Supporting Aid to Haiti

WHEREAS, the NAACP is the nation's oldest civil rights organization; and

WHEREAS, Haiti is the first independent nation of color in this hemisphere (1804); and

WHEREAS, Haiti is a democracy in its infancy; and

WHEREAS, Haiti has 1.2 doctors for every 10,000 residents; and

WHEREAS, only 40% of the population of Haiti have access to portable water; and

WHEREAS, the infant mortality rate is 74 for every 1,000 births and the United Nations has designated Haiti the third hungriest country in the world; and

WHEREAS, every human being has a natural and rational expectation for health, human rights, and well-being; and

WHEREAS, the United States Government continues to obfuscate agreed upon measures to process the release of much needed humanitarian and infra-structural aid to Haiti in a duplicitous manner.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that our elected representatives of Congress correct and restore aid to Haiti by reaffirming its support for the mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) to Haiti; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP call upon the United States Agency for International Development to convene a meeting of all donors and potential donors to Haiti, with the objective of launching a new and sustainable humanitarian initiative, including a lending program that will help bolster the economic infrastructure bases of Haiti; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP strongly urge the President of the United States to direct the Secretary of State to conduct an immediate review of United States policy toward Haiti, including adequate and appropriate consultations with the relevant committees of Congress; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP call specifically upon the International Monetary Fund to re-evaluate the current staff monitoring program conditions outlined for Haiti and work toward a poverty reduction agreement for Haiti; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP strongly urge the President of the United States to instruct the Secretary of the Treasury to direct the United States Executive Director at the Inter-American Development Bank to release the four (4) social sector and development loans totaling $146 million, for health, education, water and sanitation and transportation, that have been approved by the Board of Executive Directors of the Bank and ratified by the Parliament of Haiti.