26057: Blanchet: Fwd: Gumbleton Visits Jean Juste (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

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




Update on Fr. Jean-Juste medical condition:

Fr. Jean-Juste remains ill with injuries from his beating at the church and
swelling on both sides of neck and under arms. Johanna Berrigan, a nurse
practicioner from Philadelphia went to visit him today in Haiti with Bishop
Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit.

Johanna Berrigan was not allowed to bring in her medical equipment, nor to
conduct a real examination of Fr. Jean-Juste. The US Embassy also went to
visit Fr. Jean-Juste late last week with a physician, but was also denied the
opportunity to perform a medical examination. Please keep the pressure on the
US and Haitian governments to release Fr. Jean-Juste and all the political
prisoners. This is the report of today's visit.

Report by Bishop Thomas Gumbleton and Johanna Berrigan of visit on 8.23.05
with Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste in Haitian National Penitentiary:

Bishop Tom Gumbleton and Johanna Berrigan were able to visit with Fr. Jean
Juste for an hour today, Tuesday, August 23,2005. We met with him in the
courtyard of the National Penitentiary. He remains in a small cell in
isolation in a basement area. There is no light in his cell which leaves him
in darkness.

There is only one small light outside the cell. There is no room to lie down,
it is dirty and the smell is very bad. He had much to share with us. He has
not been allowed to have any visitors.

Fr. Jean Juste is spiritually strong, but he is physically not well. He
appears to have lost some weight. He is clearly in pain. He said " since the
beating, I am suffering so much." He reports alot of pain in his neck. He
attributes this to the beating at the time of his arrest at the funeral. ( See
Bill Quigley's report of the beating and arrest). The swelling on both sides
of his neck is very obvious.

He is also swollen under his arms. He also suffered from some type of skin
rash due to a chemical that the guards sprayed on him that seems to be getting
better.

Fr. Jean-Juste shared with us the details of the accusations, harassment, and
arrest. Although he was the victim of abuse at the funeral where he was
beaten, he is the one prison rather than his attackers. He was taken to jail
on the pretense that it was for his safety. He remains in prison on charges
of " incendiary sermons" and "public clamor, " which accused him of the murder
of Jaques Roches. Fr. Jean Juste was in Miami at the time of the murder.


He spent only minutes talking about his own condition, then he quickly
proceeded to tell us of his concerns for the other prisoners. He said "the
inhumanity is something unbelievable, I discovered many injustices." Fr. Jean-
Juste shared with us that many have been arrested arbitrarily and on false
accusations. He is very concerned for the deportees who he says are in a
hopeless situation. They have been deported from the U. S., but they have no
representation. He spoke of the horrible treatment of the prisoners who are
mentally ill. They are receiving no treatment, just more abuse.

Fr. Jean-Juste told us many prisoners are planning a hunger strike to begin
Thursday. The demands of the political prisoners and detainees are:

1. Freedom for all political prisoners. 2. Freedom for all of the deportees 3.
Respect for the rights of prisoners based on the U. N. charter for human
rights.

4. Stop the arbitrary arrests and indefinite detention of prisoners. 5. Allow
all prisoners to have Religious services according to their faith tradition.
6. Stop the beating and mistreatment of prisoners who are menatlly ill.

Pere Jean-Juste shared a story of one of the prisoners who is mentally ill and
being held naked under a very hot stairwell. Fr. Jean-Juste said: "It hurts me
so much to see this, please hear our call to give justice to all."

Fr. Jean-Juste continues to be very determined to speak out against all of the
injustice.

Fr. Jean-Juste stated that "the de facto government are the real criminals as
they are violating article 21 of the Haitian Constitution.

Instead of reform of justice in the penitentary system, the de facto
government is abusing their power. There is no due process. Government
officials are using state power to crush innocent citizens. The weaker you
are, the longer you stay. They forget you.

They don't even know your name. We are not protected at all. Anybody in power
can point a finger at you and you disappear."

"This government should go and the legitimate government should be restored to
power. All political prisoners should be released, there should be respect for
the human rights of all. I have hope in fighting the system, I may at some
point be released - for the other prisoners, forget it."

Finally, he said "Thanks to all of you who are working for my release. I was
so happy when I heard about the many letters that are pouring in and about the
letter signed by the Congress people. I was so happy and that is what keeps me
going. " He thanked us for the visit, by the end of the visit he was smiling
and said "It feels so good for my soul to be out of the dungeon even for a
little while."

We ended our visit in a circle of prayer where Fr. Jean Juste thanked God for
all of us who are working and helping him in doing God's work of peace and
justice.