Dear colleagues and friends:
Through this letter, we communicate our deepest sympathy and solidarity with the Haitian people who are now dealing with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that caused thousands of deaths, wounded and missing. We share our sorrow over the disaster and send an embrace of solidarity to the Haitian people, and especially our friends of La Via Campesina in Haiti. We hope that they will overcome this terrible situation. Referring to history we recall the strength and determination of the people of Haiti who were the first in America to abolish slavery in a definite way.
We cannot overemphasize and denounce that the effects of any natural catastrophe are always far more acute in the context of impoverishment, vulnerability and exclusion. We understand that these forces of nature are not controllable or predictable and that they are not the responsibility of the international community. But the question is: How is it possible that the same international community continues to perpetuate global structures and policies that are unjust and inequitable, structures and policies that lead to greater vulnerability and effectively multiply the destructive effects and the number of victims of natural disaster such as the earthquake in Haiti?
La Via Campesina calls urgently for international solidarity with the people of Haiti with the intention to channel much needed financial support collected through social movements in that country, more concretely through the Haitian peasant organizations that are part of the international peasant movement.
This is the bank account where the Via Campesina Centralizes economic support of all persons and organizations wishing to urgently support the Haitian people.
Titular de la cuenta: ASOCIACIÓN LURBIDE – EL CAMINO DE LA TIERRA
Banco: IPAR KUTXA
Dirección: Gudari, 2 – AMOREBIETA (Bizkaia) – País Vasco - Spain
Nº de cuenta: 3084-0023-53-6400061004
IBAN: ES54 3084 0023 5364 0006 1004
Swift: CVRVES2B
Concepto: SOLIDARIDAD HAITÍ