27426: Brian Concannon- Action Alert (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Brian <brian@ijdh.org>

Brian Concannon- Half-Hour for Haiti Action Alert



January 31, 2006

Half-Hour for Haiti: Thank You!

Most of you know the good news, that Fr. Gerry was
<http://www.ijdh.org/articles/article_recent_news_1-30-06b.htm> released for
medical treatment.  He is now hospitalized in Miami, undergoing tests to
fully diagnose his leukemia (see video clip of his
<http://www.cbs4.com/video/?id=12686@wfor.dayport.com>  arrival).  This
victory was the result of thousands of people working persistently over six
months to insist on justice. I would like to use this week?s action alert to
thank everyone who pitched in on the effort- we do not have this chance
often enough. Pat yourself on the back, and heel proud of your
contributions, but also take some time this week to thank someone else.



But first, updates on other cases:  On Thursday, the Institute for Justice &
Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI), Yale
Law School and TransAfrica  Forum will file a
<http://www.ijdh.org/articles/article_iachr_BAI_IJDH_Yale.htm> Petition
Against the U.S., Haiti and the Dominican Republic on behalf of Haitian
citizens who lost their democracy on February 29, 2004.  As Fr. Gerry
insists, we cannot forget about the many political prisoners remaining in
Haiti, including prominent people like Yvon Neptune
<http://www.ijdh.org/articles/article_yvon_neptune.htm>  and Annette Auguste
<http://prisonersoverseas.com/?page_id=43>  (So Anne), but also grassroots
organizers like Bob Molière <http://prisonersoverseas.com/?page_id=3> . We
will highlight some of those cases in future alerts, and if we maintain our
momentum we will get more of them out.



Thanks to: the risk in thanking such a broad mobilization is that I will
inevitably leave some important people out, so I apologize in advance. The
first person to thank is Fr. Gerry himself. His dedication to non-violent
struggle for the human rights of this hemisphere?s most vulnerable people
over two decades is an inspiration to us all.



After Fr. Gerry, the people who risked the most were Mario Joseph and his
legal team at the Bureau des
<http://www.ijdh.org/articles/article_bureau_internationaux.htm>  Avocats
Internationaux, who fought for justice in a manifestly unjust system, and
the parishioners at Sainte Claire?s Church, who never lost faith and kept
Fr. Gerry?s service programs running. Professor Bill Quigley, the doctors at
Partners In Health <http://www.pih.org/> , and Dr. John Carroll all kept at
least one foot in Haiti, providing critical legal and medical services in
prison, while providing the world with critical information about Fr.
Gerry?s status.



Outside of Haiti, the lion?s share of the work was done by the thousands of
people from all over the world who signed petitions, circulated information,
wrote letters, made phone calls, and urged others to take a stand for Fr.
Gerry. I can?t possibly begin to name all the church, solidarity, peace and
human rights groups who joined the campaign, but two examples stand out: in
Miami, Fr. Gerry?s second home, Veye Yo and the Haiti Solidarity Committee
started mobilizing when Fr. Gerry was arrested, and did not stop until he
arrived in their city. They organized marches, rallies and vigils, they made
sure that local media and their Congressional representatives knew that Fr.
Gerry was a priority in the community. The Miami
<http://www.ijdh.org/articles/article_recent_news_1-3-06b.htm>  Herald, and
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
<http://www.ijdh.org/articles/Ros-Lehtinen%20Letter%20Jean-Juste.pdf> , Rep.
Kendrick Meek <http://kendrickmeek.house.gov/press/2004.10.20.shtml> , and
Sen.
<http://www.sptimes.com/2006/01/16/Worldandnation/Jailed_priest_awaits_.shtm
l>  Bill Nelson all responded.





In Indiana a coalition of church, student and solidarity groups persistently
engaged their Congressional Representatives for three months, providing
credible information and demonstrating constituent support for Fr. Gerry.
Their efforts bore important fruit when Sen. Richard Lugar wrote to Haitian
<http://lugar.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=250877>  Prime Minister
Latortue , asking for Fr. Gerry?s release, and Rep. Dan Burton pursued the
issue with the U.S. State Department.



Rep. Maxine Waters led the fight for justice in the U.S. Congress- she wrote
to the U.S. Embassy within hours of Fr. Gerry?s arrest, and along with
Representatives Barbara Lee, John Conyers and Jan Schakowsky, rallied 41
<http://www.ijdh.org/articles/articles/article_recent_news_12-20-05.htm>
colleagues to urge President Bush to Seek Fr. Jean-Juste's Release in
December.



Our action alerts twice asked Thomas Shannon, Assistant Secretary of State
for Western Hemisphere Affairs, to intervene to seek Fr. Gerry?s release,
and he did. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Patrick Duddy traveled to
Haiti, conveyed the messages from American legislators and citizens in
support of Fr. Jean-Juste?s release and helped arrange the independent
medical examination that confirmed the leukemia diagnosis.



Over 400 religious leaders from many faiths and many countries signed a
petition for Fr. Jean-Juste?s release. Bishop Thomas Gumbleton visited Fr.
Gerry several times, drawing the spotlight to the case, and Rev. Jesse
Jackson <http://www.haitiaction.net/News/RAW/1_29_6.html>  tipped the
balance in favor of justice through timely interventions earlier this month.



Several human rights groups made important contributions: Human Rights
First! issued its first
<http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Jean_Juste/explanation>  urgent
action in July, its last in January
<http://www.humanrightsfirst.info/pdf/06123-hrd-jean-juste-ltr.pdf> , and
several in between.  Amnesty International designated Fr. Gerry a  Prisoner
of Conscience
<http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR360082005?open&of=ENG-HTI> , and
generated thousands of letters to Haitian officials, and hundreds of
Christmas cards to Fr. Gerry. The National Lawyers Guild, the International
Association of Democratic Lawyers, Global Exchange, the American Friends
Service Committee and many other groups rallied and educated their
supporters.



The City Councils of North Miami and Berkeley, CA, and the UN Human Rights
Commission?s Louis
<http://www.ijdh.org/articles/article_recent_news_12-2-05a.htm>  Joinet,
called for his release.



Progressive radio, independent print media and websites, all too numerous to
mention, kept the story of Fr. Gerry?s persecution on the  world?s radar
screen, month after month.



I need to stop here- there are so many people to thank that this is already
our longest action alert ever.  Please try to thank some of the people
mentioned above, and anyone else we missed. You can contact members of the
U.S. Congress through their websites (go to www.house.gov
<http://www.house.gov/> , www.senate.gov <http://www.senate.gov/>  to find
them), or by calling the Capitol Hill Switchboard, (202) 224-3121.



_______________________________________________________

For more information about the Half-Hour for Haiti Program, the Institute
for Justice & Democracy in Haiti, or human rights in Haiti, see
www.ijdh.org.





Brian Concannon Jr.

Director, Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti

Brian@IJDH.org

www.ijdh.org

PO Box 745

Joseph, OR, 79846 USA

541-432-0597




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