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</font><h5><b>AHP News - February 2, 2005 - English translation
(Unofficial)<br><br>
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The Lavalas activist Annette Auguste wants to hear an explanation for her
"incarceration without justification for the past nine months"
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Port-au-Prince, February 2, 2005 (AHP)- Lavalas activist
Annette Auguste, (Sò Ann) called on the authorities Wednesday to
explain why she has been imprisoned at the Pétion-Ville police station
for close to nine months. <br><br>
Annette Auguste was arrested on May 10, 2004 in the middle of the night
and without a warrant by foreign troops. <br><br>
In an open letter to the authorities concerned, Sò Ann stated that she
has no intention of seeking any form of clemency and that her
self-respect also prevents her from accepting any form of pity or
commiseration. <br><br>
Annette Auguste recalled that on May 12, 2004, Judge Brédi Fabien
recognized her innocence and decided that she was to be released
immediately. But this measure was not respected by those whose powers go
beyond those of the judiciary, she deplored. <br><br>
"I have learned through the media that contrary to my own case, some
citizens arrested as I was have been purely and simply released once
their innocence was established, through the normal procedures common to
any healthy judicial system, thus allowing them to return home
peacefully", she observed. <br><br>
"Am I thus to understand that my status as a woman is behind this
arbitrary, unique, absurd and abusive treatment that I am
experiencing", asked Annette Auguste. <br><br>
She concluded, in the absence of any clear and sufficient explanation,
that the conduct of the authorities toward her is in direct proportion to
her social and political world view that makes it impossible for her to
give a stamp of approval to any forms of occupation, exploitation,
injustice or neo-colonialism. <br><br>
At my age, I can neither become an opportunist, nor can I change, falsify
or reject the basic principles for which I have always campaigned, that
is: social justice for those who once were slaves to the whites,
effective participation by all Haitians regardless of their background
and origin in the affairs of their country, a progressive and profound
improvement in the condition of the working masses, a single standard of
respect and justice for all, effective protection and sufficient
assistance for all who are in need. <br><br>
Sò Ann said she is now waiting to see professional conduct by the
provisional authorities that shows responsibility for the laws governing
the behavior of the justice system before their easily correctable error
is transformed into a disastrous horror. <br><br>
AHP February 2, 2005 3:30 PM<br>
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