Pen-l-ers: I am forwarding this message because I think it actually might do some good, anyone with an organization or just individuals calling Brian Atwood at USAID. They have overstepped their bounds a bit here and could be persuaded to back off. If anyone wants more info, you can contact me. Mark Weisbrot 500 1/2 6th, #12 Charleston IL 61920 (217) 345 4983 fax: (217) 581-5997 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Forwarded message: > From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thu Nov 2 11:28:12 1995 > X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Message-Id: <v02120d02acbe4cdb890f@[136.152.68.87]> > Mime-Version: 1.0 > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > X-Mailer: Eudora 2.1.2 > Date: Thu, 2 Nov 1995 10:30:47 +0000 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > From: Oxfam Advocacy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (by way of > [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Peter Rosset)) > Subject: Haiti SAP Alert > > ACTION ALERT! > > HAITIANS RESIST STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT US REACTS BY WITHHOLDING AID > > In response to public outcry over privatization, the Haitian government > last week refused to sign a World Bank loan agreement which would > require implementation of a structural adjustment program. In turn, > USAID reversed its commitment to the Haitian government and is > withholding $4.5 million in balance-of-payments support in order to > pressure the Haitians to agree to the adjustment plan. > > The following letter is being sent to USAID and the international > financial institutions. To sign on, please contact Lydia Williams at > Oxfam America (include name of signer and org.) via phone > (617/728-2409), fax (617/728-2596, or e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]). > The deadline 5 pm (est), THURSDAY, NOV 2. > > Also, please contact USAID today to demand that desperately-needed funds > Haiti not be linked to acceptance of the structural adjustment plan: > Brian Atwood, USAID Administrator phone: (202)647-9620 fax: > (202)647-0148 > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > ---------------------- > SIGN ON LETTER TO IDB, IMF, WORLD BANK, AND USAID > > Dear [donor agency]: > > We, the undersigned US, non-governmental organizations, write to > express our serious concern that pending decisions by international > donor institutions are stifling democratic debate in Haiti. > > One year ago, the international community demonstrated its > commitment to democracy by helping to restore the government of > President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Following President Aristide's > return, international donors conducted a Joint Assessment Mission to > Haiti to determine what role they would play in the nation's > reconstruction. > > In the report from the Mission, the donors determined that, in the > past "international cooperation to Haiti has had two basic shortcomings: > no impact and no sustainability." Sustainability, it concluded, > required Haitian society to "further build consensus on basic societal > values and goals..." As a first step, the Mission called for > "increasing the link between communities and their elected officials, in > order to increase the legitimacy of authority..." and "fostering of a > dialogue with the government and the social sector which could lead to > active participation of social organizations in national development > strategies and programmes." > > Barely one year later, donor attempts to push through significant > economic reforms belie these earlier commitments. For example, with the > parliamentary and local elections just completed, and the new parliament > seated mere days ago, public debate about the privatization of > state-owned industries and other fundamental economic issues is just > beginning. And yet, donors have already determined that privatization > is a priority and will proceed along a certain course and timetable. > This has led to public outcry and major disagreement within the > government, resulting in the resignation of the prime minister. > > The situation raises two related concerns: First, the donors seem > to have patently dismissed the legitimate concerns of Haitian citizens > vis a vis sovereignty, due process, and equity. Secondly, donor > agencies continue to use Haiti's urgent budget needs to force hasty > acceptance of policies which will have a long-term impact on the Haitian > people. > > Such pressure from donors can hardly be said to be supportive of > democracy. Nor are donor agencies doing their job in ensuring that > information about their programs and policies is getting to the people > who are supposedly the beneficiaries and, in the case of assistance from > the multilateral banks, will be expected to repay the loans. > > Earlier this month, some of our organizations hosted a 13-member > delegation of leaders of Haitian non-governmental and grassroots > organizations. The purpose of their trip was to collect information and > meet face-to-face with multilateral development bank officials to begin > the process of analyzing the plans. > > The delegation was extremely frustrated by the lack of access to > donor-controlled information, especially documents, that is critical to > their ability to engage in any meaningful debate on donor programs and > policies in Haiti. For example, the delegation could not obtain a copy > of the International Finance Corporation feasibility study on > privatization, which proposes specific strategies and options for their > nation. They noted that donors are blocking citizen participation in > economic decisions that affect them, while they are pumping millions of > dollars into so-called "democracy projects" and "civil society-building > projects". > > The delegation made it clear to donors that Haitian citizens' > groups must be seen as active participants in each step of the > development process, including economic policy making, rather than > merely as implementers of foreign-designed projects. The Haitian people > expect their government to ensure that donor-supported projects and > policies serve the interests of the Haitian people, include the people > in the formulation of the programs, and transform, rather than > reinforce, the social and economic status-quo that led to the military > coup d'etat and continue to marginalize Haiti's poor majority. > > Once again, we urge that the donor community disseminate > information to the Haitian population and devise mechanisms, in concert > with the Haitian government, to enable citizens and their parliament to > become informed participants in the economic policymaking process. > > Thank you for considering our views. > > Sincerely, > > >
