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<font size=3><i>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.<br><br>
</i> <br><br>
This e-mail consists of the following:<br><br>
<br><br>
1.Sample message<br><br>
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.<br><br>
3. Judy Dacruz's original 2/1 alert and 2/4 update<br><br>
4. Report by Sasha Kramer on recent events in Cap Haitien<br><br>
5. Additional contacts information<br><br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<b><u>1. Sample message:<br><br>
</u></b> <br><br>
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.<br><br>
<br><br>
I ask that:<br><br>
<br><br>
- 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.<br><br>
<br><br>
- 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.<br><br>
<br>
- THAT A FULL AND INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION IS CARRIED OUT IN
ORDER TO<br>
IDENTIFY AND PROSECUTE THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE CRIMINAL
ACTS.<br><br>
Sincerely yours,<br><br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
<b><u>2. SEND TO:<br><br>
</u></b>UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)<br><br>
PHONE: 011.509.244.9650 - 9660<br><br>
FAX: 011.509.244.9366/67<br>
And/Or: Office of General Secretary (New York) - 212.963.4879<br><br>
** Kofi Annan's Special UN Envoy to Haiti: Mr. Juan Gabriel Valdes<br>
** UN Military Commander in Haiti: Lt. General Augusto Heleno Ribeiro
Pereira<br><br>
** UN Human Rights Office in Haiti: Mahamane Cisse-Guoro<br><br>
<br><br>
If possible, when you FAX, preferably send three separate letters to the
above individuals. <br><br>
Otherwise include all three names on the same FAX.<br><br>
<br><br>
Personal FAX for Mr. Valdes: 011.509.244.3512<br><br>
<br><br>
E-mail UNITED NATIONS Chief of Communications in Haiti: Touissant
Kongo-Doudou<br><br>
kongo-doudou@un.org<br><br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<b><u>3. Original message and update from Judy Dacruz:<br><br>
</u></b> <br><br>
Update on human rights alert - re Korido Bassia<br><br>
please continue sending messages to authorities and especially MINUSTAH.
The<br>
police (in black uniforms) have continued conducting operations
(yesterday<br>
it was all day and way into the night) in the neighborhood and residents
are<br>
still desperately calling for help. They are living under ongoing terror
and<br>
unlimited repression. I cannot even start to describe their pain and
sense<br>
of helplessness. They have been left to themselves.<br><br>
One man was wounded by gunshots last night and could not get
medical<br>
assistance needed - the zone was circled and appeals transmitted to
MINUSTAH<br>
to send assistance were not successful. Fortunately he survived the
night<br>
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<br><br>
operations in these and other areas. Police officials deny that summary
executions are taking place, claiming that residents are lying.<br><br>
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<br><br>
basic necessities.<br><br>
<br><br>
++++<br><br>
ORIGINAL ALERT, SENT Tue, 01 Feb 2005:<br><br>
Haiti - Urgent Action Requested<br><br>
<br><br>
Residents from Korido Bassia and Mòn St Michel (Rue Tiremasse
Prolongée)<br><br>
denounce police persecution and ask for protection.<br><br>
On January 30, 5 men were shot after police raided this poor
neighborhood<br>
stuck between Bel Air and Fort National, allegedly looking for
"bandits".<br>
Two of these men, one a student aged 17, were dragged from their homes
and<br>
executed outside in the street. The other three were left wounded, one
of<br>
whom is lying in critical condition at the hospital.<br><br>
On January 18, at least 20 houses were burned in the same neighborhood
by<br>
police officers in black uniforms and hooded. They looted the houses
or<br>
shops before setting fire to them.<br><br>
On December 28, more than 10 residents are reported as having been
executed,<br>
some in Corridor Bassia while others were taken in Delmas and killed
there.<br><br>
Many other residents, especially old women, were assaulted by those
police<br>
officers who asked them for information about the whereabouts of
"bandits".<br>
When they replied that they did not know of bandits living in the area,
they<br>
were hit.<br><br>
As a result of these violent acts, many residents have been forced to
leave<br>
the targeted zone. Many no longer have a house to live in while others
are<br>
terrified as the police officers who have been persecuting the zone
have<br>
indicated that they will come back to "clean" the
area.<br><br>
Police officers were again operating in the neighborhood on Sunday
night.<br><br>
Heavy continuous shootings could be heard coming from the zone.
Residents<br>
called requesting to inform MINUSTAH troops to be sent there in order
to<br><br>
protect them from the police.<br><br>
Terrified residents have been denouncing the arbitrary acts carried out
by<br>
police against them and keep asking that MINUSTAH forces offer them
around<br>
the clock protection. They believe it is because troops are not stationed
in<br>
their neighborhoods that they have been attacked.<br><br>
<br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<b><u>4. Sasha Kramer's account of recent occurrences in Northern Haiti
around Cap.<br><br>
</u></b> <br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
</font> <br><br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>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.<br><br>
</font><b> <br><br>
<u>5. Additional contact information:<br><br>
</u></b> <br><br>
US Ambassador in Haiti James Foley:<br><br>
Direct line: 011-509-223-4711<br><br>
<br><br>
Mr. Douglas Griffith, the Deputy Chief of Mission and the Embassy
<br><br>
Switchboard: 011-509-222-0200 or 0354<br><br>
Fax: 011-509-223-9038 or 1641<br><br>
Dana Banks, Human Rights liaison: 011-509-404-7705 (cell)<br><br>
<br>
State Dept. Haiti Desk: Anthony Beaver/John Mariz: (202)
647-5088<br><br>
Fax: (202) 647-2901<br><br>
BUREAU OF WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS<br><br>
Roger Noriega, Phone: (202) 647-5780; E-mail:
noriegarf@state.gov<br><br>
<br><br>
Prime Minister Monsieur Gérard Latortue<br>
Premier Ministre <br><br>
Ministre de l'Intérieure<br>
Villa d'Accueil<br>
Delmas 60<br>
Musseau, Port-au-Prince, Haiti<br><br>
Fax: 011 509 249 5561<br><br>
Salutation: Monsieur le
Premier Ministre<br><br>
Justice Minister<br>
Monsieur Bernard Gousse<br>
Ministre de la Justice et de la Sécurité Publique<br>
Ministère de la Justice<br>
19 Avenue Charles Summer<br>
Port-au-Prince, Haïti<br><br>
Fax: 011 509 245 0474<br><br>
Salutation: Monsieur le
Ministre<br><br>
UN Special Representative<br>
Mr Juan Gabriel Valdés<br>
Special Representative of the Secretary-General<br>
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti<br>
387, avenue John Brown<br><br>
Port-au-Prince,Haiti<br><br>
Fax: 011 509 244 3512<br><br>
Salutation: Dear Mr
Valdés<br><br>
Mr David Beer<br>
Police Commissioner<br>
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti<br>
387, avenue John Brown<br>
Port-au-Prince, Haiti<br><br>
Fax: 011 509 244 9366<br><br>
Salutation: Dear Mr
Beer<br><br>
<br><br>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>
Haiti Action Committee<br><br>
<a href="http://www.haitiaction.net/">www.haitiaction.net</a>
<a href="mailto:haitiaction@yahoo.com">haitiaction@yahoo.com</a>
510.483.7481<br>
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