From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Date: 19 Aug 92 11:09 PDT
Subject: HAITI BULLETIN # 134 (CORRECTED)
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700390:000:12115
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Aug 19 11:09:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: HAITI BULLETIN # 134 (CORRECTED)

/* Written  8:03 am  Aug 19, 1992 by smalagodi in cdp:reg.carib */
August 10, 1992 Bulletin # 134

Port-au-Prince

Political Scene Commission denounces violence In a document
published yesterday [8/09/92], the Presidential Commission formed
by President Aristide denounced the violence now taking place in
Haiti and made several proposals to solve the Haitian crisis. [see
statement at end of transmission] Visit of President Aristide to
Taiwan.  The Secretariat of the President announced that President
Aristide arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday, August 12th and will meet
with the President of Taiwan during his visit. On Friday, he will
leave for London where he will stay for three days.  Army The
General Headquarters announced on August 12th that the engineer
Leslie Michel is being actively sought by 'the forces of order'.
Michel is accused of being at the head of terrorist group that
presumably attacked the barracks of Camp Perrin during the night
of 29-30 August 1992.  De-facto Government Mr. Bazin welcomes
Ambassador Acosta The de-facto Prime Minister, Marc Bazin received
on Monday August 3rd the Dominican ambassador, Del Carmen Acosta.
They met for 45 minutes.  12 Haitian refugees leave Mexican
embassy.  In its August 9th edition, the Nouvelliste published a
press release from the Minister of Foreign Affairs dated August
4th. In the release the ministry stated that in accordance with
international treaties, conventions and agreements that the
Haitian state has signed, they have issued a exit permits to 12
Haitian citizens who had taken refuge at the Mexican embassy in
Haiti. Indeed on Monday, July 27th 1992 the following citizens
left the country with simple passports:  Jean-Pierre Michel
Laguerre,  Pierre Gina Mandai, Robert Manuel, Hector Joel Paul,
Jean Robert Rival, Marie Chimene Sylvestre, Natalie Lamaute, Wood
Manley, Marielle Noel, Marthe Pierre, Mosther Senatus, Elizabeth
Toussaint.  Parliament Bazin before the Senate Following calls by
Senators from the FNCD block, the de-facto Prime Minister Marc
Bazin went to the Senate on Wednesday, August 12th. During the
session which lasted 7 hours, the discussions centered mostly
around the legitimacy of the government led by Bazin, the limits
of his powers, the repression and the negotiations.  When Senator
Modestin asked him to define his function, since he was making
decisions that normally would be taken by the constitutional
president of the Republic, Bazin declared that he was nominated to
lead a government of consensus. Then he retracted his statement,
saying that he should not have said that, but rather, that he was
a Prime Minister, not a President. Then Bazin tried to support his
original statement by saying that he was assuming these functions
in the absence of two Presidents.  Indeed, according to him,
Nerette is still President since the vacancy, caused by his
resignation, has not been filled. This brisk reappearance of
Nerette in Bazin's speech shocked many people.  Many Senators
talked about the repressive situation that exists in different
regions. Bazin said that he was troubled by the testimony of
repression throughout the country and he promised that he would
make a public declaration condemning the repression. Furthermore,
Bazin announced the formation of a commission to negotiate and he
repeated that he was disposed to meet President Aristide anywhere,
at any time. However he did not explain the reasons he had
rejected the propositions made by the Presidential Commission
formed by President Aristide to hold this meeting in Haiti. Let us
remind the reader that Bazin had simply answered this proposal
with the response that the only alternative being discussed was
the invitation made by the Dominican President to hold the meeting
in Santo Domingo. According to Bazin, General Cedras did not
declare that Aristide could not return to Haiti in his interview
with Canadian TV [as had been widely reported]. According to Bazin
"they mis- transcribed'" his words. According to Bazin "this
debate is the beginning of Haitian negotiations." Human Rights
Violations Press The Committee to Protect Journalists denounced
the assassination of Robinson Joseph and the recent imprisonment
of Lilian Pierre-Paul. In a letter dated August 11th, 1992 and
sent to Marc Bazin, General Cedras and Michelle Francois,
respectively as Prime Minister, head of the armed forces, and
chief of police of Port-au-Prince, the U.S. based CPJ expressed
its profound indignation at the assassination of Robinson Joseph,
ex-director of Radio Lumiere, as well as the recent arrest of
Lilian Pierre- Paul of Collectif Quiaqueya.  Under the signature
of one of its directors, Mr. Joel Solomon, the CPJ relates the
circumstances under which these two events took place, emphasizing
in particular that Robinson Joseph was killed by soldiers in
uniform. The influential committee is also demanding that those
responsible for this crime be brought to justice.  In the case of
Lilian Pierre-Paul, the CPJ points out that she has been
prohibited from leaving the country. This restriction isimposed by
the authority of the military department of Port-au-Prince under
the command of Colonel Michel Francois. The CPJ is demanding that
the journalist's right to work be restored and that she is granted
the right to travel freely inside the country and to leave the
country as well. A copy of this letter by the CPJ was also
addressed to the principal human rights and
journalist'sorganizations in the world. [AHP, August 13, 1992]
Port-au-Prince Youth in popular neighborhoods being targeted.
After Cite Soleil, as reported in the last bulletin, reports of
renewed repression against the youth from the area of Bel-Air have
been received in the past week. In this neighborhood, many young
people were arrested, beaten and then released with their heads
