Militant union organizer attacked in Port-au-Prince

The Miami local of Black Rose Anarchist Federation / Federación Anarquista Rosa Negra stands in solidary with comrade Yannick Etienne of Batay Ouvriye in Haiti.

The statement below was send to us by comrades in One Struggle and their project Rapid Response Network. Please read below, sign on to the statement and share the campaign on social media.


On January 30, an assassination attempt was made on Yannick Etienne, a militant of Batay Ouvriye (Workers Fight), in the SONAPI industrial zone of Port-au-Prince. The perpetrators were flunkies of the NGO/yellow union CNOHA (Central National Workers of Haiti).

The events are described by a statement by the Executive Committee of SOTA-BO (Union of Textile and Garment Workers-Batay Ouvriye), which can be accessed at: https://batayouvriye.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/press-release-on-the-assassination-attempt-against-our-comrade-yannick-etienne/

The Rapid Response Network stands in solidarity with our sister, who has been a steadfast and courageous organizer for decades, at great personal risk and sacrifice. Batay Ouvriye is a rarity in this world: a genuinely autonomous and combative workers organization, and we will not stand by and allow collaborationist thugs to harm its militants!

Yannick belongs to the struggle, belongs to the entire international working class. Anyone who faces her with violence, will have to face all of us!

We Stand in Solidarity with the International Working Class! We exhort our friends and sympathizers to also denounce this act internationally, and put CNOHA on notice that they will not get away with harming Yannick!

2 Ways to Take Action:

1) Click here to add your signature to a statement to denounce the actions of CNOHA.

2) Email CNOHA at cnoha.haiti@ymail.com and its leader Dominique St. Eloi: sainteloid@yahoo.com
(Please cc Batay Ouvriye: batay@batayouvriye.org)

Some points you could include in your email:

  • We denounce this foul attack on Yannick Etienne!
  • We stand with Yannick, Batay Ouvriye, and the struggle of Haitian workers!
  • Your actions are being watched internationally. BACK OFF!