From: hrcoord@igc.apc.org (Human Rights Coordinator)
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Subject: HAITI BULLETIN #148
Date: 9 Oct 92 17:56:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700606:000:26483
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Oct  9 10:56:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: HAITI BULLETIN #148

/* Written  6:11 pm  Oct  8, 1992 by smalagodi@igc.apc.org in igc:reg.carib */
HAITI: RESISTANCE AND DEMOCRACY
This Bulletin is produced clandestinely in Port-au-Prince
Haiti

Port-au-Prince  October 1, 1992

EXCERPTS FROM BULLETIN #148

I. Political Scene

The coup d'etat is a crime against humanity. We have
reproduced in the annex some parts of the speech presented
by President Jean-Bertrand Aristide at the U.N. on Tuesday,
September 29th.

"The U.N. General Secretary Mr. Boutros-Ghali is in favor
of the eventual participation of the U.N. in the process to
reestablish constitutional rule in Haiti if the request is presented
by the Security Council or the O.A.S.", declared President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide during a press conference following his
speech before the General Assembly. Aristide also stated that
he was counting on the international community to move from
resolutions to actions. The presence in Haiti of O.A.S.
observers is symbolic and only symbolic because up until now
it is a sterile presence as concerns effectiveness. "We must
force those who oppose democracy to accept democracy",
added President Aristide who further stated that the credibility
of 34 states of the O.A.S. is at stake. (Radio Tropic FM, Sept.
30, 1992)

Father Antione Adrien speaks of the political failure of the coup
d'etat. The coordinator of the Presidential Commission, Father
Antione Adrien presented an analysis of the crisis confronting
the country since the September 1991 coup. On a political level
the coup failed, according to Father Adrien. This failure is due
to the resistance of the Haitian people even though numerous
murders have been committed against the civilian population
and even though there is widespread repression against
students, journalists, popular organizations and professionals.
The coordinator of the Presidential Commission also presented
certain views on the economic situation in the country.
According to him, the economic disaster and misery are due
mainly to monopolies and corruption, rather than the embargo.

Bayard Vincent obtains political asylum. The ex-minister of
Justice under the Preval government, Bayard Vincent left the
country last week with members of his family. Bayard Vincent
obtained political asylum status in the United States we have
learned from some sources. (Le Nouvelliste, Sept. 29, 1992)

ARMED FORCES

Press release of the Military Department of the
Metropolitan zone. In a press release dated September 29,
1992, the Military Department of the Metropolitan zone
informed the public or anyone who might be considering
organizing demonstrations or meetings that these must
conform to the strict provisions of a decree dated July 23, 1987
which provides that any person who desires to have a peaceful
meeting or demonstration on public roads must give notification
48 hours in advance to the police of the locality. To this end,
anyone intending to do so will give to the police the names,
professions and addresses of the organizers as well as the
place where it will be held, its goals, its itinerary, the date and
length of the event. If anyone fails to meet these provisions of
the decree the demonstration will be stopped.

The military department of the metropolitan area further goes
on to say that all notifications that do not respond to all the
specific items will not be considered.

DE-FACTO GOVERNMENT

A calendar for legislative elections is being prepared. The
Council of Ministers gave its agreement this week to initiate a
mobilization campaign to obtain the active participation of the
population in the process of selecting representatives of the
many communal section, municipal as well as departmental
assemblies. Beginning October 9th a series of activities will
take place that will lead to the formation of the CEP (Permanent
Electoral Council), as well as a ministerial commission, led by
the minister of the interior who will oversee the program. (Radio
Metropole, Sept. 29, 1992)

Ex-Prime Minister of the Honorat Government, Mr.
Jacquelin Montalvo Despeignes, demands the resignation
of Marc Bazin. Ex-Prime Minister of the Honorat government,
Mr. Jacquelin Montalvo Despeignes is asking for the end of the
government of June 19th and also for organizing a national
conference aimed at bringing about a solution of the national
crisis.

II. Human Rights

Press

The Press one year later. The Committee for the Protection
of Journalists based in New York has published a 63-page
report on September 25, 1992 detailing the violations of press
freedom in Haiti since the coup of September 29-30, 1991.

The report, titled "Bouch Pe: The Crackdown on Haiti's Media
since the Overthrow of Aristide", contains many
recommendations that deal notably with the responsibility of
officials in protecting journalists and in the just pursuit of their
aggressors. "The governmental press organs, National Radio
and National Television, must stop their campaign of
propaganda and intimidation against the independent media",
according to the Committee report.

