14003: Blanchet: Fw: [Warning to the Haitian Authorities ] (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Max Blanchet <MaxBlanchet@worldnet.att.net>

>From a well-placed source:



Dear Max

The United Nations in Geneva denies that such statements were made and that
an
interview was given to the journalist. The UN High Commissioner was speaking
in a public press briefing mostly about the situation in East Timor (this
includes the remarks about the press and about the International Court). He
had only one short and very general answer to a question about Haiti. I
expect
that Radio Metropole will rectify. This is for your info.Thanks so very
much,
Max,for the very useful information you have been sending. Amities.

"Max Blanchet" <MaxBlanchet@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
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Warning to the Haitian Authorities
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2002-12-08





      December 4, 2002  -The United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights
in Geneva, the Brazilian Sergio Viera De Melo, strongly condemned the
violent
dispersion of an opposition rally by regime supporters in Port-au-Prince, on
Tuesday, December 3, 2002.



      In an interview last Wednesday, December 4, with Jean Edouard Rigaud,
Radio Metropole correspondent in Geneva, Mr. De Melo said that this
situation
is unacceptable. "This an absolute condemnation of violence of any kind, and
particularly violence against civilians,” declared the UN official, who also
spoke against the attacks on the freedom of the press. "I condemn without
reservation any attack against journalists, and will continue to work with
journalist groups so that this matter can be taken as seriously as necessary
by all international entities, particularly the Security Council."



      The High Commissioner for Human Rights threatened to take the matter
to
the International Criminal Court, whose session will begin next March.
Sergio
De Melo added that the Court will "have jurisdiction over what happens
everywhere," and he reminded the Haitian authorities about the work of ad
hoc
criminal courts in the cases of Yugoslavia and Rwanda, stressing that
"violations of the rights of journalists also fall under the jurisdiction of
the International Criminal Court."

      While recognizing that the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner cannot deploy a force to keep the "government gendarmerie" from
committing more abuses, Mr. De Melo stated that his duty was to help the
authorities "exercise restraint in light of the present circumstances," and
contribute to the reconciliation process "whenever our services are needed."
The UN official ended his remarks by reminding the Lavalas leaders that
"everything they do is being recorded and that, sooner or later, those
responsible will end up before the International Criminal Court, unless they
are prosecuted in their own country."