[News] Political Violence by the Haitian National Police and Former Military
News at freedomarchives.org
News at freedomarchives.org
Mon Feb 7 08:44:25 EST 2005
Breaking News: we want to report the shooting Friday, Feb 4, of a young man
named Antonio Renaud in Cap-Haitien by two men on motorcycles. Antonio is
a close associate of the mayor of Milot, Moise Jean-Charles (-- fortunately
he was only injured in the foot). UN forces took him to a hospital in Cap,
where he will need an operation. This incident is seen as both a warning
and yet another provocation. See details below.
This e-mail consists of the following:
1.Sample message
2.Contact info for the UN MINUSTAH offices in Port-au-Prince. They are the
ones mandated to protect Haiti's people, although all too often they end up
supporting the police and death squads.
3. Judy Dacruz's original 2/1 alert and 2/4 update
4. Report by Sasha Kramer on recent events in Cap Haitien
5. Additional contacts information
1. Sample message:
I am writing to denounce the recent wave of violence in the Koridor Bassia
and Fort National neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince and the shooting of
Antonio Renaud in Cap Haitien. The mission of the UN troops is to protect
the Haitian population, but police are killing supporters of Lavalas with
impunity and searching, occupying, and ransacking entire neighborhoods.
I ask that:
- MINUSTAH OFFER PROTECTION TO ALL TARGETED NEIGHBORHOODS, and in
particular that it station UN troops in Koridor Bassia and Fort National at
all times. UN troops should monitor ALL police operations in these and
other areas. PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR THE INJURED SO THAT THEY CAN SAFELY GET
TREATMENT. Gunshot victims from Koridor Bassia need assistance for
treatment, as do surviving relatives of those who died. A young man (18)
who was executed on January 30 is survived by a 14 day-old baby. Many other
victims, including a woman who has 8 children, no longer have a house to
live in (following the burning of their houses by police on January 18) and
are in dire need of basic necessities.
- POLICE STOP ACTS OF PERSECUTION (SPECIALLY SUMMARY EXECUTIONS) AGAINST
RESIDENTS FROM KORIDOR BASSIA AND MON ST MICHEL AS WELL AS OTHER POOR
NEIGHBORHOODS. Police officials deny that summary executions are taking
place, claiming that residents are lying.
- THAT A FULL AND INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION IS CARRIED OUT IN ORDER TO
IDENTIFY AND PROSECUTE THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE CRIMINAL ACTS.
Sincerely yours,
2. SEND TO:
UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)
PHONE: 011.509.244.9650 - 9660
FAX: 011.509.244.9366/67
And/Or: Office of General Secretary (New York) - 212.963.4879
** Kofi Annan's Special UN Envoy to Haiti: Mr. Juan Gabriel Valdes
** UN Military Commander in Haiti: Lt. General Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira
** UN Human Rights Office in Haiti: Mahamane Cisse-Guoro
If possible, when you FAX, preferably send three separate letters to the
above individuals.
Otherwise include all three names on the same FAX.
Personal FAX for Mr. Valdes: 011.509.244.3512
E-mail UNITED NATIONS Chief of Communications in Haiti: Touissant Kongo-Doudou
kongo-doudou at un.org
3. Original message and update from Judy Dacruz:
Update on human rights alert - re Korido Bassia
please continue sending messages to authorities and especially MINUSTAH. The
police (in black uniforms) have continued conducting operations (yesterday
it was all day and way into the night) in the neighborhood and residents are
still desperately calling for help. They are living under ongoing terror and
unlimited repression. I cannot even start to describe their pain and sense
of helplessness. They have been left to themselves.
One man was wounded by gunshots last night and could not get medical
assistance needed - the zone was circled and appeals transmitted to MINUSTAH
to send assistance were not successful. Fortunately he survived the night
and is today receiving treatment. Concerned observers need to ask MINUSTAH
to station UN troops in Koridor Bassia and Fort National all the time. UN
troops should monitor ALL police
operations in these and other areas. Police officials deny that summary
executions are taking place, claiming that residents are lying.
Gunshot victims from Koridor Bassia need assistance for treatment, as do
surviving relatives of those who died. A young man (18) who was executed on
January 30 is survived by a 14 day-old baby. Many other victims, including
a woman who has 8 children, no longer have a house to live in (following
the burning of their houses by police on January 18) and are in dire need of
basic necessities.
++++
ORIGINAL ALERT, SENT Tue, 01 Feb 2005:
Haiti - Urgent Action Requested
Residents from Korido Bassia and Mòn St Michel (Rue Tiremasse Prolongée)
denounce police persecution and ask for protection.
On January 30, 5 men were shot after police raided this poor neighborhood
stuck between Bel Air and Fort National, allegedly looking for "bandits".
