12650: Revised NCHR Press Release: Haitian Coalition Expresses Grave C o ncern Over growing Violence in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Merrie Archer <MArcher@nchr.org>

Bob,
Would appreciate it if you would list this version at some point because the
one that was first sent out contained some factual errors.

Thanks,
Merrie

> Please see below a slight revision of today's earlier statement.
> _________________________________________________
>
>
> 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 respond to the warning signs leading up to this attack
> or to restore public order.
>
> On Friday, August 2, an armed mob used a bulldozer to break into the
> Gonaïves prison to free Amiot "Cubain" Metayer, a former ally of President
> Aristide arrested for his roles in 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 Raboteau section of the city, which
> the small police presence has been unable to penetrate, and many residents
> of the neighborhood have gone underground.
>
> "This violence is a natural 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 taken the country down a steady path of disorder and
> away from the rule of law, essentially giving Haitian citizens the right
> to take their version of justice into their own hands. Let us be clear,
> however. Giving anyone, especially known or suspected criminals, free
> reign in a society cannot be called justice or any other 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 signs 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 attacks
> on the telephone company, the Port Authority, a private bank, the Gonaïves
> City Hall, the 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 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 is put 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 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 sending police
> reinforcements in sufficient quantity and properly equipped 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.
>
> * * * * * * * * * *
>
> The National Coalition for Haitian Rights is a nonprofit non-governmental
> organization that
> seeks to promote and protect the rights of Haitian refugees and
> Haitian-Americans under U.S. and international law, and to advance respect
> for human rights, the rule of law and support for civil and democratic
> society in Haiti.
>
>
>
> _______________________________
>
> 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
>