Father Jean Juste conditionally released!

From: freedomarchives.org
Subject: Haiti - Father Jean Juste conditionally released!
Date: July 15, 2005 4:47:00 PM PDT


Folks,

Just got the phone call to say that Father Jean-Juste has been released. I have not spoken yet with him directly as of yet. But we information that this is not an unconditional release and that Fr. Jean Juste had been taken to the Judicial Police headquarters, but they let him go home for the weekend, saying that he needed to come back on Monday.

Point is, we rush this info to the Network and to thank all who made calls to MINUSTHA asking for the father's release. Thank you so much. We must keep watch on Monday to be sure the father receives due process.

Obviously, there is credible evidence of systematic State repression and we know that the Noreiga/Foley death regime in Haiti have declared war on the people. Their singular objective seems to be to break the back of the majority in Haiti who are insisting on the return to Constitutional rule, release of the political prisoners and a stop to the U.N. sanctioned slaughter in the poor neighborhoods.

We note that the allege purpose of the UN military operations in Site Soleil and Bel Air are for "disarmament." Yet, civilians continue to be slaughtered, but the UN commanders have given NO REPORT of gun confiscations. They only kill, kill, kill - babies, grandparents, pregnant women, even people in wheelchairs and say they are bringing peace and security.

Yesterday, when I spoke to father Jean Juste while he was still in Miami, transcribing that crazy woman's radio accusations so he could let the international community know the various attacks against him, he said he was tired of little children dying, tired of the slaughtered, the inability to bury everyone, the maggots eating the unclaimed at the morgue, the young children being brought to him with exploding bullets in their stomachs instead of food.

In our opinion, the intent of this current aggressions in Haiti appears to be to put everyone in prison who have a rapport with the people of Haiti and let the assassins free, such as the ex-soldiers who were just recently acquitted in the Raboteau judgment. The Coup insiders appear to believe that Father Jean Juste represents another Aristide and they did not destabalize Haiti to this point so that another "Aristide" would come to power in Haiti. Thus, the word is that the Coup Regime and it's International backers are disposed to keep father Jean Juste in custody, like they have Prime Minister Neptune, until their "elections" are held and their hand-picked candidate (puppet) have been "elected."

But the people of Haiti vow to bring back Constitutional rule no matter how long it takes. It costs $25 million dollars per month for MINUSTHA soldiers to be in Haiti slaughtering the people as they did on July 6 and acting as the "satisfied" occupation force for the US they have come to be.

Yet despite the repression, the people continue to protest. Less than 3% have registered for these farce of elections. In fact, the people of Haiti have just renamed Route 9 in Haiti, a major thoroughfare: "Dread Wilme Boulevard".

Thousands have fallen because of this Bush regime change. Haiti has no security, less infrastructure than it had before the Coup D'etat and no authorized legal entity capable of stopping these arbitrary arrests, killings of journalists, babies, pregnant women, old man, young man and reversing this travesty.

As usual the promises are made to give "aid" to Haiti 1.4 billion promised since last July, 2004. But the people only see poor soldiers from poor Latin American countries in Haiti getting paid $25 million per month to repress, slaughter and back up the former Haitian military and guys like Guy Phillipe while they starve.


Yesterday, 5,000 Haitians reportedly marched to peacefully protest the UN slaughers, the arbitrary arrest and to demand return of President Aristide. But the UN continued the killing spree and pacification program: Six more Haitian civilians were reported killed by UN forces in the Boston neighborhood of Cite Soleil [including three children, aged 9, 5 and 4.

When will the world say no and stand on the right side of history? Against the humiliation, repression, arbitrary arrests, and UN occupation force covering up the fleecing of state industry assets and resources by foreign multinational corporations and the war profiteers masturbating of Haitian pain, death and humiliation? Stand for justice for the people slaughtered by the UN troops on July 6, 2005 at Cite Soleil? How long before these troops are brought before the International Criminal Court for these war crimes against Haitian civilians, along with US citizens formenting violence and slaughter in Haiti, such as, Roger Noreiga, James Foley and Andy Apaid, Jr.? How long before the inherent dignity of each Haitian, the equal and inalienable rights to Haitian life, freedom and justice be respected? In sum, how long before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights apply to us Haitians?.( http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html)



Marguerite Laurent, Esq.
Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network
July 15, 2005

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Report on the July 13 Meeting with the Brazilian Consolate in Miami

