Stuart Leslie
Office of the Prime Minister
Cain Building
[Belmopan]
Cayo District

September 26, 2023

Greetings, Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie,

Re: United Black Association for Development Educational Foundation (UEF) Solidarity with our Afrikan Kinfolks in Ayti/Haiti, and the Government of Belize’s social and legal responsibilities to Afrikan descendants racialized as Black people in Belize.

United Black Association for Development Educational Foundation (UEF) is a 27+ years community-based organization in Southside Belize City rooted in the Liberation of Afrikan descendants racialized as Black people in Belize and the Diaspora. UEF is one of the 4 pillars of the Kremandala media houses. The other 3 pillars are the Amandala newspaper (54+ years), Krem Radio (33+ years) and Krem Television (18+ years).

UEF sent you an email on February 15, 2023, Re: United Black Association for Development Educational Foundation (UEF) in Solidarity with our Afrikan Kinfolks from Ayti/Haiti, and Government of Belize social and legal responsibility to Afrikan Descendants racialized as Black people in Belize.

Did you respond to that email, and address the concerns UEF shared?

In the Belize Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ annual diplomatic briefing to the diplomatic corps on Tuesday September 19, 2023, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Eamon Courtenay, stated Belize’s position regarding sending Belizean security personnel to Ayti/Haiti because of (my wording) “a so-called” serious humanitarian crisis that Ayti/Haiti is suffering from. The truth is, Black people from CARICOM countries are being used by CARICOM Black leaders to participate in the harm, repression, and murder of our Black family members in Ayti/Haiti. Minister Courtenay said “Prime Minister Briceño has said that Belize is prepared to send security forces in a number that is to be determined once the mission is defined”; and on Saturday September 23, 2023 Foreign Minister Eamon Courtenay said to the UN, “Belize will join the other CARICOM countries in contributing to the multinational force once the appropriate framework is in place.” Based on these revelations, the United Black Association for Development Educational Foundation (UEF) is asking Belize Cabinet Ministers:

• When did the Government of Belize come to the decision to send Belizean security forces to Ayti/Haiti?
• What were the processes used for the Government of Belize to make the decision to send Belizeans to Ayti/Haiti?
• Were Belizean people informed of the decision to send Belizean security forces to Ayti/Haiti, before this position was shared with the Diplomatic Corps and the UN?
• What is the definition of Belizean security forces?
• Were Afrikan descendants racialized as Black people in Belize told about the Government of Belize’s choice to send Afrikan/Black Belizean security forces to harm, repress, and murder our Afrikan/Black Ayti/Haiti family members?

The United Black Association for Development Educational Foundation (UEF) does not support this position by the Government of Belize to send Belizean security forces to risk their lives in the continuous international occupation of Ayti/Haiti! The Government of Belize does not speak for Afrikan people racialized as Black people in Belize. UEF is in solidarity with our Afrikan sistas and breddahs from Ayti/Haiti, the first Free Afrikan/Black Republic in the world!

Here are the reasons why the United Black Association for Development Educational Foundation (UEF) supports a democratic Ayti/Haiti. A sovereign Ayti/Haiti! Ayti/Haiti with respect for human rights!

“Background: Haiti is back in the headlines. As the US, UN and their international accomplices continue their reckless interventionist policies in Ayti/Haiti, the crisis deepens. 200,000 Haitians have been displaced by paramilitary gang violence, 2,500 have been killed this year and a thousand more have been kidnapped. Almost half the population is facing starvation.

“Who are the paramilitaries who have overrun Haiti, terrorizing the people with house burnings, kidnappings, rape and murder? They are the outcome of two decades of US/UN/foreign intervention and destabilization of Haitian society that began with the 2004 armed overthrow of the democratic progressive government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. These death squads are the henchmen of a series of unelected puppet governments put in place by the US after the coup -governments headed by corrupt Haitian officials willing to prioritize foreign profits over the lives of their own people.

“Why is foreign military invasion not the answer? Because the US cannot fix what it has broken — the arsonists cannot put out the fire. Ayti/Haiti has had enough of foreign invaders with military troops seizing land, resources, and labour to benefit themselves while conducting armed assaults against the population, undermining Haitian institutions and spreading sexual violence and cholera in their path. Rather than respecting the will of the people by withdrawing support for the unpopular right-wing regime, the US is doubling down, pressuring the UN Security Council to authorize more occupation, militarism and invasion. They have enlisted the government of Kenya to help do their dirty work by fronting a new invasion. They are determined to prop up the government they imposed on Ayti/Haiti.

“The solution put forth by the majority of Aytian/Haitian people is an end to US/UN support for the illegitimate, unpopular PHTK regime. Broad sectors of Haitian civil society propose a transitional government of their own choosing to guarantee security, enable people to return to homes, school and work, and plan for future elections”.

United Black Association for Development Educational Foundation (UEF) also supports these 4 demands.

DEMANDS:

1. Stop supporting the Ariel Henry dictatorship.
2. No to another US/UN/foreign military intervention in Ayti/Haiti.
3. No more arms shipments from the US to Ayti/Haiti.
4. Stop funding the brutal Haitian police.

These social media hashtags document the global solidarity for a democratic and sovereign Ayti/Haiti on social media platforms.

Hashtags: StandwithHaiti, AlloutforHaiti, USstopfundingmassacresinHaiti, Notoforeignintervention, SupportHumanrights, SupportDemocracy,
US/UNOutofHaiti, NotanotherinvasionofHaiti

The United Black Association for Development Educational Foundation (UEF) awaits your response on behalf of Belize Cabinet Ministers.

My cell phone number is: 501-671-8050

YaYa Marin Coleman
United Black Association for Development Educational Foundation (UEF)
Chairperson