsitide, and also understood the constraints he was operating under.
Comment by Andy Newman — 18 January, 2010 @ 2:36 pm
#2 “USFI took a similarly negative view of arsitide.” Are you sure about that Andy?
Not saying you’re wrong but would be interested to see evidence. Remember that the positions taken by Socailist Resistance et al in Britain are not always in sync with the international.
Comment by Armchair — 18 January, 2010 @ 3:00 pm
Yes I am sure
;o)
this was an article from International Viewpoint, where the USFI go as far as desribing Aristide as a tyrant!!!! and which gives qualified support for the coup, stressing the “left” credentials of the provisional government that replaced Ariistide.
http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/article.php3?id_article=72
Comment by Andy Newman — 18 January, 2010 @ 4:22 pm
Well this has been up on the CWI website since the 13th:
www.socialistworld.net/z/bin/kw.cgi/show?id=3904
“untruthfullyt reporting that Arsitide had presided over privatisation”
My understanding is that Fanmi Lavalas implemented IMF SAP’s during the 90’s which included privatisation and cuts in food subsidies etc? Mind you even if that was the case nothing justified the 2004 coup as the CWI made clear at the time.
www.socialistworld.net/z/bin/kw.cgi/show?id=987
Comment by Neil — 18 January, 2010 @ 4:54 pm
The Fourth International has degenerated. Ever since it misunderstood the class nature of the overthrow of the Soviet Union (aka the liquidation of a workers’ state and restoration of capitalism, with the resulting halving of GDP and millions of lives lost).
When as a supposed Marxist you can’t tell whether or not socialism is being overthrown, and whether it’s good for the world struggle or not, it’s time to go back to the day job.
Going off topic, I know.
Comment by little black sister — 18 January, 2010 @ 5:03 pm
#5
The issue of structural adjustment is compliacted. haiti’s government don’t exactly have a lot of leverage to defy Washington - remember even a first class socialist leader like Michael manley was forced to eventaully buckle down to IMF condition in jamaica, despite heroic efforts ot find other solutions.
My understanding is that there was deregulation but no actual privatisation, and that Aristide taked up his complianc with the IMF for the international audeince, more than he actually delivere for them.
Comment by Andy Newman — 18 January, 2010 @ 6:27 pm
“where the USFI go as far as desribing Aristide as a tyrant!!!!”
For better or worse, the article in question was written by an individual, not by “the USFI”.
Comment by thersites — 18 January, 2010 @ 6:33 pm
#8
the USFI published it. I assume the USFI have editorial control of their own web-site? If so there is editorial discretion at work, in particular in this case they have sought to distinguish themselves away from the mainstream narrative on the left that was critically supportive of Aristide.
It is a scandalous article that is very similar to the propaganda pumped out about Chavez and Castro, and the recent pro-coup propaganda against Zelaya in Honduras.
Comment by Andy Newman — 18 January, 2010 @ 6:35 pm
Strangely, Neil’s links at 5 above don’t seem to be working for me, but they do if I cut and paste them into my browser, can anyone fix them?
Comment by paulm — 18 January, 2010 @ 9:43 pm
The Lesson Of Haiti
January 18, 2010 By Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro’s ZSpace Page
Join ZSpace
[CONTENT DELETED AS WE HAVE ALREADY PUBLISHED THIS ARTICE IN FULL]
Comment by Fleabite — 18 January, 2010 @ 10:09 pm
“the USFI published it. I assume the USFI have editorial control of their own web-site?”
Yes, Andy, I am sure you would not report on an article by Alex Callincos or Martin Smith or Chris Harman in ISJ by saying “the SWP say”. There would actually be more reason to, since at least something that appeared in the SWP press would have experienced far more editorial control. As I am sure you aware, the USFI, especially in its English language press, is far more libertarian in its approach, and if International Viewpoint does not actually carry a disclaimer pointing out that signed articles represent the views of their authors alone, I am sure that is because it is taken for granted. Unless an article is headed USFI statement, it doesn’t speak for the USFI - try taking that as a rule of thumb. In fact the articles by Arhur Mahon are written by a rank and file member of the LCR who visits Haiti regularly (do you? hsve you ever been there?) and who was certainly a strong backer of Aristide in the 1990s. And I thought the “mainstream narrative of the left” was in fact something you frequently try to distance yourself from, to your credit. Depends which left you are talking about, I imagine the ISO, an organisation whose opportunism makes Cliff look a rock of principle, was probably trying to ingratiate itself with pro-Aristide exile groupings in the US.