shaven. On August 12th, Radio Tropic FM, citing a military source
stated "these are young people that are pasting up pictures of
President Aristide in different areas of the capital. These people
are a danger to society." Many young people were arrested on
August 11th. They were accused of leading anti-governmental
activities designed to create an anarchic climate in
Port-au-Prince, according to a police source. Many popular
neighborhoods like Rue Tiremasse, Bel-Air, and Delmas 2 have been
hit by this wave of arrests.  Provinces Cap Haitian - 13 arrests
The Immigration Service in Cap Haitian arrested 13 people that
were about to leave for Miami on a charter plane last Thursday.
Police sources indicate that these passengers had false visas.
Insecurity increases in Lascahobas On Tuesday, August 11th, 1992,
at Gros Morne, (near Lascahobas) a group of men armed with picks,
knives and machetes killed a young man named Dieumane, age 32.
They killed him with blows of machetes, then they dropped the body
next to a field of crops. On the same day, armed men killed a
young man with many gunshots.  Saint-Michel de l'Attalaye We have
just received reports detailing events in this area at the end of
July and early August. On July 26, leaflets were circulated
throughout the area of St. Michel del l'Attalaye without people
knowing where they came from. Two days later on July 28th members
of the military came in full force in the 3rd rural section Bas de
Saut. The next day they came with the section chief Madsen and
began a series of arrests. Six persons were arrested on that day,
accused of circulating the leaflets. The following days, numerous
arrests took place under the same pretext. The people arrested
were usually released the same day aftera payment of 500 gourdes
($100). In total, this scam has brought more than 7000 gourdes
($1500) to the authorities. We obtained a list of 87 people who
have been victimized in this manner. As of August 6th, 2 people
were still in prison as a result of this repression. They were
never brought before a judge.  125 people dead in
Plaine-de-l'Arbre The deputy of the Haitian Red Cross, Delice
Geffrard, told the press that an acute crisis exists at
Plaine-de-l'Arbre whereby 125 people died of hunger. This region
has been devastated by drought, famine and epidemics.  Grand-Goave
and Petit Goave.  5 people were arrested by the police by the
police at Petit Goave and Grand Goave. Three of them, Alerte
Minviel, Robin Marcelus and Kebreau Zamor were detained in the
prison in Petit Goave. Two others, Florestil Milord and Hubert
Pascal were arrested last Tuesday in the same area. The military
searched their homes as well as the local office of the
organization "Konbit Komilfo." The search was conducted in the
presence of a clerk of the court of the town and a justice of the
peace.  In Jacmel, there were search operations as well.
International Community The Secretary General of the OAS to visit
Haiti on the 18th of August.  According to the Latin American
Inter-Press Service (IPS), the General Secretary of the OAS, Joao
Clemente Baena Soares will lead a delegation to Haiti on August
18th. Aside from functionaries of the OAS, this mission will also
include delegates of the United Nations. Its task will be to
facilitate the search for a negotiated solution between all
representatives of the Haitian crisis.  During its stay, the OAS
mission will meet with Marc Bazin, the Presidential Commission
formed by President Aristide, the military authorities,
Parliamentary representatives, church representatives and all
social and business sectors.  In addition, international
organizations as well as representatives from aid donors will meet
Friday in Washington in order to define the priorites of
humanitarian aid that is necessary in Haiti, according to Baena
Saurez. He also emphasized the need to furnish a substantial and
consistant aid to the country.  In solidarity with Haiti On August
21, 1992, a Caribbean day of solidarity has been declared at the
end of a meeting of NGO's of the Caribbean. The participants voted
unanimously that due to the historic commercial and cultural ties
between Haiti and the Caribbean, the political crisis in Haiti is
affecting the people of the Caribbean. They therefore believe that
a solution to the crisis is a Caribbean responsibility.  Other
Items Seven youths from the Front des Militants Reunis (FMR)
[Front of United Militants] who were in jail have been freed.
These young people who had occupied the Canadian embassy at the
end of 1991 were freed by a judge in Port-au-Prince. The accused
were being defended by a committee of Haitian lawyers. Recently 12
of the 19 had the charges against them dropped.  Statement of the
Presidential Commission:  The Presidential Commission notes many
acts of violence that have been perpetrated throughout the country
since the Sept. 30, 1991 coup, and the situtaion is getting worse.
The Commission denounces all kinds of threats that are being made
against it, condemns the acts of violence that are taking place
throughout the country, especially against the peasants of the
Central Plains, the North-West Sector, and the Artibonite. The
Commission condemns repression against university students,
priests, pastors, teachers, school principals, journalists, and
refugees trying to leave the country. The Commission also notes
that acts of violence are also targeting members of the army. It
observes that in addition, that the authorities are using the term
'terrorist' to continue to repress the Haitian people.  The
Presidential Commission uses this occasion to address its sympathy
to the families of the victims of violence and declares its
solidarity with all those struggling to restore democracy in the
country.  The commission declares that:
a: blood must not continue to flow in the country
b: that the return to the constitution of 1987 and the respect of
the election results of December 16th 1990, and January 20th 1991,
are the only means to solve the crisis as well as the embargo.

Signed by Antoine Adrien, Coordinator of the Presidential
Commission.
###

This Bulletin depends entirely on you for distribution