Drèd Wilmé's last words: Remain mobilized!

He was hunted down and executed, and then the U.S. Marines, who killed him, nailed his dead body to a door in the public square in the North of Haiti at Cap Haitien.

To the people of Cité Soleil, the current U.S.-backed UN hunt for Emmanuel "Drèd" Wilmé reminded them of the U.S. crucifixion of Charlemagne Peralte back in 1915. Called the "Bandit King of Cité Soleil," Drèd Wilmé was the U.S.-UN's Most Wanted Man in Haiti.

Based on the statements made by the coup d'état government and the U.N. forces, it appeared, in advance, that the foreign troops, along with their Haitian collaborators, intended to capture "gangsters" in Cité Soleil, especially Drèd Wilmé at ALL COSTS, even if it might entail the massacre of unarmed civilians.

As early as April 18, a report described "a joint MINUSTAH-police operation aimed at restoring order in Cité Soleil and also at finding gang leader Drèd Wilmé." Thus, we knew in advance what was intended for Drèd Wilmé.

July 6 invasion and massacre

On Wednesday, July 6, in an early morning invasion by over 300 UN troops fortified with tank-like armored personnel carriers and helicopters, Drèd Wilmé was reported assassinated. Top UN officials said Friday that the purpose of the raid, now being decried worldwide as a massacre that left dozens dead, including babies, was to capture the "gang leader" Drèd Wilmé.



But he's been falsely reported dead before. Haitians with faith still know that long after the hired triggermen who are shooting the people of Cité Soleil and even Wilmé are dust in the wind, Drèd Wilmé's deeds, the people of Haiti's resistance to tyranny, will live on in all Haitians, inspiring all people who resist Euro/U.S. greed, racism and oppression of the poor and African on this planet.

The Haitian resistance against the Western bicentennial re-colonization of Haiti lives on. Below, we bring back the voice of Drèd Wilmé, speaking a few days after the Apaid-hired gun, Labanyé, was killed and the UN occupation troops themselves had entered Cité Soleil to continue the Haitian extermination campaign begun when the U.S. Marines kidnapped President Aristide and exiled him from his country.

Drèd Wilmé was announced dead on July 6, the same day that U.S. CIA asset and the real killer and Haitian bandit, Guy Phillipe, announced his candidacy for president of Haiti. Guy Phillipe is a terrorist to the majority of Haitians; therefore, he's a "freedom fighter" to U.S.-UN officials and their collaborators.

Drèd Wilmé represents Haiti's manhood, its courage and commitment to liberty. He stood as a lone fighter, a father to the Haitians in Cité Soleil who stand alone without defenders against the most powerfully armed nations on earth.

Wilmé lasted without resources for more than 16 months, evading the biggest manhunt in the Western Hemisphere. It aimed to destroy not only Wilmé but Haitian self-determination.

But because Drèd Wilmé could not, unlike Guy Phillipe, be bought off by a U.S. dollar, he was a terrorist to U.S. Ambassador Foley and right wing Cuban-American hater of indigenous self-rule Roger Noriega.

Haitians throughout Haiti and the Diaspora embrace Wilmé as they do Kapwa Lamò and Charlemagne Peralte. None of those calling Drèd Wilmé "bandit" have ever shown he traveled outside his community to attack either the foreigner who came to kill him in his own home nor the morally repugnant Haitian bourgeoisie who paid assassins to destroy his community, his nation.

In contrast to the bi-centennial coup d'état traitors, Drèd Wilmé is known to the people in his community as a defender of the defenseless and poor. Again, we say, as we did last April, Wilmé covered himself in glory because he added value in his own community, and if, in fact, he lives no more, he joins the line going back to that first Neg and Negès Ginen, who can only - depi lan Guinen - live free or die. That unborn spirit, that Haitian soul, cannot die. It's rising.

Cité Soleil turns out en masse for funeral of Drèd Wilmé

Hundreds of people of all ages turned out for the July 9 funeral of Drèd Wilmé, a leader of the Cité Soleil community in Port-au-Prince, reports the U.S. Labor and Human Rights Delegation. The funeral ceremony was held in the street and involved speeches by community activists, music, dancing and carrying a coffin to the people. White banners were draped up and down one of the main streets in the community. Media, mostly Haitian, were present.

Speakers expressed respect for Wilmé as someone who embodied the hopes of the community, someone who attempted to stand up for and protect his community. They vowed to continue the struggle for the rights of the poor in Haiti to healthcare, education and democracy. In this spirit, they also vowed to fight for the return of President Aristide.

One young female speaker stirred the crowd with her words affirming the dignity of the people of Cité Soleil and their rights to be treated as human beings. Another speaker addressed the issue of kidnappings in Haiti, claiming that they were being used by the coup regime to scapegoat poor communities like Cité Soleil. Armed young men provided security for the ceremony.

