12640: NCHR Press Release: Haitian Coalition Expresses Grave Concern Ov er Growing Violence in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Dina Paul Parks <DPParks@nchr.org>

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

				Contact:  Merrie Archer
marcher@nchr.org

954-462-8231


Haitian Coalition Expresses Grave Concern Over growing Violence in Haiti

New York, August 7, 2002 - The National Coalition for Haitian Rights (NCHR)
is deeply troubled by the recent jailbreak in Gonaïves, Haiti and the
ensuing violence and chaos that have consumed that city and threaten to
spread to other provinces.  Particularly disturbing has been the Haitian
government's apparent inability or unwillingness to take the necessary steps
to restore public order.

On the afternoon of Friday, August 2, an armed mob used a bulldozer to break
into the Gonaives prison to free Amiot "Cubain" Metayer, a former ally of
President Aristide arrested for burning down the home of a member of the
Opposition during the December 17, 2001 violence.  Also freed were Jean
Tatoune, convicted in 2000 for his part in the 1994 massacre at Raboteau,
and more than 150 other prisoners.  Since then, the escaped prisoners have
taken control of the city, the small police presence has fled, city hall and
the courthouse have been burned to the ground, and townspeople have gone
underground.

"This violence is a tragic but predictable outgrowth of the 'zero tolerance'
policy proclaimed by President Aristide last year," said Dina Paul Parks,
NCHR's Executive Director.  "This type of policy is not the kind of thing
that you can control.  It has steadily taken the country down a path away
from the rule of law and toward anarchy, essentially giving Haitian citizens
the right to take their version of justice into their own hands.  Let us be
clear, however.  Giving convicted criminals free reign in a society cannot
be called justice or any type of legitimate political activism or dissent."


The events of the last few days in Gonaïves constitute an unmistakable sign
of the extent to which basic Haitian institutions have weakened.  Despite
repeated warnings over the past month, the Haitian government did nothing to
prevent last week's attack on the Gonaïves prison.  Metayer's so-called
popular organization, the "Cannibal Army", stated in early July that it
would not allow its leader to remain incarcerated for more than one month,
and the attack came precisely one month after his arrest.  In the days
before the prison break-in, Cannibal Army members staged an attack on the
telephone company, the Port Authority, a private bank, the Gonaïves justice
building and two government vehicles, including one belonging to the police.
Yet none of these incidents brought reinforcements to assist the local
police, nor did they result in the arrest of any of the perpetrators, many
of whom are well known in Gonaïves.

"This political violence has further exposed fault lines within the Haitian
government that, although kept to a minimum since the December 17, 2001
attack on the National Palace, are a danger to President Aristide's weakened
government and threaten the already-fragile balance of power it maintains,"
added Merrie Archer, NCHR's Senior Policy Associate.  "As more long time
supporters become disillusioned and break away or publicly withdraw their
support, Haiti becomes at greater risk for more violence from armed and
discontented groups who may be able to take advantage of the growing power
vacuum."

This issue of security has also become a third, dark force affecting the
OAS-guided negotiations between the government and the Convergence
Démocratique, threatening to derail the entire process as the international
community attempts to determine its next course of action.  NCHR strongly
condemns the use of violence and chaos as a means to an end, and encourages
the Haitian people to renounce this tradition in favor of one in which
principled political negotiation and dialogue replace acts of terror.

We call on the government of Haiti to take every appropriate measure to
restore order in the city.  At a minimum, this includes dispatching
well-prepared, professional and sufficient police reinforcements to
recapture the escaped prisoners and ensure the safety of the residents of
Gonaïves and arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators of the jailbreak.
This is essential to ensuring that the judicial process, so vital to the
proper functioning of the Haitian state, is respected and made a priority of
the government to benefit all Haitians.

We also call on the international community, in light of the deteriorating
situation, to recommit its resources to assisting Haiti at this critical
juncture, including having the OAS renew and indeed broaden its mandate and
Special Missions.


_______________________________

Dina Paul Parks
Executive Director
National Coalition for Haitian Rights
275 Seventh Avenue, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10001
ph:  212-337-0005
fx:  212-741-8749
email:  dpparks@nchr.org
www.nchr.org