Violations

Port-au-Prince

Popular neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince: One year after
the coup the repression continues unabated. To remind the
civilian population of their ability to destroy all resistance
movement, heavily armed soldiers in combat clothes camped
out everywhere in the streets on September 29th, 1992. They
conducted systematic searches of pedestrians, vehicles and
homes in the neighborhoods of Delmas, Carrefour, Carrefour-
Feuilles and Cite Soleil.

Cite Militaire: On Wednesday, September 9th at 9 a.m., four
armed civilians went to the house of Max Henry, at the Cite
Militaire of Port-au-Prince. Since Max was busy and his wife
was at work, his younger brother met the civilians. They
pushed him around and forcibly entered the house. Max was
still in his underwear when he was taken away by these armed
civilians in a pick-up truck to an undisclosed location. Until now
there has been no further word from him.

Capois Street: On September 21, 1992, around 6:30 p.m.,
Henry Jean, age 56, was shot in cold blood four times by an
armed civilian. The murder took place when the victim, coming
out of a store named Bazar de l'Ere, was getting into his car.
According to witnesses, they brought the body 5 minutes later
to the morgue of the general hospital while being watched by
many military members who stopped his wife from entering the
hospital.

Delmas 65: On Thursday, September 24th 1992, Elange
Pierre, age 30, living on the Abricot St. Delmas 65 was
savagely beaten by a soldier from the Fort Dimanche barracks
located at Delmas 33. A soldier ordered her to stop and began
to beat her with his gun while caller her a "dechoukeur"
[uprooter] and "lavalassien" [LAVALAS member].

A body discovered at the morgue. 24 hours after her
disappearance, the body of Minerve Desgraff, age 23 and two
months pregnant, was found Sunday at the morgue of the
general hospital by her parents. The victim who had been shot
many times, also had her head broken. According to her
parents, this murder was motivated by an act of revenge.
(Nouvelliste Sept. 29, 1992)

Declaration of repression in Martissant. This declaration
was given in a communiqui by the Ecumenical Center for
Human Rights.

"During the night of Friday, September 18 and Saturday,
September 19, around 12:30 a.m. I heard many gunshots in
the area. As usual, we remained silent, and it was around 6:00
a.m. that I learned that some armed civilians had killed a
corporal named Yvon Velus who was a member of the Haitian
navy. At about 8:45 on the same day, soldiers from the Navy
came to the area accompanied by armed civilians. They
arrested many young men and the others who  succeeded in
leaving the area are in hiding since that day. I myself am in
hiding because I have learned that these civilians have a list of
names of people to be killed and I am on that list. These armed
people create a lot of panic. Since September 20, soldiers from
the Navy no longer come around, but numerous armed civilians
are circulating in the neighborhood with guns in their hands.
One time when they came in front of my house, they stopped to
look inside. Among these armed civilians I can name the
following individuals: Bady, Benjamin, Michelet and Emmanuel.
They want to kill all the youth in Martissant.

I went to seek help from the Ecumenical Center for Human
Rights because I want to return home, I want to see my family
who have gone into hiding throughout the country, including the
old people who were also forced to leave.

I know in Haiti there is no respect for human rights, but in the
name of all the young people who are in hiding, I demand that
they respect my right to lead a normal life just like God willed it.

Since September 30, 1991, we are leading a very difficult life
and today it is worse. Schools will open and I want to return
home to prepare the children. This is the same situation for
everybody. I ask for justice because as a Haitian citizen I have
rights. With the help of God, I know that the Ecumenical Center
for Human Rights will begin all legal inquiries to establish
peace and security at Martissant".

Wednesday September 23, 1992

Declaration concerning the disappeared. "I, the
undersigned Pierre-Louis Pierre Frederic, declare that Elie
Laroque, born in Cayes, age 36, father of 4 children and an
accountant by trade has disappeared since August 12, 1992.
He worked in the accounts receivable department at FEDH
(Haiti Electric). He left his house 7:45 a.m. and the office at
6:19 p.m., according to information provided by a security
guard at FEDH. After many searches and requests filed with
the police by the director of FEDH, noone can furnish
information about his disappearance. To date there is no trace
of his whereabouts.

