[News] Haiti: More demonstrators killed today & Waters demands Investigation Arms Shipments to Haiti under John Bolton
News at freedomarchives.org
News at freedomarchives.org
Wed Apr 27 18:39:12 EDT 2005
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In this e-mail:
1. Note from Father Jean Juste on fresh killings today of unarmed
demonstrators calling for a stop to the U.S.-backed repressive Latorture
regime;
2. Congresswoman Waters demands that the Senate Investigate Arms Shipments
to Haiti under the Tenure of John Bolton;
3. Prime Minister Yvon Neptune's Letter from Prison
4. Letter Protesting Torture of Prime Minister Yvon Neptune By Bush-backed
Latortue regime in Haiti
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HLLN Note:
Below is a note from Father Jean-Juste on new killings by the
U.S.-backed/Canadia-trained Haitian police. Please raise your voices
against not only the arming of this murderous regime in Haiti (see
Congresswoman Waters press release); the current seige in Cite Soleil,
where U.N. troops start shooting in the air while the populous is ASLEEP at
4 am in the morning, but continue to kill Haitians, force them to observe a
curfew, identify themselves before intering their own homes and
communities. Haiti is not at war with anyone. All Haitians did was vote and
democratically elect a leader the U.S./Canada/France have a pathological
hatred for. Please help us speak truth to power and demand that these
powers stop criminalizing Haitians in order to summarily execute them in
their own homes and communities. This U.N. sponsored bloodbath in Haiti
must stop. Father Jean Juste is in grave danger of being assassinated by
this death regime for his denouncing these killings. Please call on the
U.S. government to stop this blood bath in Cite Soleil and elsewhere in
Haiti and to protect the lives of Father Jean Juste, Prime Minister Yvon
Neptune and other supporters of the rule of law and justice in Haiti. Also
included in this e-mail is a letter from Prime Minster Yvon Neptune about
being beaten and abused in prison last Friday and a letter supporting
Neptune that may be used as an example letter for those interested in
denouncing Yvon Neptunes treatement/incarceration and to demand his and all
political prisoners' immediate release. HLLN, April 27, 2005.
****
Father Jean Juste's Call for international help and action on behalf of a
traumatize Haitian populous:
Dear Friends,
By 1:00 PM today Wednesday April 27, 2005, Haitian Police have in cold
blood shot on peaceful marchers, mostly President Aristide's supporters.
The counting is still on. At least five young marchers have been shot dead
in an area near Bourdon, East of Capital, Port-au-Prince. The wounded ones
have not been counted yet. Some school children are wounded too. Please
raise your voices against these acts of inhumanity. The march was organized
by a group from Bel-Air. They were heading toward the headquarter of the
MINUSTAH in Bourdon. The marchers were chanting: Aristide must come back;
Freedom for the political prisoners;
Democracy yes, Dictatorship no. Wait for more information later. There was
absolutely no action from the peaceful marchers to provoke this
massacre. OUR HUMAN RIGHTS SHOULD BE RESPECTED IN HAITI NOW.
***********
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate
Release
(323) 757-8900
April 27,
2005
CONGRESSWOMAN WATERS DEMANDS THAT
THE SENATE INVESTIGATE ARMS SHIPMENTS TO HAITI
UNDER THE TENURE OF JOHN BOLTON
Washington, D.C. -- Today, Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-35) released
a statement denouncing last year’s shipment of thousands of weapons to
Haiti by the U.S. Government, in violation of a 13-year-old arms embargo on
Haiti, and demanding that the United States investigate why John Bolton
allowed these weapons sales to occur while serving as Under Secretary of
State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs. Her statement
follows recent press reports that a State Department official admitted that
the United States transported 2,657 weapons to Haiti last August to train
and equip the Haitian National Police. These weapons included several M-14
rifles and sub-machine guns, as well as over 2000 revolvers and hundreds of
pistols. The Congresswoman’s statement follows:
I am deeply disturbed to learn that, over the weekend, the
U.S. State Department admitted that the United States shipped thousands of
lethal weapons to Haiti last year, in violation of our government’s
13-year-old embargo on arms shipments to Haiti and despite the dreadful
human rights record of Haiti’s unelected interim government.
