Solidarity with the people of Haiti

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 Centralia economic
support of all persons and organizations wishing to urgently support the
Haitian people.

Account holder:   ASOCIACIÓN LURBIDE - EL CAMINO DE LA TIERRA
Bank:  IPAR KUTXA
Address:  Gudari, 2 - AMOREBIETA (Bizkaia) - País Vasco - Spain
Account number :  3084-0023-53-6400061004

IBAN: ES54 3084 0023 5364 0006 1004
Swift: CVRVES2B
Communication:  SOLIDARIDAD HAITÍ