22538: White: Congresswoman Waters Condemns Arrest of Haitian Prime Minister Yvon Neptune (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Randall White <raw@haitiaction.org>

PRESS RELEASE


For Immediate Release
Contact: Keith Davis
June 28, 2004
(323) 757-8900


CONGRESSWOMAN WATERS CONDEMNS ARREST

OF HAITIAN PRIME MINISTER YVON NEPTUNE;

DEMANDS ARREST OF THUGS AND KILLERS


         Washington, D.C. -- On Capitol Hill today, Rep. Maxine Waters
(D-CA) denounced the arrest of Yvon Neptune, the wrongfully-replaced
Prime Minister of Haiti, and demanded the arrest and prosecution of
the thugs and killers who have taken over Haitian cities.  Yvon
Neptune was detained yesterday by Haitian police in Port-au-Prince,
the Haitian capital.

         "Yvon Neptune is still the legitimate Prime Minister of
Haiti, and his arrest is part of a politically-motivated campaign to
arrest and intimidate members of Lavalas, President Aristide's
political party," said Congresswoman Waters.  "The people who were
responsible for President Aristide's ouster are now determined to
destroy the political movement he led."

         Yvon Neptune was the prime minister of Haiti under President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the democratically-elected president of
Haiti, who was ousted in a coup d'etat and forced into exile on
February 29, 2004.  The following month, Prime Minister Neptune
learned that his name was on a list of Lavalas party officials whom
thugs are targeting for murder.  He went into hiding on March 10,
2004, after his illegitimate successor, Gerard Latortue, took office.
Prime Minister Neptune is now the highest-ranking member of the
Lavalas party to be detained since President Aristide's removal.

         "The arrest of Anne Auguste is another example of the efforts
of the illegitimate interim government of Haiti to persecute Lavalas
supporters," said Congresswoman Waters.  "Anne Auguste is a
well-known community activist who is responsible for feeding many
impoverished people and who possesses a long history of working to
improve the lives of ordinary Haitians.  She should never have been
arrested."  Anne Auguste (So Anne) was arrested on May 10, 2004, by
U.S. soldiers, acting as part of the Multinational Interim Force
(MIF), when a warrant for her arrest was reportedly issued by Haitian
police.

         "While Gerard Latortue's government continues to arrest and
intimidate Lavalas party members, it refuses to arrest Guy Philippe,
Jean Tatoune and other thugs and killers who took over Haitian
cities, freed criminals from jails and terrorized local residents
throughout the month of February," said the Congresswoman.  "Gerard
Latortue's government has also made a mockery of justice by
pretending to arrest former death squad leader Louis-Jodel Chamblain.
Worst of all, Gerard Latortue's government is turning a blind eye
while these thugs and killers continue to commit gross violations of
human rights against the people of Haiti."

         Guy Philippe is a known drug dealer who returned from exile
in order to overthrow President Aristide's government.  Since his
return, Philippe occupied Gonaives, spearheaded burnings and killings
and threatened to kill President Aristide.  Louis-Jodel Chamblain and
Jean Tatoune are both former death squad leaders who were convicted
in abstentia for the killing of thousands of Haitians in the 1994
Raboteau massacre.

         "There have been hundreds of killings in Haiti of Lavalas
supporters since the coup d'etat," said Congresswoman Waters.
"Members of Lavalas have been found shot in the head with their hands
tied behind their backs.  There are reports of Lavalas members being
placed in a container and drowned at sea.  Delegations from Amnesty
International, the National Lawyers Guild and Let Haiti Live have
documented the repression and killing of Lavalas party members.  Many
of President Aristide's supporters are now in hiding in Haiti.
Others have tried to flee Haiti as refugees and have been forcibly
repatriated to the island, where they continue to fear for their
lives."

         Last week, Amnesty International reported that a number of
journalists in areas of Haiti held by the thugs have been arrested
and beaten after reporting human rights abuses by the thugs, while
pro-Aristide media such as Radio and Tele Timoun have been closed.

         "I demand that the interim government immediately release
Yvon Neptune and Anne Auguste and end the persecution of the Lavalas
party and its supporters," concluded Congresswoman Waters.  "The
interim government must turn its attention to the arrest and
prosecution of the real criminals, thugs and killers who are
responsible for so much destruction and devastation in Haiti."

###