I call upon the United States Senate to investigate these arms
shipments to Haiti, which occurred while John Bolton was serving as Under
Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs. It
is critical that Senators determine why John Bolton allowed the arms
embargo on Haiti to be violated before they vote on his nomination to the
position of United States Ambassador to the United Nations.
The arms embargo on Haiti was enforced throughout the
administration of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the
democratically-elected President of Haiti. Because of the arms embargo,
the democratically-elected government of Haiti could not purchase weapons
from the United States to train and equip the Haitian police to carry out
their law enforcement responsibilities.
President Aristide was overthrown in a coup d’etat on February
29, 2004, by a group of heavily armed thugs and replaced by an illegitimate
interim government that does not have the support of the Haitian
people. Many of these thugs were former soldiers from the brutal Haitian
army, which was disbanded ten years ago. Since the coup d’etat, violence
and insecurity have escalated throughout Haiti. Groups of heavily-armed
former soldiers roam Haiti freely, and the interim government has made no
attempt to enforce the rule of law or disarm the former soldiers.
The human rights record of the interim government of Haiti is
horrendous. The Center for the Study of Human Rights at the University of
Miami Law School reported that summary executions are a police tactic, and
Amnesty International has expressed serious concerns about arbitrary
arrests, ill-treatment in detention centers, and summary executions
attributed to members of the Haitian National Police. Many of the thugs
behind the coup d’etat have been incorporated into the police force, and it
has been reported that some police officers funnel arms to paramilitary
groups that are even more brutal. Given this record, it is highly likely
that the weapons shipped to Haiti by the United States last August were
used in the commission of human rights violations.
Before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations votes on the
nomination of John Bolton, the Committee must determine why he allowed the
State Department to ship weapons to the illegitimate interim government of
Haiti in violation of the arms embargo and despite evidence of serious
human rights violations.
###
*******
Marilyn Mason Note: Below is an English translation of former Haitian Prime
Minister Yvon Neptune's recent letter from prison, after his transfer to
the Pacot Annex on April 21st and after his harrowing, yet unfruitful, trip
to St-Marc on April 22nd. It is followed by the Haitian Creole version, and
then by URLs to photocopies of his handwritten letter. I would encourage
you to distribute it broadly amongst your circle of contacts. Yvon Neptune
merits our moral support and advocacy. Marilyn Mason, Email: MariLinc at aol.com
Web: http://hometown.aol.com/CreoleCH/Index6.html
Creole LInks Page:
http://hometown.aol.com/MIT2Haiti/Index4.html
*********
Letter from Yvon Neptune: English translation [Serge Bellegarde, Guy
Antoine, Marilyn Mason]:
>From the time I left the Prime Minister's residence on March 12, 2004, up
until June 27, 2004, the source of my insecurity had been the Government
itself. When the Government had me arrested on June 27, up until today, not
only did this source of my insecurity increase and became more direct, but
even worse, the Government deprived me of my freedom of movement, together
with my freedom to speak freely, with all the length and breadth and depth
that the Constitution allows for this right to be exercised.
The hunger strike I began on February 20 was aimed at forcing the
Government to set me free and to stop being the cause of my insecurity.
Because of a promise the Government had made that it was going to liberate
me, I accepted to put an end to my hunger strike and to go to the Argentine
Hospital under the jurisdiction of the MINUSTAH/United Nations.
Even while in that hospital, however, my insecurity continued because of
the Government’s continuing refusal to set me free.
That is why, while I was in the Hospital managed by the
Argentinians/MINUSTAH, I continued to resist so that the United Nations
would not send me to the trap of the supposed Villa in Pacot, but rather,
that it would require instead that the Government free me and stop
threatening my life. It was in the context of the dilatory tactics of this
wicked Government that I was obliged to resume my hunger strike with even
more force and why I am continuing it in the prison in Pacot, still with
the aim of regaining my freedom and my security.