Comment by thersites — 18 January, 2010 @ 10:51 pm
#12
On an international issue like a coup overthrowing a centre-left government, then of course you would attribute an article by one of the SWP leaders in the ISJ as essentially being the view of the SWP. why wouldn’t you?
your comment here is just smoke blowing out your arse to cover the fact that the reponse of the USFI to a coup d’etat drawn up in canada with the connivance of France and the USA, which deposed a centre-left president, and left 8000 dead was to publish a hatchet job of that same president, and which was even relatively ambivalent about the coup itself suggesting that the coup opened possibilities for the left, and calling Arsitide a tyrant!!! i.e giving left cover to the coup. This is exactly the language used by the supporters of the coup in Honduras to justify the overthrow of Zelaya.
Nothing in Mahon’s artcle acknowledges the difficulties of Aristide, the weak baragining position of the Hiatian government, the already largely deregulated economy, the low skills base, and lack of access to capital or technology, and the pressure of expectaions etc, etc. Nor does it acknowledge the positive things he did, such as making creole an official language and giving voodoo parity of esteem with Catholicism. INdeed far from acknowledging the positive aspects of thse measures, Mahon is critical of them, criticsing Aristide for “an ideology based on a claimed defence of the “black race”, [and] manipulation of Voodoo”
It seems absolutely extraordinary to me that a leftist from the former colonial power would criticise a leader of a developing country for an ideology in defence of the black race!!!
Bear in mind that this was the ONLY statement about the coup appearing in English from the USFI, then the editorial decision to publish a provocative article ambivelent about the coup, and antagonistic to the position being taken by the rest of the left can only be interpreted as having some sympathy for that position.
It seems that even now you have some sympathy for Arthur Mahon’s position, in the way you snear at pro-Aristide exile groups in the USA, and ascribe cynical motives to the mainstream left opinion which was critically sympathetic to Aristide.
Comment by Andy Newman — 18 January, 2010 @ 11:10 pm
From the reports I’ve been reading about the lack of infrastructure, etc. Haiti seems the very model of neo-liberal government. The state seems to exist solely as a violent and repressive force, leaving everything else up to the private sector it protects, to provide or neglect as capital dictates.
Comment by VM — 18 January, 2010 @ 11:30 pm
“This is exactly the language used by the supporters of the coup in Honduras to justify the overthrow of Zelaya”
Don’t have time to respond to all of this now as am too tired, but even within your own self-defined reference points I don’t recall anybody justifying the overthrow of Zelaya as opening up opportunities for the left. Can you give me some examples?
As to sneering at ideologies which claim to be in defence of the black race, there are many of them, and I have no problem frankly with sneering at the ideologies of Michael X, or Louis Farrakhan, nor indeed Papa Doc whose pseudo black nationalist discourse I assume you are familiar with since you claim a knowledge of Haitian history.
The USFI is no longer the kind of body that makes statements on everything that happens on the globe, and most of the article in its press basically involve the personal expertise of people on the ground who know what they are talking about, of whom Arthur Mahon is one. It doesn’t mean they are right of course, but it is odd that after initially claiming that the pro Aristide position was a minority view shared only by you and the ISO, you are now claiming to represent the “mainstream left position”.
Comment by thersites — 19 January, 2010 @ 12:33 am
“It seems absolutely extraordinary to me that a leftist from the former colonial power would criticise a leader of a developing country for an ideology in defence of the black race!!!”
I don’t have a dog in this race (although I would have about Andy’s comment on the SW position, which strikes me as likely to be a very one-eyed interpretation of the article) but in terms of arguments about why someone familiar with the internal politics of Haiti might be suspicious about slogans about the ‘black race’ here is an article by Harman from 1986 which provides some historical context and which may explain why stuff local leftists write might sound strange here:
http://www.marxists.org/archive/harman/1986/03/haiti.html
On Aristide I can remember arguments about whether the concessions he made were a ’sell-out’. To ’sell-out’ you obviously have to have principles to concede in the first place. But it was the US that muscled him. I need to re-read up on all this though.