A delegation of 5 people met with the Brazilian Consul General Joad Almino, who spent the better part of 20 minutes in his private office on the phone with the Brazilian MINUSTAH folks clarifying the flyer we handed him regarding the July 6th massacre., which we took from the Haiti Action web site. He addressed us politely and patiently allowed us each to voice our concerns, Father Jean-Just opened the discussions with the facts regarding July 6th, and presented the Consul General with a Flyer as well as literature describing the agenda of the Fanmi Lavalas Party and other literature of the suffering and History of the Haitian people, Father Gerry then put forth the demands for (the return of the President and constitutional order, the freedom of Political Prisoners including Yvon Neptune and Annette Auguste, end to the Genocide of poor Haitians, and the human rights abuses, and a return to the programs started by the Fanmi Lavalas Party (education, health care, clean water, farming) etc. He again implored the Brazilian Consul to help in whatever way he could to get work to President Lula regarding the concentration camp situation which the citizens of Cite Soleil are forced to live, and the acts of genocide perpetrated against them, he spoke about eh political prisoners, the children and the structural violence against the poor. The consular General was clearly physically moved by the information and explained that we was not prepared for such a discussion but would do his best to help.

Jack spoke about the Irony of the leftist Workers Party playing a repressive role in Haiti after freeing its people from decades of repression under the previous military dictatorship, he implored the Consular General to appeal to Lulas leftist philosophy which liberated his country and made the connection with Aristide's work in Haiti, he made the connection of Brazil repressing the will and constitution of the majority of Haitian people, doing the same thing which had been done to them, he made a strong point regarding Brazils entry into imperialist politics by assuming the role the United States orchestrated for them as leaders of the Security Counsel. Jack also spoke about the elections and that as long as there was no peace there could be no elections.

Lavarice spoke about the University built under Aristide (I don't know the name of it) , which Brazil had closed down, the Consul general seemed to know nothing about it, but would get an explanation. Lavarice implored the consul General to work to seek a peaceful alternative to the present situation, and made the point that Brazil did not sit and speak with the elected officials of Haiti upon entry into the country, in fact they watched while Lavalas Government representatives, teachers, workers, children were detained, arrested and killed.

I spoke in some detail regarding the deteriorating social service infrastructure of the health care system. That these programs were already in place and have now fallen apart because there is no capacity to run them. He informed us that Brazil and France were engaged in creating a health care program through the World Bank to help Haiti and that Brazil would continue to Help Haiti rebuild and would lead this effort with the help of the world bank. We again informed him that the President of Haiti was elected by his people to do that. I also reminded the Consul that Brazil had the largest number of Africans living outside of Africa today and that in Haiti Africans elected their President and he was removed against the will of those who elected him, an unconstitutional act, that there was never any dialogue with Lavalas only a dialogue with Apaid who runs a factor of nearly 4,000 people who he pays $1.50 and Lula being a friend of the workers and leader of a union should be on the side of the workers who are continually detained, I named Lulu Cherry and Apolon.

And so the debate continued.

Father Jean-Juste ended the meeting by saying that what is immediately needed is an end to the war against the Haitian poor and specifically the citizens of Cite Soleil need to have the concentration camp barriers removed so they can go on with their lives and asked Mr. Almino to take this message to President Lula, he promised us he would, and also would accept a detailed letter to give to Lula. We decided to produce such a letter in the next week or so and to step up our demonstrations at the Brazilian Consulate.

Both the Consular General and his aid felt that they had learned something important not only about their own government but also about Haiti, but pointed out that their business it about trade and visas not international politics.

I would like to add that those organizations planning demonstrations at Brazilians consulates should be armed with facts, whenever we mention facts about abuse please make sure to have the organization presenting those facts e.g.. Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti etc.( The consul general consistently repeated the aim of the Brazilian UN force as only and totally a peace keeping force but that they would begin projects to help rebuild the country, but played no part the in eh violence so if we have facts about which forces are doing the killing this is extremely important, when we visit the consul general we must have a written list of demands, those demands should reflect the demands of Lavalas, with some specific suggestions that the Consulate can take (either by organizing a bilateral meeting with the representative of the Brazilian Government, or presenting our petitions and letters) We should also ask for a timetable on any initiative they agree to. Please record the outcomes of your meetings so that information can be shared.


Carolyn

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Movement Gathers Steam to Protest UN Massacres in Cite Soleil


Dear July 21st Organizers,


Four things to bear in mind, as we prepare for this new phase in the struggle.


