From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: SITUATION IN HAITI CATASTROPHIC
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 22:50:15 GMT

/** reg.carib: 338.0 **/
** Topic: DELEGATION FINDS SITUATION IN HAIT **
** Written  6:52 pm  Apr  8, 1992 by globalexch in cdp:reg.carib **
DELEGATION FINDS SITUATION IN HAITI CATASTROPHIC
 
A joint statement of Pax Christi USA, Global Exchange, Leadership Conference 
of Women Religious, Washington Office on Haiti and Witness for Peace. 

 During a one week visit to Haiti, members of a Pax Christi sponsored 
delegation met with over 200 Haitians, many of them victims of military
violence, or in hiding because of fears of persecution.  The seven member
delegation included representatives from Pax Christi USA, Global Exchange,
Leadership Conference of Women Religious and Witness for Peace.  The group
returned April 1st after spending one week in Haiti interviewing people in
hiding in Port-au-Prince, the Artibonite Valley, northern Haiti, and the
Central Plateau.  The delegation found the situation catastrophic. 
Echoing the calls of the Haitian people, we call for an immediate and
dramatic international response. 

%       Haiti is suffering a military occupation by its own military.  
Military violence is systematic, severe and pervasive.  It touches all
areas of life in Haiti.  The delegation heard story after story of
repression, threats, massive arrests, beatings, torture and killings by
the military.  Every village was affected.  The human rights platform
now estimates the death toll at 2,500 with 6,000 more wounded, and 
200,000 people displaced and living in hiding. 

%       The fear and intimidation are palpable.  People relayed stories of 
being beaten for attending church services.  A priest in rural Haiti said
military informers attend all church services and tape the homily. A
rural church worker said the situation is worse than under Duvalier.

%       The political crisis has created a desperate situation.    The 
delegation heard many stories of the military burning homes, villages,
killing livestock, destroying gardens and farming tools, leveling
medical clinics and dispensaries.  The peasants have been unable to
harvest community gardens.  One woman said, "There are no 
men to do the planting in our village.  All are in hiding."

%         The embargo has been never been seriously applied by the 
international community.  Oil tankers were being unloaded in
Port-au-Prince in broad daylight.  "If the embargo had been applied,
the coup would have been over in three weeks", complained one rural farmer.   

%         All those interviewed were clear that the only possible resolution 
of the crisis was the return of President Aristide.  Over and over
people declared that if Aristide did not return, they would never again
participate in elections.

%               There is a widespread belief that if the U.S. were really 
backing Aristide he would have been returned to power long ago.  They
don't understand why the U.S. has not frozen the assets of or denied
visas for coup supporters.  They say it is easier for someone from the
illegal military government to get into the U.S. than for democratic
leaders under Aristide's government seeking political asylum.

%         The organized repression in the country side is unbearable.  The 
military has now reinstated the system of brutal rural section chiefs
who control by terror and extortion.  In every village visited, the
peasants said they had to pay a fee to the section chief to avoid arrest,
to get their relatives out of jail if they were arrested, or, 
once arrested, to keep them from being beaten on a particular day.  

%       The U.S. policy of repatriating refugees caused much anger.  One 
refugee said, "When you come to our country, we welcome you with open
arms.  When I went to your country, I was treated like an animal."  
People returned from Guantanamo are in hiding.  They are unable to return
to their homes. 

%         The Haitian people feel utterly betrayed by the international 
community, which after all, pushed for and supported the 1990 elections,
but has failed to effectively intervene since the coup.

%       Immediate and dramatic international response is needed.  Haitians are 
calling for a team of international civilian observers to be sent to Haiti as 
a peace-keeping presence.

Actions needed

United States -Send Messages to President Bush

        President George Bush 
        White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
        Washington, DC  20500
        202 456-1414

Stop supporting the coup 
Freeze assets of coup supporters
Deny visas to coup leaders
Work for Aristide's immediate return
Give Temporary Protected Status to Haitian Refugees
Enforce the Embargo

International - send Messages to OAS
        Mr. Joao Clemente Baena Soares
        Organization of American States
        17th and Constitution Ave., NW
        Washington, DC 20006

Enforce the Embargo
Send International Civilian Observers to Haiti
Work for President Aristide's immediate return

A complete report of the delegation's finding, including testimonies from 
individuals interviewed will be available after April 15.  Send $10 to
Pax Christi USA 348 East Tenth ST Erie, PA 16503-1110
(includes first class postage). 

Delegation Participants available for comment

Global Exchange- San Francisco California
Laura Flynn
Haiti Campaign Coordinator
415 255-7296

Pax Christi USA- Erie Pennsylvania
Anne McCarthy, OSB National Coordinator
Margaret Wehrer  - Haiti Projects Coordinator
814 453-4955

Catherine Cassidy, HM - lawyer for Haitian Refugees
407 466-4766 - Florida

Washington Office on Haiti - Washington DC
Rose Gallagher, SNJM,  - Director
202 543-7095

** End of text from cdp:reg.carib **

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