12195: Update on "This Week in Haiti" report (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: K. M. Ives <kives@toast.net>

The following events happened today (5/29) in the St. Rafael crackdown

1) It was confirmed that two elderly people from Batay Ouvriye's St.
Michel delegation were killed with machetes by the landowners' gangs in
St. Raphael on May 27.

2) A helicopter was dispatched from Port-au-Prince to pick up those
arrested. At first, the local authorities would not hand over the
prisoners, saying that it was their jurisdiction and that the
journalists needed medical attention. But the helicopter flew back to
Cap Haitien, got an authorization letter from the Northern Departmental
Police Chief, then flew back to St. Raphael to take the prisoners at
around noon. Seven prisoners were picked up, including the two
journalists. The helicopter was manned by 7 heavily-armed black-clad
CIMO-type policemen in a high state of agitation.

3) Guy Delva of the Association of Haitian Journalists (AJH) travelled
to the area and vigorously denounced the arrests, particularly of the
journalists.

4) Until now, the arrested have not been charged, in violation of
Haiti's 48-hour law.