1. We have an opening here. This is a rare moment. The next few weeks are critical to taking advantage of this opportunity to break open the information blockade...build new alliances...isolate the imperialists and pro-coup forces.


2. Note that this Update has been revised to include the last paragraph:
Let us not forget, as we focus on the UN this time, that these massacres of Haitian people are "made in the USA", and the UN forces are a proxy force doing the dirty work for the US government and their partners in crime. I propose that we include this idea in leaflets, press statements, etc. -- without diluting our focus on the big UN role in this phase of the continuing war against Haiti's poor majority.


3. Also, we're taking our cue from the defiant mass movement in Haiti -- they want the UN out, they want the US out, they want the coup regime out -- three different ways of saying the same thing.


4. One more thing, broader forces are getting involved - central American and Latin American solidarity groups, for example. We need to grab this opening and push hard to raise their level of awareness and activity around Haiti, and develop a real solidarity relationship.


People are working harder. The love and solidarity is getting stronger ... I can feel it.


Dave

UPDATE ON 7-21 CITE SOLEIL MASSACRE PROTESTS


Dear Friends,


Energetic organizing is taking place for the Thursday, July 21st protests against the massacre of civilians by UN troops in Cite Soleil on July 6th, and the continued atrocities being committed by UN troops and Haitian National Police. Trade Unionists in Brazil will join the July 21 coordinated protests. See below for details.


Today's big protest in Cite Soleil -- 5,000 defy UN troops despite continued UN killing spree

Today July 14th, shortly after midnight, six more Haitian civilians were reported killed by UN forces in the Boston neighborhood of Cite Soleil [including three children, aged 9, 5 and 4] -- in what activists believed was an attempt to intimidate people from participating in a big demonstration scheduled for later today in Cite Soleil. [Today's demonstration had been announced two days ago by the Lavalas movement in Cite Soleil, to protest the July 6th massacre there. ]


But the Cite Soleil residents were not to be intimidated. People threw rocks and bottles at the soldiers and armored vehicles of MINUSTAH, and blocked entrances so more armored vehicles could not enter the area.


At 10:30 a.m. today, more than 5,000 people turned out for the big demonstration that had been called by Lavalas. The demonstrators chanted for the return of President Aristide, and demanded prison for the leaders and backers of the coup regime. They also demanded that the illegal regime leave the country, so that President Aristide could return and finish his mandate, at which time free, fair and democratic elections could be organized.


Asked why the people of Cite Soleil continue to demonstrate, in defiance of the continued murderous assaults by UN and police forces, journalist Georges Honorat said, "People in Haiti see no choice but to fight." He described the wealthy Haitian elite, death squad elements and the CIA had intervened three times to torpedo the democratic choice of the Haitian people in an election -- with each intervention resulting in thousands of death squad killings. First, in the 1987 elections, sabotaged by armed gangs of Duvalierists. Second, the 1991 coup. Third, the 2004 coup.
"This is what motivates the Haitian people to continue to fight until victory." [Thanks to Flashpoints Radio, KPFA,
for a report by Kevin Pina and Georges Honorat of Haiti Progres newspaper, of which this is a summary.]


Update on Demonstrations to protest the July 6th UN massacre in Cite Soleil and continued UN killings -- Unionists will protest in Brazil on 7/21


*** On July 13th -- Demonstration at Brazil consulate in Miami-- got TV coverage. Led by Father Gerard Jean-Juste, a delegation met for almost three hours with Brazilian officials in the consulate.


*** This Saturday, July 16th -- Big demonstration at the UN in New York


*** Thursday, July 21st -- Coordinated, multi-city protests, mostly at Brazil consulates, since Brazil is commanding the UN military contingent in Haiti...


1. Strong preparations in Montreal, New York, Miami and San Francisco
2. Washington DC just announced a protest at the Brazil embassy
3. Word is spreading to other US and Canadian cities
4. Trade unionists in Brazil will protest the involvement of Brazil in the massacres, as commander of the UN forces in Haiti.


Let us not forget, as we focus on the UN this time, that these massacres of Haitian people are "made in the USA", and the UN forces are a proxy force doing the dirty work for the US government and their partners in crime.


Please keep us informed of your activities.


In solidarity,




Dave Welsh
Labor/Human Rights Delegation to Haiti
510-898-1544
510-847-8657 cell
sub at sonic.net



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