At least twice during the service, people began to urgently run away, turning into a collective stampede, when rumors circulated that MINUSTAH forces were coming. MINUSTAH APCs (tanks with wheels) were stationed at several checkpoints in the neighborhood. People appeared to be terrified of MINUSTAH forces.

One older Haitian-American woman who recently moved to Cité Soleil one month ago to practice her ministry gave an interview to the labor-human rights delegation and Haitian journalists, stating that the youth of Cité Soleil are not animals or "chimeres" but intelligent human beings who are struggling to deal with the harshest oppression.

She described Drèd Wilmé as someone who worked on behalf of these youth, providing them with education and food when the larger society was willing to throw them away.

Another resident who spoke during the funeral said the death toll from the July 6 UN invasion ranges as high as 80.

Drèd Wilmé speaks

Below is an interview with Drèd Wilmé broadcast on April 4, 2005, before he was wounded that same day. He's speaking from Haiti on Lakou New York, a radio station in the U.S.

In his own words, in English and Kreyol, Emmanuel "Drèd" Wilmé explains the situation in Cité Soleil and in Haiti that the people in the poor neighborhoods are facing.

L-NY: We have on the line with us Drèd Wilmé, a Lavalas militant and activist in Site Solèy (the Kreyol spelling for Cité Soleil) where today there is a massive repression against the population being carried out by United Nations MINUSTAH forces along with the Haitian National Police. Drèd Wilmé, can you tell the New York area Haitian community through Lakou New York at Radio Lakay how is the situation today in Site Solèy?

D. Wilmé: Well, the situation is very serious, not just in Site Solèy but all over Haiti, in Site Solèy, in Bèlè, in Lasalin, as well as Solino, Granravin and elsewhere in all the nine departments of the country. The way things are in the country today, journalists are being killed, school children are being killed, business people are being killed. Many people who would have been useful to the country are being killed.

As Lavalas militants throughout all the parts of the country, all nine departments and even in the 10th department, we are standing up to defend our rights, to demand that President Aristide return to the country and for us to live in peace, because without President Aristide there can be no peace.

The government that is here right now is doing only one thing: killing people all over the country. The Haitian National Police have forgotten that it was the people who called for the army to be done with so we could have this police. The people and the police are brothers and sisters.

The police should not listen to the bourgeoisie and take Andy Apaid and Charles Henri Baker's money to kill people in Site Solèy. Many people have already been killed - children, school kids and even people praying inside churches have been shot. This is the climate we are living under today in Site Solèy.

L-NY: Compatriot, we have learned that since Thursday, after the news came out that Labanyé was killed, many many people are in tears because they no longer have Labanyé to keep the people of Site Solèy in check for them. Many people are saying that this is the real reason why MINUSTAH is killing the people of Site Solèy, to avenge Labanyé's death. What is your view on this?

D. Wilmé: The way we see it, it is these big shots who used to pay Labanyé to shoot demonstrators in Site Solèy, where whenever we held demonstrations, Labanyé himself came out to shoot at the demonstrators. He was doing the work of Andy Apaid and Charles Henri Baker.

You see, these big shots, if they really had a vision, a plan to help Site Solèy, this is not the way they would behave. Today, Site Solèy is living in filth.

Today the people of Site Solèy are living in dirt. The people cannot eat. They are hungry. Children cannot go to school. These people who were saying that they had the support of Labanyé, they should know that Labanyé did not represent the masses of the people.

Labanyé was nothing inside of Site Solèy. All alone, Labanyé could not have taken all of Site Solèy hostage because by himself he was weak. We have to be honest and admit that by himself Labanyé could not have held the masses of Site Solèy hostage. They have to admit that Labanyé did not represent Site Solèy. Labanyé was just in one of the neighborhoods of Site Solèy, which is the largest ghetto in Haiti. They have to face this fact.

Today we are facing severe repression by the National Police and the MINUSTAH, where they are saying that this is because of Labanyé, but our demonstrations have only just begun. We are demanding the physical return of President Aristide immediately.

Today, Site Solèy is whole. There is no longer 33 neighborhoods on one side and 1 on another. All 34 neighborhoods are united, and we are demonstrating peacefully to demand the physical return of President Aristide to Haiti.

If the bourgeoisie wanted to do something for the people of Site Solèy, this is not the way they would go about doing it, because they have never done anything to benefit the people of Site Solèy. They want the people to be their slaves.

They want the people to go and vote but to continue living in the same conditions we are living in today. We have been living for one year now under this de facto government which is destroying the country.

Ninety-five percent of the people from the masses who were working government jobs have been fired. Children cannot go to school. Students cannot advance in their studies. We are wondering just how far this crisis will be allowed to go.

All of this is why we are in the streets, demonstrating and demanding the physical return of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to Haiti immediately. This is the only issue the people are interested in today. Aristide is the one who can save Haiti from all its woes.

