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Coalition Against Haitian Defamation
Coalition contre la diffamation envers les Haitiens
September 21st  Statement

Tel: (718) 434-1390  Fax: (718) 434-5551 e-mail: sakle@hotmail.com


Haitians Will March to Demand an Apology and Rectification from 20th Century Fox

   We the Coalition against Haitian Defamation, are protesting today
against the Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation for portraying Haitians
as AIDS carriers in its recent hit movie "How Stella Got Her Groove Back".

   The movie says in it's dialogue that Haitians have "a history of AIDS".
This is poisonous and unscientific misinformation. It is an outrage that
eight years after the Federal Drug Administration and the Center for
Disease Control removed Haitians from their list of "high risk groups" for
AIDS that the characters in "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" should exhume
this harmful stigma.

   Haitians throughout the United States have been protesting against this
stigmatization since the films release last month. On August 29th, our
coalition sent a letter to the chairman of 20th Century Fox demanding that
the studio immediately do the following:

1. Issue a public apology to the Haitian and Caribbean communities in all
major media outlets;

2. Edit out the offensive passage from "How Stella Got Her Groove Back"
and ensure that it is not in the video and other versions of the film;

3. Finance, promote, and undertake HIV/AIDS educational campaigns.

   Up until today, we have received no response at all. There has been no
public apology nor any official reaction to our demands.

   Therefore, we are today calling for a  ** MASSIVE MARCH ON 20th CENTURY
FOX ON FRIDAY, SEPT. 25th, 1998 FROM 11:00a.m. TO 6:00 p.m..** We will
rally in Times Square and from there we will march to 20th Century Fox
Film Corporation located at 1211 Avenue of the Americas between 47th and
48th Streets. As we March throughout the Times Square district, we will
denounce the insensitivity of 20th Century Fox and will urge people to
boycott their films. we will continue to protest until our demands are
met.

   We find it particularly disturbing that prominent African-Americans who
were involved in this motion picture, such as author and screenplay writer
Terry McMillan, director Kevin Sullivan, and actors Angela Bassette,
Whoopie Goldberg, Suzanne Douglas, Regina King and Taye Diggs, have
refused to come forward and issue any sort of comment or apology. As the
Haitian Brothers and sisters of these prominent African-Americans, we were
expecting greater solidarity. Instead, like their employer20th Century
Fox, they have all remained silent.

   Their silence is doubly tragic since AIDS is ravaging the
African-American community here in the U.S. as never before. For instance,
in Harlem, the #1 killer today for people age 24-45 is AIDS. What we need
is more education not misinformation, finger-pointing and malicious
comedy.

   At the same time, we want to praise artists such as Ben Vereen, Edwidge
Danticat, Wyclef Jean, and others who have had the courage to make
statements denouncing the disparaging remarks in the movie.
   We are putting 20th Century Fox on notice that we will bring protests,
boycotts, and any legal measures that we can against the studio and also
against video distributors such as Blockbuster if our demands are not met.
   
   While the laws in the U.S. make it harder to sue 20th Century Fox for
its slanderous attack against haitians, in europe and other foreign
markets the laws protecting groups against libel are well-established. We
will work to bring legal action against the the film both here and
overseas, which could result in substantial damages and an injunction
against the film until the libelous portions are removed.

   Finally we feel it is only right that, after their defamation of
Haitians, 20th Century Fox should finance promote, and undertake AIDS
educational campaigns. They have the means to do so. do they have the will
to begin repeating the damage they have done.
   
   This is not the first time that haitians have been branded as "AIDS
carriers". in the early 1980's, we were the victims of hysteria. doctors
were afraid to treat us. Our blood was refused at hospitals. Our children
were harassed in school. Haitian tourism received a deadly blow. we will
not allow such madness to return again.
  
  In the past, we fought back with giant demonstrations, and the
unscientific labels were withdrawn. we will fight back again.

   20th Century Fox Film Corporation, along with the producers, directors
writers, and actors of "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" must apologize,
re-edit the film, and make amends NOW. It's time to stop the lies! 20th
century fox must put people before profits!

Thank you.


For more information:  >http://members.tripod.com/~sakle<
                                   1398 Flatbush Avenue
                                   Brooklyn, New York 11210
                                   (718) 434-1390 
                        
Coalition contre la diffamation envers les Haitiens/Coalition against
Haitian Defamation:
Afrikarib Productions, Comite Chalo Jaklen, Disney Haiti Justice Campaign,
District Council 1707, Haiti Progres, Haiti Support Network (HSN), 
Haitian Centers Council (HCC), Haitian Enforcement Against Racism (HEAR),
Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees, International Action Center, Radio
Soleil d'Haiti,
Rockland Athletic Club (partial list)



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HUGE DEMONSTRATION IN NEW YORK CITY

FRIDAY, Sept. 25, 1998
from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Assemble: 
Times Square (Broadway between  42nd & 43rd Streets)
(Trains: 1,2,3,7,9,N and R to Times Square)

Destination:
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
1211 6th Avenue (between  47th & 48th Streets)

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