Two of these men, one a student aged 17, were dragged from their homes and
executed outside in the street. The other three were left wounded, one of
whom is lying in critical condition at the hospital.
On January 18, at least 20 houses were burned in the same neighborhood by
police officers in black uniforms and hooded. They looted the houses or
shops before setting fire to them.
On December 28, more than 10 residents are reported as having been executed,
some in Corridor Bassia while others were taken in Delmas and killed there.
Many other residents, especially old women, were assaulted by those police
officers who asked them for information about the whereabouts of "bandits".
When they replied that they did not know of bandits living in the area, they
were hit.
As a result of these violent acts, many residents have been forced to leave
the targeted zone. Many no longer have a house to live in while others are
terrified as the police officers who have been persecuting the zone have
indicated that they will come back to "clean" the area.
Police officers were again operating in the neighborhood on Sunday night.
Heavy continuous shootings could be heard coming from the zone. Residents
called requesting to inform MINUSTAH troops to be sent there in order to
protect them from the police.
Terrified residents have been denouncing the arbitrary acts carried out by
police against them and keep asking that MINUSTAH forces offer them around
the clock protection. They believe it is because troops are not stationed in
their neighborhoods that they have been attacked.
4. Sasha Kramer's account of recent occurrences in Northern Haiti around Cap.
Members of the former military marched through Cap-Haitien on January 19
with their weapons. The Chilean UN stopped them and disarmed several of
them. Two days later the former soldiers took to the streets in greater
numbers again with heavy arms. On this occasion the UN did not stop them
and they entered the poor neighborhoods and arrested several people,
provoking angry responses from the residents. On January 26 Jean Charles
Moise spoke with the commanders of the Chilean MINUSTAH force and explained
to them that if they wanted to see an end to the recent wave of violence in
Cap Haitien they had to ensure that the former military was prevented from
marching with their weapons and that they should denounce the illegal
arrests. The following evening representatives of the UN got on the radio
and said that the former military cannot openly bare weapons, nor are they
authorized to make arrests.
On Tuesday February 1 two men wearing Aristide T-shirts were arrested in
Cap Haitien during the Carnival festivities. This again provoked an angry
response from the population and the men were released the next day. These
incidents have created an atmosphere of heightened tension in northern
Haiti. Lavalas leaders are concerned that these incidents were designed to
provoke the population to defend themselves thereby giving the former
military and national police a pretense for illegal arrests and killings,
much like what has been seen in Port au Prince.
On February 4, Antonio Renaud, a member of the peasant movement of Milot
and father of four children, was shot by two men who rode through Milot on
motorcycles. Friends immediately rushed Antonio to the hospital in
Milot. The UN was contacted and agreed to send a team to Milot to
investigate. The UN then contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who
came to Milot and took Antonio from the hospital in Milot to the hospital
in Cap Haitien where he will undergo surgery. Thankfully, Antonio's wounds
are not lethal and he will survive, though his medical bills will tax his
community. Antonio is a close friend of Jean Charles Moise and this
incident is seen as both a warning and yet another provocation.
5. Additional contact information:
US Ambassador in Haiti James Foley:
Direct line: 011-509-223-4711
Mr. Douglas Griffith, the Deputy Chief of Mission and the Embassy
Switchboard: 011-509-222-0200 or 0354
Fax: 011-509-223-9038 or 1641
Dana Banks, Human Rights liaison: 011-509-404-7705 (cell)
State Dept. Haiti Desk: Anthony Beaver/John Mariz: (202) 647-5088
Fax: (202) 647-2901
BUREAU OF WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS
Roger Noriega, Phone: (202) 647-5780; E-mail: noriegarf at state.gov
Prime Minister Monsieur Gérard Latortue
Premier Ministre
Ministre de l'Intérieure
Villa d'Accueil
Delmas 60
Musseau, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Fax: 011 509 249 5561
Salutation: Monsieur le Premier Ministre
Justice Minister
Monsieur Bernard Gousse
Ministre de la Justice et de la Sécurité Publique
Ministère de la Justice
19 Avenue Charles Summer
Port-au-Prince, Haïti
Fax: 011 509 245 0474
Salutation: Monsieur le Ministre
UN Special Representative
Mr Juan Gabriel Valdés
Special Representative of the Secretary-General
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
387, avenue John Brown
Port-au-Prince,Haiti
Fax: 011 509 244 3512
Salutation: Dear Mr Valdés
Mr David Beer
Police Commissioner
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
387, avenue John Brown
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Fax: 011 509 244 9366
Salutation: Dear Mr Beer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Haiti Action Committee
<http://www.haitiaction.net/>www.haitiaction.net
<mailto:haitiaction at yahoo.com>haitiaction at yahoo.com 510.483.7481
The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org
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