My friends, listen. On April 20, here is the information I had passed on:
“… this plot aims at keeping me in prison by all means for as long as
possible; that is one objective. The second objective is to take me, no
matter what the conditions, to Saint-Marc to continue the political
humiliation…†Friends, listen: while I was already into the fifth day
of my complete hunger strike, on Thursday afternoon, April 21, having given
me guarantees that nothing would happen to me, the United Nations Forces
took me, against my will, to a supposed Prison Villa in Pacot, close to the
General Administration and Inspection Headquarters of the Police, despite
the fact that I had explained to the UN Representative that this was a trap
that the de facto Government had set up to implement the death plan it had
for me. Above all, I told them that I would maintain my hunger strike in
the supposed Prison Villa as long as I was not set free.
My friends, on Friday April 22, early in the morning, a team of 7 to 10
executioners I recognized from the prison system burst in on me to take me
to Saint-Marc. I felt my life was in danger in the presence of these
executioners; I told them I had not eaten, nor drunk anything in five days,
and I asked them to leave me in peace because I was weak. When they picked
me up with force, put me outside, and tried to handcuff me, I resisted for
my life and I bit one of the many arms trying to force handcuffs on my wrists.
They drove me to Saint-Marc. I threw up all along the way. When we arrived
in Saint-Marc, nothing was done. Supposedly, Mrs. Cluny Pierre Jules, the
supposed Investigating Judge declared that she was not coming because she
had not been previously notified.
When the UN Representative received news of what the conditions were in
Saint-Marc and of what kind of state I was in, he sent a helicopter to pick
me up and take me back to Port-au-Prince, where I received some care in a
UN ambulance which escorted me back to the supposed Prison Villa in Pacot.
I am continuing my hunger strike, so that I can regain my freedom and my
security and so that the de facto Government will stop threatening my life,
while it continues to trample on my dignity.
Yvon Neptune
Former Prime Minister
Member of Fanmi Lavalas
Political Prisoner
At the Prison in Pacot, Port-au-Prince
URLs to photocopies of original (Kreyol) handwritten Yvon Neptune letter:
1) http://haitiforever.com/neptune-letter-page1.jpg
2) http://haitiforever.com/neptune-letter-page2.jpg
************
LETTER PROTESTING TORTURE OF PRIME MINISTER YVON NEPTUNE BY U.S.-BACKED
REGIME IN HAITI:
Date: Sun, 24 Apr 2005 15:39:38 EDT
Subject: Re: TORTURE
To: noriegarf at state.gov, BanksD at state.gov, kongo-doudou at un.org,
KonareAO at africa-union.org
CC: OASLeinaudi at oas.org, Hunterj14 at aol.com, (et al..see more contact
info on HLLN website)
Orlando, Florida this 24th day of April, 2005
Ladies and gentlemen:
We are experiencing another prison abuse as it happened in Iraq at the
Abugraib Prison where many Iraqis were physically, mentally and orally
abused. The whole world has seen the torture and abuses against those
prisoners. It was outrageous and made every human being sick to their stomach.
Friday, former prime minister Yvon Neptune was literally tortured and
beaten by the National Police in Haiti (APENA) when, at 4:00 a.m., he was
forced to go in SAINT-MARC wearing just a shirt, pants and sandals. He was
treated like any criminal.
Former prime is being tortured right under UN watch. Mr. Neptune has been
on a complete hunger strike for 7 consecutive days. He doesn't even have
water that could help his body. What is the role of the UN in Mr. Neptune
slow death or murder? Is he being tortured until he says enough is enough
and finally decides to leave Haiti? Or, are you waiting for a comatose
condition of Mr. Neptune that will ring the bell of your conscience and
your theoretical stand "against torture"?
I hope you don't take that long to stop this type of torture being applied
upon prime minister Yvon Neptune.
Louis Joinet from the UN, a strong and sharp critic of the Lavalas
Administration under President Jean-Bertrand Aristide said on many occasion
that there was no massacre or genocide in La Scirie (SAINT-MARC).
He talked about fighting between a pro-Lavalas organization, "BALE WOUZE,"
and a pro-opposition to Aristide's organization, "RAMICOSM" whom president
is the actual Mayor of SAINT-MARC Mr. Thompson). It is obvious that this
plot against Mr. Neptune and many other officials from the Aristide
government was orchestrated by a Haitian organization financially supported
by the Canadian Government ($100,000.00), the National Coalition for
Haitian Rights (NCHR), according to Mr. Ronald Saint-Jean Human Rights
Organization "Groupe de Déffense des Prisoniers Politiques" (GDP) in Haiti.