Comment by johng — 19 January, 2010 @ 2:54 am
And the more recent disputed Harman article.
http://www.marxists.org/archive/harman/2004/03/haiti.htm
Comment by johng — 19 January, 2010 @ 3:22 am
An interesting article in, of all places, The Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6991697.ece
from a former resident at the time of the coup who argues that the racism of the US forces, and their blind fear of the poor, was a factor then and a factor now in the woeful relief effort.
Comment by krupskaya — 19 January, 2010 @ 12:29 pm
#17
Actualy the Chris Harman article is much, much better than I remember it, it shows the value of perhaps checking your sources if you last read then 6 years ago!!
apologies for any misrepresentation on my part.
Comment by Andy Newman — 19 January, 2010 @ 12:32 pm
#15
whoever thersites is, they are very touchy, and rather disingenuous in the way they are arguing. simultaneoulsy arging that Mahon’s position is not that of the USFI, and also that Mahon is broadly correct. Talk about having your cake and eating it it!
A critical but broadly supportive position towards Aristide simply has been the mainstream position of most of the international left, and certainly is the mainstream view of most of the left in North America, and is the consensus view among the politically vocal part of the Haitian diaspora (there are 2 million haitians in the USA); and of course the very first broadcast in Venezuela’s Telesur TV channel was a documentary condemning the overthrow of Aristide. I am far from being an expert on haiti, but I can read - and so I can follow the consensus of almost every leftist in the American continents.
In the context of a Western orchestrated coup it simply is extraordinary for a left organisation to publish an article which stresses that the overthrown democratically elected leader was a “tyrant”, and stressing the leftist credentials of the post-coup provisional government.
YOur examples are revealling, because while Farrakhan’s politics are in many ways disturbing, I would certainly not criticise farrakhan for talking of the black race, for example, in the context of the racist exclusion order that has kept him from visiting the UK. Farakkhan’s black nationalism needs to be understood in the context of racism, and of being a response to racism against blacks.
Aristide’s policies in terms of elevating Voodoo and creole to official recognition were not right wing, but important steps at giving all citizens parity of esteem in the Haitian state. What is more, it simply is a fact that living standards for the poor have deteriorated since the coup, and that there was a certain amount of progressive redistributive social policy under Aristide, that was reversed after the coup.
the evidence for the continued high regard of Aristide among the poor is shown by the continued mass support for fanmi lavalas, and the boycotts of those elections since the coup where there has not been a Lavalas candidate (the presidential election is a partial exception, after former Arsitide ally, Preval, was eventually included on the ballot, and people took part). Given that lavalas no longer form the government, that 8000 of their supporters were killed, that many others were imprisoned, some have disappeared, and that the UN forces are on the streets, then it is not physical intimidation by Lavalas keeping people from the polls.
Comment by Andy Newman — 19 January, 2010 @ 12:56 pm
Just to be clear, the Socialist Worker article that Andy criticised did not liken Aristide to the Duvaliers, which would indeed be pernicious.
I think thersites protests too much - if you read an article on a key political issue in the press of an organisation, and it’s not followed up by further articles expressing other opinions, then it’s reasonable to assume that represents the organisation’s position.
Comment by chjh — 19 January, 2010 @ 1:24 pm
#21
Sorry chjh, the person who made the comparison between Aristide and papdoc doc duvalier was thersites at #15, I didn’t mean to leave that remark in the context of Chris harman’s articel so I have deleted it from that comment.
Just to be clear. I actually think Chris Harman’’s article is fairly balanced, and I misremembered it, so apoligies of I misrepresented the SWP position.
The USFI article by Arthur mahon however is clearly problematic.
Comment by Andy Newman — 19 January, 2010 @ 1:30 pm
Swindon Town’s own Haitian international is interviewed in the Independent today about the disaster and his fears for his 11-year-old sister:
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/jeanfranccedilois-lescinel-everyone-should-say-a-prayer-for-haiti-1872034.html
Comment by David Ellis — 19 January, 2010 @ 1:36 pm
#12
This is particularly revealling from thersites “I imagine the ISO, an organisation whose opportunism makes Cliff look a rock of principle, was probably trying to ingratiate itself with pro-Aristide exile groupings in the US.”
