23732: (net) Esser: Report on Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

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

Report on Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste

November 7, 2004

Report on Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste
by Bill Quigley ( duprestars@msn.com )

(Bill Quigley) Visited Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste this afternoon in his
new prison. He was abruptly taken from the penitentiary to Prison de
Carrefour, on the outskirts of Port au Prince.

Took about an hour and a half to get there from the airport.

Fr. Jean-Juste is in good spirits and is sharing a cell with Harold
Severe, former Mayor of Port au Prince.

Fr. Jean-Juste (JJ) says jailers are more human -- though he is much
more isolated from the people of his parish of St. Claire. It would
take all day for people from his parish to get there in a tap tap. He
is very thankful that the feeding of the children has resumed and
wants everyone involved to keep doing exactly the same as they are
doing with the contacts in the parish -- that covers all the needs of
the people he cares for.

He thanks especially Margaret Trost and advises her to keep doing
what she is doing and for others to support the parish through her.

The prison is a concrete block structure, painted bright blue on the
lower half and white on the upper -- with a tin roof. Though there
are many mosquitos and rats -- toilets are also a challenge, but he
likes the jailers much better.

When I was there several sisters from St. Charles Parish had just
come to bring him some food and toilet paper. He still has back pain
and would like someone to see if they can get him another set of
prescription reading glasses -- as his were lost in the abrupt
transfer.

He has no idea why he was transferred. Nor if he will be transferred
again soon.
He advises people to continue to put pressure on the Haitian
authorities and the right-wing elements in the US government
including the ambassador, James Foley, who Fr. Fr. Jean-Juste
describes as "the proconsul of Haiti and the real force behind the
puppet government installed by the US, France and Canada."

To his friends and supporters he says "Freedom is coming - one way or
another. I, as a Christian and a priest, know victory is coming for
me through Jesus. Suffering is here, but freedom is coming. Though
physical freedom is limited, the support and prayers of so many
people are lifting me up. On the spiritual level, I am experiencing
the fullness of freedom. Regardless of who tries to enslave my body,
my soul will taste freedom forever - and not just for me but for all
who work for justice and peace in Jesus.

"I am an experienced activist - I am a follower of Martin Luther King
and Gandhi. I am against all kinds of violence - violence from the
oppressors and violence from the oppressed.

"The oppressors are the group of 184 who are trying, by any means, to
grab all the powers and are behind the killing and arbitrary arrests
of Lavalas people. They paid the gang people in Cite Soleil and weeks
before gave them guns to shoot and kill the Lavalas people on
September 30.

"We must stop the arbitrary arrests and killings. It is becoming so
abusive. The hooded men in black uniforms seem to be behind
everything from my arrest, to other arbitrary arrests of many others,
to the massacres.

"I hesitate to ask people to do more because everyone is working so
hard to survive now. You know what to do peaceful demonstrations,
advocacy, keep the pressure on - I trust your judgment on how best to
do this. God will listen to our prayers, but remember, "Freedom is
coming!"
.