In the name of humanity I urge that you act now to save Mr. Neptune's life
and the lives of many others in jail because of their political
opinion. You only have the power and the authority to put a stop to the
well prepared genocide againt the Haitian people in Haiti. Come to the
rescue of Mr. Neptune, Mr. Privert, Mrs. Auguste, Mr. Mayette, and many
others. I know you can and hope you will for the sake of morality and
fairness.
Sincerely,
Edwige Romulus
**************
*******
Forwarded by the Haitian Lawyers' Leadership Network
******
"Men anpil chay pa lou" is Kreyol for - "Many hands make light a heavy load."
See, The Haitian Leadership Networks' 7 "Men Anpil Chay Pa Lou" campaigns
to help restore Haiti's independence, the will of the mass electorate and
the rule of law.
http://www.margueritelaurent.com/law/lawpress.html
*******************
Here is what you can do to help us help the people of Haiti:
***************
Action Requested from Haiti solidarity groups and activists for justice and
democracy
**********************
Please circulate our mailings and posts to your mailing list and e-mail
contacts. Subscribe by writing to: Erzilidanto at yahoo.com
Read, adopt and circulate the Haiti Resolution (see below) from the Haitian
Lawyers Leadership Network and/or the Porto Alegre Declarations on Haiti
adopted at the World Social Forum in 2005:
http://www.margueritelaurent.com/pressclips/declaration.html
Circulate the human rights reports, especially the latest Miami Law Center
report:
http://www.margueritelaurent.com/campaigns/campaignone/human_rights_reports/c1humanrightsreports.html
Do Press Work: Join our letter writing campaigns to help free the political
prisoners in Haiti, stop the persecution of Haiti's most popular political
party and restore Constitutional rule. Write a letter, call the media, fax,
- See our Press Work page for sample letters and contact information:
http://www.margueritelaurent.com/campaigns/campaignone/presswork/pressreleases_hll.html
HLLN Networkers are urged, in addition to the general writing campaigns and
e-mail circulations, to also consider volunteering as primary
coordinators/contributors to one of our seven campaigns:
http://www.margueritelaurent.com/campaigns/campaigns.html
Support our lawyers in Haiti and HLLN projects, such as, our partnership
with AUMOHD, the young human rights lawyers in Haiti who are defending the
defenseless poor whose only crime is that they voted for Lavalas, supported
Constitutional rule or are resisting a return of the bloody U.S.-trained
Haitian army and US-sponsored dictatorship. For information on AUMOHD, go
to: http://www.april6vt.org/
*********
Support the Haitian Lawyers Leadership Haiti Resolution:
1. Demand the return of constitutional rule to Haiti by restoring all
elected officials of all parties to their offices throughout the country
until the end of their mandates and another election is held, as mandated
by Haiti's Constitution;
2. Condemn the killings, illegal imprisonment and confiscation of the
property of supporters of Haiti's constitutional government and insist that
Haiti's illegitimate "interim government" immediately cease its persecution
and put a stop to persecution by the thugs and murderers from sectors in
their police force, from the paramilitaries, gangs and former soldiers;
3. Insist on the immediate release of all political prisoners in Haitian
jails, including Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, Interior Minister Privert and
other constitutional government officials and folksinger-activist Sò Ann;
4. Insist on the disarmament of the thugs, death squad leaders and
convicted human rights violators and their prosecution for all crimes
committed during the attack on Haiti's elected government and support the
rebuilding of Haiti's police force, ensuring that it excludes anyone who
helped to overthrow the democratically elected government or who
participated in other human rights violations;
5. Stop the indefinite detention and automatic repatriation of Haitian
refugees and immediately grant Temporary Protected Status to all Haitian
refugees presently in the United States until democracy is restored to
Haiti; and
6. Support the calls by the OAS, CARICOM and the African Union for an
investigation into the circumstances of President Aristide's removal.
Support the enactment of Congresswoman Barbara Lee's T.R.U.T.H Act which
calls for U.S. Congressional investigation of the forcible removal of the
democratically elected President and government of Haiti.
***************
To subscribe or unsubscribe, contact Erzilidanto at yahoo.com
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