NCHR' s Executive Director Appeals for Support to Win Relief for Haitian Refugees

You may have heard this already. If yes, I apologize and beg forgiveness. If not, I am pleased to be the first to bring you the great news. On April 23, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted by an overwhelming margin for the "Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1998." This is the first of several obstacles that we will have to overcome before the bill becomes law. But make no mistake about it: it will become increasingly more difficult to defeat the forces that are opposed to fairness and equity for Haitian refugees. That is why I am asking you to join our campaign and provide us with the financial support we need to win. At stake is the future and welfare of some 40,000 Haitian refugees and children.

The bill, first introduced by Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) at the close of last year's congressional session, provides that Haitian asylum-seekers, parolees and orphaned children who have been living in the United States since before December 31, 1995 shall be granted legal permanent residence. The Committee voted 15-3 in favor.

In recent months, we have worked hard to generate bipartisan support for Haitians' demands that they be treated fairly and equitably. On a regular basis, we have convened meetings and conference calls during which Haitians and immigrant and refugee advocates informed each other of new developments and worked collectively to achieve our objectives. We have systematically provided information to the Haitian and mainstream media through countless interviews and press advisories. Last March, we became actively involved in organizing a rally in Washington, DC that brought together more than 1,500 Haitians from New York, Nyack, Boston, Miami, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Chicago, and Philadelphia.

Today, with your contribution of $50, $75, $100 or more, we would like to take the campaign to new heights by developing broad grassroots support across America for Haitian refugees and children. These are individuals who should have been welcomed as refugees after they fled Haiti, were intercepted by the US Coast Guard on the high seas and found to have strong reasons to fear persecution by the Haitian military and its paramilitary allies. Unfortunately, the US insisted on erecting barriers to their being treated without discrimination. The bias against Haitians was so blatant last year when Congress enacted legislation granting generous benefits to Nicaraguans and Cubans but negated the Haitians' legitimate claims entirely that many Americans were outraged.

The National Coalition for Haitian Rights is in a unique position to carry the campaign forward. We have a 16-year record of accomplishment as advocates for Haitian refugees and human rights in Haiti. We enjoy a large measure of respect and credibility among Haitians and non-Haitians alike and we are able to leverage our ties with major institutions promoting the civil and human rights of immigrants and refugees to conquer the serious odds we face.

I hope that I can count on you to support our campaign on behalf of the Haitian children. Please send your contribution immediately. Checks should be made to the order of the National Coalition for Haitian Rights. NCHR's offices are located at 275 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001-6708.

Sincerely,

Jocelyn McCalla
Executive Director

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