Surely it shoudl absolutely be a matter of principle to listen to haitians themselves when taking a position? To describe sensitivity to the views expressed by progressive opinion within the large Hiatian community in the USA as “opportunism” strikes me as a bit odd.
Comment by Andy Newman — 19 January, 2010 @ 1:36 pm
Again I don’t have a dog in this race (and thanks for the entirely honourable self-correction Andy) but the first Harman article DOES provide something of an explanation for why there might be suspician of different rhetorics on race in Haiti. However to talk about scoffing about Malcolm X etc clearly demonstrates that the defenders of that position don’t have this in mind. One suspects whats going on is a kneejerk defence despite disclaimers which we’re often tempted into on blogs. As I think we’ve all discovered at one time or another this is generally a bad idea.
Comment by johng — 19 January, 2010 @ 1:37 pm
to be fair to thersites, i think (s)he was mocking the entirely marginal figure Michael X, not malcolm X.
But it is again a pernicious connection to make between Michael X and Aristide.
Comment by Andy Newman — 19 January, 2010 @ 1:41 pm
I can’t speak of the ISOs work amongst Haitian emigre organizations in recent years but in the period following the Haitian revolution and initial rise of Aristide, they made a real effort to make connections and build solidarity with popular and leftist organizations within Haiti. This was at a key moment prior to the first coup against Aristide. So, to accuse them of “opportunism” when the thrust in the US was to overthrow a popular government and then to let Haitians drown at sea rather than permit their rickety boats escape the misery of Haiti - using racist arguments as always - is more than a little unfair.
Comment by redbedhead — 19 January, 2010 @ 1:59 pm
yeah, i only didn’t respond to that because I had no way of knowing. I do get the impression though that ‘when in trouble attack the IS tradition’ is a get out of jail card played a little too often and by now, past its sell-by date as a way of dodging rational discussion.
Comment by johng — 19 January, 2010 @ 3:36 pm
#28 “… dodging rational discussion.”
Crikey! Let those who are bereft of irrationalism cast the first stone.
Comment by Daveyboy — 19 January, 2010 @ 6:58 pm
Another irrational intervention.
Comment by johng — 19 January, 2010 @ 10:15 pm
“whoever thersites is, they are very touchy, and rather disingenuous in the way they are arguing. simultaneoulsy arging that Mahon’s position is not that of the USFI, and also that Mahon is broadly correct. Talk about having your cake and eating it it!”
Actually I am not a member of the USFI but would see nothing disingenuous in stating what happens to be the case - this article represents the viewpoint of an individual, not of “the USFI” but it is an article I personally happen to have some sympathies with. Where is the contradiction or dishonesty in that?
“A critical but broadly supportive position towards Aristide simply has been the mainstream position of most of the international left”
It certainly is not the mainstream position of the Haitian left or Haitian trade unionists or popular organisations. Your starting point seems to be whatever the conventional wisdom is among guilty white liberals in Western universities, rather than what is actually happening in Haiti. The author of this article is however somebody who is intimately familiar with Haiti and has been involved for a couple of decades in Haitian progressive exile politics and may therefore feel entitled to write from his experience rather than reflecting this conventional wisdom. I note that the links you provide concerning Haiti are largely those of British leftist bloggers rather than progressive organisations working on the ground in defence of workers’ rights like the Haiti Support Group or Bataye Ouvriye.
“In the context of a Western orchestrated coup it simply is extraordinary for a left organisation to publish an article which stresses that the overthrown democratically elected leader was a “tyrant”, and stressing the leftist credentials of the post-coup provisional government. “
You don’t actually seem capable of empirically countering what is in the article – that Aristide and his entourage were massively corrupt, heavily involved in narco trafficking, had actually rigged the previous elections and used massive intimidation against political opponents, students and trades unionists, and that the overthrow of Aristide was a much more complex affair than a “Western orchestrated coup”, – you simply carry on repeating that it is outrageous to say such things, without providing any evidence why this is so.
“ Farakkhan’s black nationalism needs to be understood in the context of racism, and of being a response to racism against blacks.”
