9480: A clinic serving a poor community is wrecked (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Tttnhm@aol.com

Haiti: A clinic serving a poor community is wrecked

Port-au-Prince
Novenber 3, 2001
SICRAD press release (based on information provided by APROSIFA's founder and 
co-director, Rose-Anne Auguste).

The health center of the Association for the Promotion of Integrated Family 
Health (APROSIFA in French), an institution based in Carrefour-Feuilles, a 
suburb of Port-au-Prince, was wrecked and looted by heavily armed, unknown 
individuals during the night of October 30-31, according to a communiqué sent 
out by APROSIFA's management.

The center's security guards were tortured, a 18-year-old teenage girl raped 
and equipment required for the proper functioning of the center stolen by the 
bandits. This included laboratory equipment such as two expensive microscopes,
audio-visual equipment, two inverters, four fans, a loudspeaker, a water pump
and other items, according to the communiqué.

In addition, the bandits threatened the managers and employees of APROSIFA. 
According to the communiqué, the bandits targeted with their insults one of 
the guards by the name of Carlyle APPOLON who was not present at the time of 
the raid.

APROSIFA denounces such acts and points the finger at those who "victimize 
those whose mission is to improve health conditions for the urban poor."

APROSIFA notes that in July of this year, Carlyle APOLLON was brutalized 
before being taken to the National Palace by members of the Unit for the 
General Security of  the National Palace (USGPN in French), a few hours 
before the arrest of Dr. Blondel AUGUSTE, president of APROSIFA's board. The 
communiqué notes that during the night of October 30-31 the agressors made 
comments similar to those made in July during the arrest of Carlyle APPOLON.

In addition, APROSIFA notes that in October 2000, three heavily armed 
individuals
had burst into its administrative offices in broad daylight in search of the 
board's
president and other members. During that incident, APROSIFA's accountant was
beaten and the day's fees stolen.

APROSIFA brings to the attention of the national and international community
"the grave consequences that such barbaric acts have on the fundamental rights
of Haitians in general and in particular their right to the health care that 
the Haitian
State has been unable to provide to date."


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