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<font size=3>Haiti Action Committee<br>
URGENT ACTION ALERT---- FATHER JEAN JUSTE IMPRISONED TODAY<br>
7/21/05<br>
<br>
This morning, Father Gerard Jean Juste went to St. Pierre Church in
Petionville. He was part of a group of priests who were participating in
the funeral service of well-known journalist and kidnap victim Jacques
Roches.<br>
<br>
While attending the service he was verbally and physically assaulted by
members of the pro-coup Group 184. His attorney, Bill Quigly, who
was with him at the time, said "they shoved him, spit on him, and
cursed him. He was assaulted in the church while in full priest
clothing."<br>
<br>
Police then removed him from the service, ostensibly for his own
protection. He was held and intermittantly interrogated in the police
station in Petionville for twelve hours. He was then placed in prison for
alleged involvement in the murder of Jacques Roche. <br>
<br>
We have very little information at this point regarding his well being
and legal status. It is clear, though, that this latest attack on
Father Jean Juste is an attempt by the coup regime and their patrons to
accomplish the following objectives:<br>
<ol>
<li>To silence one of Haiti‚s most outspoken, influential and popular
progressive leaders prior to the sham elections.
</ol> <br>
2. To further justify the massive systematic repression of
Haiti’s poor by<br>
scapegoating Lavalas for the kidnapping and murder of Jacques Roche.<br>
<br>
3. To divert national and
international attention away from the July 6 massacre by<br>
UN troops in Cite Soleil, as well as the ongoing human rights abuses
perpetrated by the Haitian police and UN forces. <br>
<br>
<b>Now more than ever, Father Jean Juste and the Haitian people need<br>
international support.<br>
</b> <br>
<b>PLEASE FAX, CALL E-MAIL the following authorities and demand that
they<br>
</b>respect the life and liberty of Father Gerard Jean Juste.
Demand his immediate release from prison.<br>
<br><br>
</font><h1><b>Condoleeza Rice</b></h1><font size=3>State Department Main
Switchboard : 202-647-4000<br>
To send an email message to the Secretary of State go to: <br>
<a href="http://contact-us.state.gov/ask_form_cat/ask_form_secretary.html" eudora="autourl">
http://contact-us.state.gov/ask_form_cat/ask_form_secretary.html<br>
</a> <br><br>
</font><h1><b>James B. Foley</b></h1><font size=3>Ambassador to
Haiti<br>
phone: 011-509-222-0200, 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0327<br>
fax: 011-509-223-9038<br>
<br><br>
</font><h1><b>Juan Gabriel Valdes</b></h1><font size=3>Special
Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Haiti<br>
phone: 011-509-244-9650 or 9660<br>
fax 011-509 244 3512.<br>
<br><br>
</font><h1><b>David Beer</b></h1><font size=3>Commissioner of CIVPOL the
UN Civilian Police in Haiti<br>
phone: 011-509-525-5279<br>
email: beer@un.org<br>
fax: 011-509-244-9366.<br>
<br>
UN Human rights officers: <br>
Mahamane Cissé-Gouro - cisse-gouro@un.org 011-509-403-4012<br>
Thierry Fagart - <a href="mailto:fagart@un.org">fagart@un.org</a><br>
<br>
For more information, contact: <br>
Haiti Action Committee (510)483-7481 or haitiaction@yahoo.com<br><br>
Father Jean Juste has been arrested, charged with the murder of Jacques
Roche*.<br><br>
A close mutual friend, who spoke to Father Jean Juste after he had been
accused and put under arrest and before his transport to prison just told
me:<br><br>
"I think this time they are about to kill him. Today I talked to him
20 to 30 times, ever since he was taken out of the Church by the police.
I called him from 10:00 am until I think probably like 10:00 or so
tonight. The last time I talked to him, he had just come out of the
interrogation. He said he couldn't believe it. They were charging him
with the killing Jacques Roche. Roche was killed by his kidnappers on
July 14, 2005. When he was killed, father Jean Juste was in Miami to lead
a demonstration against the Coup D'etat at the Brazilian Embassy in
Miami. And you know the history of how Jacques Roche got killed. Jack
Roche was killed by his kidnappers. His own negotiator, the one who was
trying to get Roche released said that group 184 was complicit in the
death because Roche worked for them and they wouldn't help with the
ransom. According to news reports, Roche's family and work colleagues
tried but couldn't raise the $250,000, just $10,000, and he was murdered.
How can they blame that on father Jean Juste? This is such a big lie.
It's incredible. This time they will kill him while he is in jail. We
need to mobilize more now, seriously. Father Jean Juste was also saddled
with a second charge, he was accused of "not returning State
property." <br><br>
As I was about to write this horrible news to the network list, I found
two new e-mails in my box on the matter.<br><br>
One from an anonymous writer. I truly think, the man is either CIA or
some sort of intelligence agent, or, a group 184 Coup D'etat person.
That's not based on any real fact. Just the nature of our correspondences
to date. Either way, my guess is, this guy may be very close to what's
going on with MINUSTHA, the U.S. Embassy, upper echelon of the morally
repugnant elites and the Haiti's Coup D'etat regime. You judge. Here is
what he wrote to me (Thu, 21 Jul 2005 18:18:01 -0700 (PDT)) This will be
the Coup D’etat spin about why Pere Jean Juste was arrested. Below I
forward the full text that this anonymous writer wrote me this evening in
glee:<br><br>
"This afternoon Jean-Juste was formally arrested in
Petion-Ville.<br>
<br>
He attempted to disrupt the funeral services of Jacques Roche who was
kidnapped, tortured and murdered by the Lavalasse gangs.<br>
<br>
Contrary to church rules, Jean-Juste presented himself at he church and
decided he would officiate the ceremony. The thousands of people who were
attending the ceremony were revolted and the police had to take
Jean-Juste away to a nearby station for his protection.<br>
<br>
Late this afternoon he as placed under arrest.<br>
<br>
What is Bill Quigley's version of the story?"<br><br>
<br>
So that the deal folks. <br><br>
We've got work to do!!!!! Here is the second e-mail. It is from a
great friend of Haiti. Jack Leiberman wrote: <br><br>
"I have just gotten off the phone with Bill Quigley. Father
Jean-Juste is under arrest and is charged with "participation in the
murder of Jacques Roche." A second charge will probably be
"failure to return state property". According to the Haitian
police, Father Jean-Juste was given guns for security by the Aristide
government that have never been returned to the government. This second
charge might be the one that they hope will stick since the first charge
is totally absurd. If you wish to call me I can be reached
at.....<br>
The Internet is down at St. Claire Church so Bill will probably not be
able to send an email on this until tomorrow.<br>
<br>
Best Regards,<br>
Jack Lieberman"<br><br>
<br>
Action Requested. Demand the immediate release of father Gerald Jean
Juste.Ask UN to stop the continuous police harassment of father Jean
Juste, to safeguard his life and release him from prison immediately.
<br><br>
<br>
Write, fax, call UN authorities, who just recently expanded (UN
Security<br>
Council Res. 1698) their authority in Haiti and now supervise and control
the<br>
Haitian police, ask the UN to stop the officially sanctioned harassement
of<br>
father Jean Juste and that he be released from the police custody<br>
immediately. (MINUSTHA and other contact info is on our website:<br>
<a href="http://www.margueritelaurent.com/contactinformation/un-intl-contacts.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.margueritelaurent.com/contactinformation/un-intl-contacts.html<br>
<br>
</a>Thank you.<br><br>
Marguerite Laurent, Esq.<br>
Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network<br>
July 21, 2005 <br>
</font><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
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