Murky Waters in Haitian Labor Movement

BATAY OUVRIYE

CLARIFICATION

Being attacked by the enemy is an excellent thing. But only to the extent we are able to transform the attack, as a negative element, into a positive aspect in the general interest of the working class.

During the past weeks, enemies of the working class have been attacking Batay Ouvriye in various forms. Practically at the same time, we have undergone the assaults of sectors in the emigration looking for practices to carry out or continuing the practices of their “leaders”, those of reactionary bourgeois candidates within Haiti itself and those of various big landowners. These reactionaries’ practices seem to be well orchestrated... And even if this isn’t the case, we can speak of an organic coordination reflecting the class struggle, in particular, the polarization created by the struggles led by our movement. What we are undergoing is a moment in the struggle of the masses, the workers, the working class. We need to be able to correctly handle these attacks. We need to carry out practices that allow us to maximize the realization of the working class’ interests facing our enemies. One of the objectives we should seek is our own camp’s reinforcement. And, for this, we have to understand Batay Ouvriye’s position and practices under various aspects not directly concerned by the attacks in question, for militants and consistent progressives to be able to go beyond their present understanding of Batay Ouvriye.

Continued...