[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 24, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2030
                                 HAITI

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bishop of Utah). Under a previous order 
of the House, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor tonight to bring to my 
colleagues' attention the extreme emergency that the country of Haiti 
finds itself in with gangs, rebels, renegades, protesters, thugs, drug 
lords, in combination and in different groups in different parts of the 
nation of trying to drive out the first duly elected President in the 
history of Haiti, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
  There are a number of activities going on here in the Capitol that 
are intended to move our government and national organizations and 
international organizations into an effective combination that would 
allow peace to quickly come to this beleaguered nation where poverty, 
suffering and misery is so endemic.
  I begin my comments with an appeal to the President of the United 
States, and I quote from a resolution that has been drafted by our 
colleague from California (Ms. Waters) which urges the United States to 
support the principles of democracy and constitutional rule in the 
Republic of Haiti under which President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was 
elected and oppose any and all attempts to remove President Aristide 
from office prior to the completion of his term under the Constitution 
of Haiti. And that we additionally condemn the violent activities of 
groups of thugs, former members of Haiti's disbanded army, and 
paramilitary organizations in Haiti.
  This is an appeal to urge the President of the United States to make 
a statement, to break his silence and to let the world and the people 
of Haiti know that this country promotes democracy, respects the right 
to protest, but appreciates that free speech cannot be equated with 
violence and intimidation.
  In addition, we are seeking to invoke the awesome prestige of the 
United Nations through its Security Council which will be meeting 
tomorrow. We intend to communicate, Members of Congress, with the 
Organization of American States to urge that they continue their 
important work, that CARICOM be invited to offer assurances; in other 
words, that we pull these international organizations together and make 
certain that our country does not by its silence give a wink and a nod 
to the violence that is going on there.
  Last of all, we appeal to our distinguished Secretary of State, Colin 
Powell himself, whose ancestors came from the Caribbean. We thank him 
for his negotiations by which he attempted to reach agreement, and he 
extended the time. It was finally at 5 p.m. this evening that the rebel 
opposition rejected and refused to continue any negotiations. And so 
now we ask the Secretary of State in his wisdom and judgment to move to 
a new and higher plane in trying to bring this matter, the differences 
of other groups and citizens with their President, to a peaceful 
resolution.
  It is very important that we recognize that the United States' role 
in this is so important since we were prominently involved in bringing 
a democratic election and a President to Haiti.

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