FORGING ties.

Published On:Wednesday, March 03, 2010

A NEW association is set to hold a Haitian/Bahamian solidarity forum in Nassau tomorrow.

The Lambi Coalition, established by several human rights groups and political activists, has invited a number of speakers including Erin Greene, Betty Godet, Mark Desmangles and Jah Blyden, to address the meeting. The forum, entitled "What Does Haitian-Bahamian Solidarity Mean to You?" will begin at 6.30pm at the Orion Academy on East Street, next to the Metropolitan Church of the Nazarene.

Formed in the wake of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12, the Lambi Coalition was created to be an African-led effort to build and nurture Haitian-Bahamian solidarity. "Lambi" is the Creole word for "Conch" and has been chosen given the conch shells' long-standing association with the idea of resistance for Africans.

A statement issued by the group explained that in 1791, when a group of enslaved Africans in what is now Haiti launched their struggle for freedom, they blew into the conch shell to rally other Africans to the movement. In other parts of the world, the conch shell has been used similarly by enslaved Africans.

In the short-term, the organisation seeks to play a role in providing relief for the earthquake victims. Toward this end, Lambi is working along with other organisations to hold a benefit concert. Canned goods, which will be collected at the gate instead of money, will be delivered to reputable grass-roots organisations in Haiti, the statement said.

Lambi's long-term projects include working to bridge the gap between the Creole and Anglophone communities in the Bahamas by facilitating dialogue between these two groups. In addition, it wants to work within the Creole community to raise awareness of Bahamian immigration regulations and human rights norms; combat anti-Haitian prejudices in the community, and push for enhanced customer service and policy reform at the Department of Immigration - including automatic Bahamian citizenship for children born in the Bahamas. "Lambi will also work to educate the wider community about the current political situation in Haiti and will establish ties with grass-roots organisations in Haiti who are working to restore democracy there," the statement said.