Provinces

Department of the West, Fort Jacques: The General
Workers Central (CGT) informs national and international
public opinion that there have been many abuses against the
members of the Cooperative of Fort-Jacques, an affiliate of  the
CGT since the month of May, 1991. These trade unionists
have pointed the finger at Mr. Osner Fevry, a lawyer, as the
main instigator of these abuses. According to a press release
published by the union, Mr. Fevry sent three armed civilians on
a public bus (license YL555) to arrest Emmanuel Jean,
president of the Cooperative. Emmanuel Jean was so severely
mistreated that he died a week later. According to the press
release, this lawyer on June 18, 1992 sent a band of 35 thugs
armed with picks, sticks, machetes and guns to assassinate
members of the cooperative. On September 5th, another
attempt was made to arrest the members. "Since we were not
found, these people arrested the wife of Joel Pierre, one of our
members". They kept her for two days at the military post at
Fermathe. The two other members they are looking for, Joel
Pierre and Etienne Orelus, were forced to surrender at the
Petionville prison where they were accused of trying to
assassinate Osner Fevry. Mr. Fevry accused one of them of
being president of a LAVALAS group and the other of a Veye-
Yo group. They were released on September 21st without
being brought before a judge.

Petit Goave: On the evening of September 29th, many military
patrols were observed on the streets of Petit Goave. In the
afternoon around 4 p.m. a vehicle with 7 heavily armed soldiers
went into the rural section of the plain looking for Yvon, age 30,
Wiloena Dorleus, 26, Lenique Isma, 19, Vance Dupervil, 22,
Emso Louis, 20, Andrenor Sennovil, 20, Jean Gutni Dorleus,
20, and Johnny Pierre, age 20. According to the military, these
young people possessed firearms. Johnny Pierre was arrested
and severely beaten by a section chief of the area. However he
was able to get away and go into hiding. The 7 others were
forced to go from Petit Goave to Leogane on foot until they
reached Port-au-Prince.

Furthermore, since Wednesday, September 16, a young
mechanic named Wilner Fabien, called JanJan, was
imprisoned in Petit Goave under the pretext that he was a
partisan of Reich Vorbes, who was killed at Fond Doux (rural
section of Petit Goave) on the night of the 17th or 18th October
1991 by soldiers. The arrest was conducted by the section
chief, Shostene St. Jean, who beat the detainee before taking
him to the prison at Petit Goave. On Monday, September 21,
Wilner was brought before a judge to respond to the
accusation that he was a terrorist and a guerrilla. He was
condemned and sent to jail.

One must note that on the night of 17 and 18 of October, 1991,
Reich Vorbes was the principle person involved in a
confrontation that occurred at Fond Doux between the
residents of a house belonging to Mr. Vorbes, and the military
of Petit Goave. During this period the national television
justified this military attack on the house, claiming that they
were destroying a training camp discovered at Petit Goave
belonging to a popular army called "ALA", of which Reich
Vorbes was supposed to be the leader. According to witnesses
in the area, it was a military 'hold-up' that was the root of the
confrontation. Three soldiers as well as Reich Vorbes were
killed during the confrontation. Many personal belongings of Mr.
Vorbes as well as large sums of money were taken by the
soldiers. The private car of the victim, a "Pathfinder", was
confiscated by the captain of the military district of the village
who uses it for his personal use.

Miragoane: A massive military presence was also observed at
Miragoane on September 29th. The youth of this town, who
usually stay out late in the streets, hurried to go home at 8 p.m.
The situation is very tense in this town, where they are looking
for a young man named "Brandt" because according to the
military, he had written pro-Aristide slogans on the wall of a
house in the Bel-Aire section of Miragoane.

Grande Anse, Dame Marie: Additional information on the
arrests ordered by the minister of Justice, Mr. Moise Senatus
(detailed in Bulletin # 145 9/21/92). Maunce Damus, Herold
Jean and Ti Popot, were released after 20 days in detention.
However, Jean Damus was transferred to the prison at
Jeremie, where according to his family, he is in a critical state
of health.

On the 23rd of September, Ferlot Norde was also arrested at
Dame-Marie. Even though the mayor and other important
members of the town intervened with the military, he was
savagely beaten. The arrested was conducted after a service
given by Bishop Romelus at the church of Dame-Marie during
a religious ceremony that Norde was taking part in. He is still in
jail at Dame-Mare and will be transferred to Jeremie later this
week.

Anse d'Hainault: The mayor of l'Anse d'Hainault, Mr. Marcel
Almonasi, was killed by gunshot and found with his two eyes
shot out on Sunday September 28th on the beach. According
to our correspondent, a call for a meeting of youths was
intercepted by the military and since then arrests and
repression throughout the area is multiplying.

Jeremie: About 40 priests in the southern part of the country
denounced acts of the military against the Bishop of Jeremie,
Mgr. Willy Romelus, the most politically engaged member of
the Episcopal Conference of Haiti. The group of priests is
asking that human rights organizations raise their voices in
order to guarantee the security of Mgr. Romelus. Mgr.
Romelus, who is related to President Aristide, has publicly
asked for the return of Aristide to power and has severely
denounced the repression in Haiti.

