Targeting the U.S. role in government-sponsored repression and civil unrest in Haiti, about 100 people took to San Francisco streets on Thursday. “Democracy must be respected,” Pierre Labossiere told those assembled at Powell and Market streets. Labossiere, a Haitian American, is a founding member of the Haiti Action Committee, which sponsored the protest.

George Bush and French President Jacques Chirac are the “intellectual authors” of the “coup” against democratically-elected Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, he said. Aristide was taken out of Haiti Feb. 29 on a U.S.-supplied jet and calls the act a “kidnapping.”

The U.S. contends, however, that Aristide asked for help to escape ex-soldiers who had taken over sections of the country. These former soldiers, who wrecked havoc on the island nation early in the year ˆ and who continue to control parts of the country today ˆ represent the same military that first overthrew Aristide in 1991 and murdered at least 3,000 people. Aristide disbanded the army in 1995.

Before “taking their anger to Bush and Powell” ˆ Bush and Powell streets cross a few blocks up the hill ˆ Labossiere brought protesters up to date on the most recent civil unrest. Police killed two Lavalas (Aristide's political party) activists demonstrating for the return of their president on Sept. 30. Responding, activists have clashed with police for a month, resulting in the deaths of more than 100 people ˆ some reports say up to 600 deaths ˆ including police officers, bystanders and Lavalas activists, some of whom have been taken from their homes and executed by Haitian police. The government, appointed with U.S. support after Aristide was exiled, denies police responsibility.

Labossiere said that in recent weeks, peasants who had been given land under Aristide were kicked off the land; schools and literacy centers he had founded were shut down and Lavalas sympathizers jailed: Fr. Gérard Jean-Juste was arrested while feeding poor children in his church; and former members of parliament were jailed after criticizing the appointed government on the radio. Newly-detained persons join hundreds of jailed Aristide supporters including the former prime minister, former minister of interior, celebrated folk singer Sò Anne, union activists and journalists. Most have been jailed for months without being told why they are under arrest and without a trial date, Labossiere said.

With educator Doug Spalding on the megaphone, the crowd marched up Powell, many of them carrying crosses bearing names of persons killed in the recent violence, including Phillipe Eliphete, murdered by an armed anti-Lavalas gang April 4, and Wendy Monigat, age 15, killed by police Oct. 1.

On their way to Bush and Powell streets, the demonstrators briefly joined picketers at three nearby hotels where workers have been locked out of their jobs during tense contract negotiations with hotel owners. The Haiti activists join hotel workers because, according to Charlie Hinton of the Haiti Action Committee, “It's about class issues. Aristide represents the poor and working people.”

For updates on Haiti, see www.haitiaction.net.