A statement from the
Federation Leadership
Council

public statements

A STATEMENT ON HAITI

We, the Sisters and Associates of the US Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, wish to express our concern for the situation and people of Haiti. Our 8,000+ Sisters and Associates share a common mission to promote unity and reconciliation with all peoples and creation. Many of our members have lived and ministered in Haiti. One, Sister Adele Rothan, CSJ, shares in the ministry of the Friends of the Children of Haiti with her family, Barb and Dick Hammond.

It is with deep sadness that we witness the current turmoil in Haiti, lamenting the promise of democracy that went unfulfilled. We recognize that in the wake of this latest coup d'etat, it will be the poor who will suffer most -- again. We stand in solidarity with all of our sisters and brothers in Haiti who are suffering, and we stand with those who are trying to resolve Haiti's problems in the spirit of nonviolence.

We pray for the Haitian people at this time of violence, upheaval and suffering. We renew our commitment to accompany them in solidarity, and pray that the nonviolence of Jesus guide all of us to help bring again, the promise of peace and justice to Haiti.

Of Immediate Concern:

We hope for, pray for, and call on the Administration to :

• Reverse the stance on Haitian refugees.
  

• Do not place threatening military ships close to the shores of Haiti for the purpose of discouraging Haitians fleeing from violence and persecution. Neither should our country interdict refugees on the high seas and immediately return them to Haiti.
  

• Grant temporary asylum in the U.S. to Haitian refugees and offer due process for those seeking permanent asylum for the duration of the crisis. Asylum seekers should be brought to an appropriate site on the U.S. mainland where they ought to be provided adequate and humane conditions.
  

• Recognize that President Aristide's ouster set a dangerous precedent for democratically elected governments everywhere, as it promotes the unconstitutional removal of duly elected persons from office.
  

• Immediately remove all U.S. military personnel from the island nation. Any perception of a U.S. occupation is unacceptable and will only complicate Haitian efforts to rebuild their shattered democracy.
  

• Halt the growing cycle of violence and reprisals that now threaten to engulf that nation.

We urge the UN to:

• Initiate United Nations investigation into what appears to be nothing less than a US supported coup d'etat by terrorists in that fragile nation.
  

• Provide the necessary personnel, financial and material support to the Haitian national police to guarantee the safety of civilians.

Nonviolent political actors within Haiti are working to bring some resolution to the current crisis with respect for the democratic process, in accord with the Haitian Constitution and with the support of international agents like the U.N. Their nonviolent initiatives merit our greatest support.

We note the devastating effects of U.S. enforced macro-economic policy on the nation of Haiti. IMF "structural adjustment" programs to which President Aristide was obliged to acquiesce as a condition of his reinstatement in 1994 have wreaked havoc on the Haitian economy and tied the hands of Haiti's elected leaders, preventing them from achieving any progress in elevating Haiti's people "from misery to poverty with dignity" as President Aristide has poignantly described.

Without a full, impartial examination and fundamental reorientation of the international community's economic policies toward Haiti, no democratic political system can endure, and the economic slavery of the Haitian people will perpetuate the misery and political dislocation that has plagued Haiti for centuries.

We continue to be strong supporters of Pax Christi USA, the national Catholic peace movement in the United States. Together, we ask that, as a duly elected President of a democratic republic who has been forced from office by political and economic terrorism, President Aristide be accorded the continued respect and support of the international community. He and his family should be provided safe haven wherever they choose, including the U.S., and their continued security should be guaranteed.

The recent developments in Haiti are a wake up call to the nations of the world. Political freedom, economic self-determination, human rights, justice and peace are the indispensable foundation upon which sustainable democracy must be built.

Peace, the aspiration of all people of good will, is the fruit of justice. As followers of the nonviolent Jesus, who consistently stood with those most marginalized in society in His time, we remain committed to supporting this struggle for justice in Haiti and throughout our violence plagued world.

The Federation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph is a dynamic union of all the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the United States who claim a common origin in the foundation at LePuy, France in 1650. This includes over 7,000 members of twenty-two Congregations throughout the United States. Together we strive to embody a vision of all people united in one earth community of love, unity and reconciliation. We do this through collaborative programs, interaction, prayer, and ministry. In our conflicted 21st century world, the Sisters of Saint Joseph seek to bring our traditions and vision to life in a way that will speak to our contemporary society and be a positive influence for change.