Cap Haitian: For some time now, a tacit curfew has been
established in Cap Haitian. Since September 20th all
pedestrians or travelers at night who are seen on the streets
after 8 p.m. have been severely beaten by soldiers and armed
civilians. Many young people have disappeared and the parents
are afraid to testify about it.

Artibonite, Freycinau (entrance to St. Marc): Last week-end
the car of Father Max Dominique, a Spiritan father, was
searched by soldiers of Freycinau. In fact, all his personal
belongings were inspected, including a box of cigarettes that he
was carrying in his bag. They opened up all the cigarette packs
and took out each cigarette, one after another. The priest was
then allowed to leave. He had just started his car when he was
asked to stop. The corporal of the military post asked him to get
out of his car one more time and then the corporal spit on him.
He threatened to kill him because according to the corporal, the
priest has been preaching violence. The priest was then
allowed to go on to Pont Sonde.

POSITION STATEMENTS

Nine American religious workers demonstrate their
solidarity with the Haitian cause in front of the American
Embassy on Wednesday September 30. Nine American
religious workers and committed laity organized an ecumenical
service in front of the American Embassy to call for return of
constitutional order in Haiti. They signed a petition in which
they reaffirmed their support for the efforts of the Haitian
people to build a truly democratic society. They also denounced
human rights violations in Haiti following the coup d'etat which
overthrew President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The demonstrators
also demanded that the UN, the OAS, and the Bush
Administration enforce resolutions adopted against Haiti in
order to restore constitutional order. Later they went to the
statue of the Maroon in the Champs de Mars to repeat their
message...

III. International Community

Costa Rica demands that the UN and the OAS pay more
attention to the Haitian Crisis. The Costa Rican chancellor,
Bernd Niehaus, appealed to the United Nations and the
Organization of American States, asking that they pay more
sustained attention to the case of Haiti and act energetically for
a prompt solution to the Haitian crisis. "We are not dealing with
the legitimacy of a president or a government, but with the right
of that sister nation to live in complete freedom and to receive
the cooperation needed for its development" stated the Costa
Rican diplomat at the United Nations.

American State Department: "We continue to support the
return of democracy to Haiti." This was the statement of
Richard Boucher, State Department spokesperson,
categorically denying some remarks by friends of President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, according to whom Washington played
a role in the September 30 coup.

In a documentary film broadcast on September 29 on American
Public Television, some friends of President Aristide affirmed
that the United States was involved in the coup d'etat against
President Aristide.

"This accusation is simply scandalous" stated Mr. Boucher,
recalling that Washington had given its 'full support' to the
electoral process which led to the election of President Aristide.
"This comment is completely false and we will make our
position known to representatives of President Aristide" he
added. (Source AFP)

St.-Martin - Anniversary of the coup d'etat: According to an
AFP dispatch, nearly five hundred people and several priests
associated with President Aristide attended a mass celebrated
in Saint-Martin on September 29 on the occasion of the first
anniversary of the coup d'etat. In his homily on the occasion,
Reverend Jean Bruny, the officiating priest, expressed his
hopes for the return to power of President Aristide. which can
be guaranteed only by the people, reported AFP.

Germany will assist OAS/DEMOC: According to a source
close to the German embassy in Port-au-Prince, the German
government is prepared to unfreeze 70,000 US dollars to meet
logistic needs of observers in the OAS civilian mission in Haiti.
According to the same source, the German government offers
its full support to the process aimed at restoring constitutional
order in the country in order to reach an acceptable resolution
of the serious political crisis which Haiti has suffered since the
overthrow of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. (Tropic FM,
October 1, 1992)

Canadian government resolved to grant supplementary
humanitarian aid to Haiti: Canada announced on Tuesday
that it will unfreeze a supplementary humanitarian aid fund for
Haiti of one quarter-million dollars. We should note that
humanitarian aid to Haiti will henceforth be managed by OAS
observers currently in Haiti. (Tropic FM, October 1, 1992)

Demonstrations in Montreal, New York and Miami: To
commemorate the date of September 30 in Canada, New York
and Miami, thousands of Haitians demonstrated their support
of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. In New York particularly, an
impressive crowd gathered outside the United Nations during
the appearance of President Aristide.