Indeed, but Farrakhan remains a reactionary huckster, as was Papa Doc, who also manipulated noirisme and voodoo – the idea that there was anything particularly new in Aristide’s use of either theme is risible. Creole was recognised as the national language in the 1987 constitution.
“ What is more, it simply is a fact that living standards for the poor have deteriorated since the coup , and that there was a certain amount of progressive redistributive social policy under Aristide, that was reversed after the coup.”
They deteriorated also under the Aristide and Preval governments as the IMF structural adjustment programme was implemented– and your intimation that Aristide didn’t really implement neoliberalism, but pretended to do so to fool the IMF, is once again utterly risible. Do you think the IMF is some kind of doddering old uncle to be fooled in this way? They make damn sure their programmes are implemented, and they were in Haiti with terrible results. Consult the archives of Bataye Ouvriye if you want to know about it.
Comment by thersites — 20 January, 2010 @ 4:02 pm
well why haven’t we linked to Bataye Ouvriye???
This is a silly question because there is nothing on their website about the currentn crisis, but also, as you know, there are serious questions relating to Bataye Ouvriye’s funding from the US state;s national Endowment for Democracy, as detailed by Z-Net: http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/4643
This is classic “whataboutery” from you: ” I note that the links you provide concerning Haiti are largely those of British leftist bloggers rather than progressive organisations working on the ground in defence of workers’ rights like the Haiti Support Group or Bataye Ouvriye.”
The reason I have lnked to Western leftist bloggers is becasue I am trying to get my readers to also support other Western leftist blogs.
Comment by Andy Newman — 20 January, 2010 @ 4:35 pm
Yes, here is Batay Ouvriye’s response to the smear campaign
http://www.batayouvriye.org/English/Positions1/responseithp.html
Though it must be said that having to respond to accusations about dubious sources of funding from partisans of Father Aristide is a little surreal.
Comment by thersites — 20 January, 2010 @ 4:54 pm
#31 “They deteriorated also under the Aristide and Preval governments as the IMF structural adjustment programme was implemented– and your intimation that Aristide didn’t really implement neoliberalism, but pretended to do so to fool the IMF, is once again utterly risible.”
No - I didn’t say that.
I said that Aristide tended to talk up his compliance with the IMF agenda for outside consumption; and I also stressed the extreme lack of room for manouvre that any haitian government has.
Comment by Andy Newman — 20 January, 2010 @ 4:54 pm
Why are any “socialsit” groups expressing any support for Aristide, now or in the past. he has always protected natice capitalsts and carried out MF policies in hs 2nd term.
Just bcuase he appears progressive on a few issues does not make him any more worthy of support than supporting Obama he ein the US.
The coup against Aristide was an inter class matter.
Arstde is well documented as having opposed union organization which is one of the reasons Batay O. opposed him - quite legitimate I thnk.
Standards of living did not improve under Aristide except for his active followers and promoters.
I have followed Haitian politics since the Duvalier days and really don’t understandd all this leftist apologies for a capitalist politician.
Comment by Les Evenchck — 21 January, 2010 @ 6:02 pm
Sorry for the typos.
Comment by Les Evenchck — 21 January, 2010 @ 6:03 pm
#35
“Just bcuase he appears progressive on a few issues does not make him any more worthy of support than supporting Obama he ein the US.”
therein lies the root of your error, the fact that you cannot see the value of supporting pro-capitalist politicians who have a limited progressive platform, against other pro-capitalist politicians who are not progressive on any issues.
Comment by Andy Newman — 21 January, 2010 @ 6:25 pm
Affiliate Marketing is a performance based sales technique used by companies to expand their reach into the internet at low costs. This commission based program allows affiliate marketers to place ads on their websites or other advertising efforts such as email distribution in exchange for payment of a small commission when a sale results.
www.onlineuniversalwork.com
Comment by coetsee — 28 January, 2010 @ 6:39 am
The Center for Media Research has released a study by Vertical Response that shows just where many of these ‘Main Street’ players are going with their online dollars. The big winners: e-mail and social media. With only 3.8% of small business folks NOT planning on using e-mail marketing and with social media carrying the perception of being free (which they so rudely discover it is far from free) this should make some in the banner and search crowd a little wary.
www.onlineuniversalwork.com
Comment by kiramatalishah — 28 January, 2010 @ 10:17 am
Call For Solidarity After The Fatal Earthquake In Port Au Prince, Haiti, on 12 January 2010
For us, the Haitian people, the earthquake in Port au Prince, on 12 January 2010 hurt deeply. In fact, apart from the destruction of the public buildings most of our neighbourhoods were destroyed. Not surprisingly they are the most fragile and the most unstable: the state never gave them any service, any attention or helped them consolidate. On the contrary, we need to be able to move, so we have neither time nor capacity to be able to consolidate our position from being precarious.