L-NY: Drèd Wilmé, tell us what's been happening this past weekend in Site Solèy. We understand that there were major attacks which have taken place, and we heard that you were on the phone with a radio station in Port-au-Prince, where you said that the MINUSTAH was shooting tear gas at the people. Tell us what's happening inside Site Solèy today.

D. Wilmé: MINUSTAH has been shooting tear gas on the people. There are children who have died from the gas, and some people inside churches have been shot.

The Red Cross was with us. The Red Cross was just here and might have just gone on to pick up more children and adults who have gotten shot. The Red Cross is the only one helping us.

The MINUSTAH soldiers remain hidden in their tanks and just aim their guns and shoot the people. They shoot people selling in the streets. They shoot people just walking in the streets. They shoot people sitting and selling in the marketplace.

MINUSTAH must understand that the people in the streets are the masses of the people. They say that these people are "chime," but they are not "chime."

They are the masses of the people fighting for their rights and demanding the return of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to Haiti. Inside Site Solèy today we are facing a very serious climate of terror, where many people have been killed and many children have been shot. We are asking for support because President Aristide must come back for peace to reign in Haiti.

L-NY: We know that there is a huge protest planned for April 7. This will be the first large protest since Labanyé has been gone. Will there be a large turnout from Site Solèy to join with Bèlè and Kafou? What we are hearing is that this demonstration will be more like a tsunami rather than a lavalas.

D. Wilmé: Well, there is no doubt about that because when the Lavalas is flowing, there is nothing that can hold us back. They know what Lavalas is all about.

Lavalas remains very powerful. All 34 neighborhoods of Site Solèy will be mobilizing. It will be a huge demonstration because everyone is planning to march on the city.

Site Solèy will move to join with Bèlè, Granravin, Solino, Lasalin, etc., all the popular neighborhoods. so that all together the people will take the streets on the 7th of April to demand with one voice the immediate return of President Aristide to Haiti.

L-NY: Drèd Wilmé, many people are not clear about the exact relationship which exists between you, the militants of Lavalas in Site Solèy, Lavalas in general and Grenn Sonnen. Can you tell us the nature of this relationship? Are both of you fighting for the same thing?

D. Wilmé: This is a very important question. The relationship between us and Grenn Sonnen is a question we will answer today. For our part, we are engaged in a people's struggle where we are fighting for the return of President Aristide in Haiti.

Grenn Sonnen used to work for the Lavalas government. Right now he claims to be fighting as a former FADH soldier to defend the rights of the former soldiers.

That is the difference between us. We do not have any form of contact with Grenn Sonnen. The former soldiers who are involved with him in his fight believed that the de facto government would be doing good things for the country. Later, they realized that this is a criminal government which is killing people left and right.

This government lied to them and is killing their brother soldiers. Those former soldiers have now taken up arms against this government, and they are asking for it to be removed from power.

As Lavalas militants, we are also demanding the departure of the de facto government. We demand the physical return of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

We do not know whether they are also for the president's return. But us, the Haitian people, the people of Site Solèy, Bèlè, Granravin etc., all of the 10th department and all nine departments of the country, we are fighting for the physical return of President Aristide to Haiti. I cannot tell you anything about their ideology - whether they are for the return or not - but for us, our purpose is clear.

L-NY: Do you have any last words for the Haitian community listening to you over the internet and all over the world over the internet?

D. Wilmé: My last words to the Haitian community of New York and all over the 10th department is that they must remain mobilized. We are asking all Haitians, those who become U.S. citizens, those who were born overseas, those who have been over there 13, 14, 15 years, we are asking all of them to remain mobilized, to demonstrate peacefully wherever they are in the 10th department to demand the immediate physical return of President Aristide.

They must speak to President Bush and as people of the United States demand the return of President Aristide to Haiti. We are sending our respects to all of you in the 10th department who are standing firm in the struggle for the immediate return of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to Haiti.

L-NY: Thank you very much, compatriot.

D. Wilmé: Thank you very much, compatriot.

Lakou New York is a grassroots initiative to bring alternative news, interviews and news analysis to the New York area Haitian community and beyond. We work to give voice and to amplify the voices of those who have always been marginalized.

Lakou New York does not claim to be an objective source of information. We stand squarely on the side of the masses of the Haitian people and the poor and marginalized all over the world who, as much as they are being oppressed, fight every day to create another world. We challenge our community to assume their responsibility, which is the challenge of the Haitian Revolution.

To check out our work, go to http://www.lakounewyork.com

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Marguerite Laurent, known as the hip hop lawyer, is an entertainment attorney and chair of the Haitian Lawyers Leadership, a network dedicated to protecting the civil, human and cultural rights of Haitians at home and abroad. Visit her website at http://www.margueritelaurent.com.

http://www.sfbayview.com/072005/dredwilmes072005.shtml