Demonstrations in Caracas: According to AFP, in Caracas,
Venezuela, a hundred Haitians demonstrated in front of the
American embassy in Venezuela to demand that the American
government help President Jean-Bertrand Aristide return to
power. On their placards the demonstrators indicated that they
held George Bush responsible for the situation in Haiti. (Radio
Metropole, October 1, 1992)

IV. REFUGEES

September 30, 1992: The "boat people": Some left and
were returned by force. Others were deported from
Guantanamo where they were subject to legal proceedings for
having violated US immigration regulations. Some forty
thousand boat people, political or economic refugees, tried to
reach Florida since the coup d'etat overthrowing President
Aristide on September 30, 1991.

Of those intercepted by the US Coast Guard up to the month of
July 1992, about 10,400 were admitted to request political
asylum in the United States and some 28,900 were repatriated
to Haiti.

After May 24, 1992, when the United States announced that
Guantanamo was full and would accept no more refugees,
3000 people were intercepted and returned to Haiti. As a result
of the State Department decision, the United States Embassy
in Port-au-Prince, during the month of June received 200
telephone calls a day from Haitians wishing to seek political
asylum in the United States. During the month of June, the
American Consulate examined 453 out of 721 written requests
from candidates for emigration and granted political refugee
statue to about fifty.

Since the United States applied these new procedures, 2977
boat people were recovered by the American Coast Guard of
whom 2975 were immediately repatriated to Haiti. Since
October 1991, 1752 voluntarily repatriated refugees were also
sent here under the auspices of the United Nations High
Commission for Refugees (HCR) from Cuba, the Bahamas,
Honduras, Surinam, Jamaica and Venezuela.

The consensus government never wanted to become involved.
At the beginning of August it indicated publicly that it "does not
want in any manner to interfere with internal judicial processes
of the United States." (Le Nouvelliste, September 30, 1992)

APPENDIX I

Excerpts from President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's
message to the United Nations on September 29, 1992

"The coup d'etat itself is a crime against humanity. These
twelve months represent a double crime against humanity. May
the door of return at last open to let peace shine out. Jou sa-a,
jou va, jou vyen, jou ale, jou vini (The days are passing, the
days are coming. One of these days will be our day).  Five days
before the coup d'etat of September 30, 1991, here in the
United Nations the Haitian people cried out 'Democracy or
death.' Today, in the name of the three thousand people
assassinated by the enemies of democracy, the Haitian people
cry out with the same conviction, in the same forum, the same:
'Democracy or death.' (...)

Despite the controversies raised about the embargo, the
Haitian people repeat yes to the embargo. May it at last be a
real and complete embargo. May the flood of new weapons
pouring constantly into Haiti cease.

Mr. President, the Republic of Haiti would be pleased to see
the United Nations establish a Commission, composed of
defenders of human rights and entrusted with conducting an
investigation into violations of fundamental rights committed
since September 30, 1991 to this day. Their presence in Haiti
is necessary to continue what we experienced at the time of the
December 16, 1990 elections. May the United Nations and the
Organization of American States meet again in Haiti urgently to
transform their beautiful resolutions into visible and fruitful
action.

An army of seven thousand men consumes 40% of the national
budget. A sharp contradiction! We will not even speak of
drugs! Certain officers are implicated to the neck in drug traffic;
corruption without equal. Facing such corruption, millions of
victims seem to say like Cicero: 'How long will you abuse our
patience, Catilina'. In response to the people and the
Constitution of the Republic of Haiti, as President of the
Republic I respond: The army - yes! What it now is - no! The
army must be liberated from Cedras and his clique, responsible
for the deaths of several thousand people. Once liberated, the
army will be integrated into a process of professionalization
and, in accordance with the Constitution, we will proceed to
create a police force separate from the army. This is for
maintenance of the peace.

Deliberate injustice opens two parallel paths; submission,
resistance. We sons and daughters of Dessalines, Toussaint
Louverture, Charlemagne Peralte, we say no to submission,
yes to resistance. The Haitian people must turn resistance and
liberating mobilization into the advent of a democratic society."
(...)

Aristide built his text around "eight democratic beatitudes for a
peaceful civilization," which allude to his "ten democratic
commandments" of last year.

1. Blessed are those who defend democracy, may peace reign
among them.

2. Blessed are those who favor economy growth, for peace and
economic misery are incompatible.

3. Blessed are those who heroically say no to impunity, no to
violence, yes to justice.

4. Blessed are those who decrease spending on armaments
and increase spending on human development.

5. Blessed are those who resist political pollution, for they will
make the sun of peace shine.

6. Blessed are those who defend truth, for they crystallize a
source of justice and peace.

7. Blessed are those who, beyond barriers of class and race,
love one another in a Lavalas way.

8. Blessed are those who, at the threshold of the third
millennium, discern the true face of the Haitian people.

Translated by Haiti Communications Project
and the South Florida Committee for Democracy in Haiti