Meanwhile some capitalists are trying to force the workers back to work in damaged factories, owners of large businesses are opposed to distributing their goods and sell them at a high price, the state proves again, as always, by its absence, its incapacity and incompetence (the only thing they do is steal and maneuver, supporting the landlords, the bourgeois and the multinationals), the national police are absent (they only know how to repress the people) and the imperialist forces are clearly taking advantage of the aid they give. They intend to establish a clear and definitive control over factory workers, workers of all kinds and the suffering masses in general, who are extremely dependent, with this disastrous situation.
Some of the press develops a progressive part of their work as their representatives help coordinate on the ground, several people’s committees are working consistently and relentlessly, giving all their energy for rescue and survival. But! They lack the means and capacity of intervention! Truly, this earthquake, besides having thoroughly physically and morally shaken the population, far exceeds the abilities of people to intervene.
In Batay Ouvriye, even though the majority of our organizers are living, many have lost family, homes and their meager possessions. Many are injured and, while we have to bury our dead, survival is almost impossible.
To the extent that it is possible, we refuse to go through official government channels. But the situation becomes impossible to sustain! So today, we launch an appeal for solidarity to all factory workers, all workers, all progressive people worldwide to help us out of this disastrous situation.
According to an inventory done so far, here are our needs:
Houses destroyed U.S.$50,000.00
Lost Property 20,000.00
Injured 10,000.00
Surviving for now 30,000.00
Solve it for the dead 10,000.00
What is needed U.S.$120,000.00
To which must be added by 40% due to rampant inflation and we do not know how high inflation will go. Then a total approximately U.S.$ 170,000.00.
After the last major mobilization around the minimum wage, we developed several new contacts brave and consistent worker comrades. They live in different neighbourhoods, sometimes far apart. We also need to reach them with our active solidarity. This substantially increases costs. Moreover, in areas where our members live, there have been some common solidarity actions amongst in the communities. We need to get more involved in them and to take energetically the necessary measures. And, as soon as possible (that means being able to concretely and practically intervene) take new initiatives (where possible) to build resistance to forms of reconstruction proposed by the dominant classes. This will also require money. When considering these types of actions and solidarity, we can say that what we need now is a sum of: U.S. $300,000.00
That is what will allow us to survive for now, help other fighters and conscientious workers to try to solve some specific life problems and build a political leadership in the class struggle that is organizing in the rubble. This latter aspect should be developed where possible from the start towards gaining a maximum possible force against another type of catastrophe that awaits us: what the imperialists and the ruling classes and their reactionary state are preparing for us.
We thank in advance all those who intend to contribute. The moment calls for international class solidarity. It takes a character of an additional approach, a further step in our common struggle.
For those who want to send specific medicines, water, food, clothing, beds, chairs. The address of our headquarters is Port-au: Batay Ouvriye, Delmas 16, #13 a.
To help you with money who prefer, our bank account is:
Bank Name: City National Bank of New Jersey
Bank Address: 900 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102
ABA Number: 0212-0163-9 City of Newark NJ
For further credit to:
Account Number: 01 000 98 45
Account Name: Batay Ouvriye
Account Address: Avenue Jean Paul II, # 7
Naturally, we will publicly let everyone know the amount of money we received from time to time, and the cost of each activity or action taken.
Batay Ouvriye
Port au Prince, January 20, 2010
B. P. 13326, DELMAS, HAITI (W. I. ), TEL/FAX: (509) 222-6719, Batayouvriye@hotmail.com
Comment by Martin Ralph — 12 February, 2010 @ 1:49 pm
your site must not contain too many comments
Comment by ffghkj — 28 May, 2010 @ 4:10 am