23418: Esser: Rep. Waters' letter on Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser <torx@joimail.com>

Rep. Waters' letter on Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste in Haiti

October 13, 2004


The Honorable Colin Powell
Secretary of State
Department of State

2201 C Street, NW, Room 7261

Washington, DC 20520


Dear Secretary Powell:

I write to urge you to take immediate action to protect the life of
Father Gerard Jean-Juste, the pastor of Saint Claire Church in the
Delmas
area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as well as the lives of several other
Haitian
priests and parishioners, who are reportedly in imminent danger.

Earlier this afternoon, I received reports that Saint Claire Church
was surrounded by heavily-armed, hooded men, while Father Jean-Juste was
inside. My Legislative Assistant, Ms. Kathleen Sengstock, contacted the
U.S. Embassy in Haiti and spoke with Mr. Doug Griffith, the Deputy
Chief of
Mission, to express my grave concerns for Father Jean-Juste's safety.

During a follow-up phone call, Mr. Griffith told Ms. Sengstock that he
had
informed both the Haitian National Police and the United Nations
Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) of the reports and that the
Haitian
National Police were sending a patrol to look into the situation.

Subsequent to the conversations with Mr. Griffith, I have been told
that Father Jean-Juste was taken away by the hooded men, and I fear for
his
life. Moreover, I have been told that at least one other church in the
Delmas area of Port-au-Prince, Saint Yves Church, was surrounded by
heavily-armed, hooded men in a similar manner. Two priests, Father
Francois
and Father Sauvageur, as well as several children, were inside this
church,
and I fear for their lives as well.

I implore you to urge MINUSTAH and the Interim Haitian Government to
intervene immediately to save the lives of Father Gerard Jean-Juste and
the
priests and parishioners of Saint Claire and Saint Yves Churches. I
would
appreciate it if you would contact me as soon as possible to discuss
these
ominous developments, and I look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Maxine Waters
Member of Congress
.