From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Date: 07 Sep 92 13:10 PDT
Subject: HAITI: LAWYERS DENOUNCE HUMAN RIGHT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700426:000:3343
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Sep  7 13:10:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: HAITI: LAWYERS DENOUNCE HUMAN RIGHT

/* Written 12:11 am  Sep  5, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: HAITI: LAWYERS DENOUNCE HUMAN RIGHTS NIGHTMARE

//att. editors: embargoed copy. not to be published before
thursday september 3//

washington, sep 3 (ips) -- haiti's six million people are going
through a ''human rights nightmare'' of executions, tortures and
illegal detentions, according to a report by the lawyers
committee on human rights, released thursday.

the 62-page report describes a series of constant violations
of the most fundamental freedoms, whose perpetrators enjoy total
impunity, since the sep. 30, 1991 military coup which toppled
president jean-bertrand aristide.

''popular expressiones of support for ousted president
aristide are routinely met with violent reprisals sanctioned by
the authorities,'' according to the committee, which sent a
mission to the caribbean country for 10 days in may.

the lawyers said that harassment by the military and the
intimidation of journalists, human rights observers, lawyers,
students, priests and grassroots leaders was intense.

''haiti is now reminiscent of the duvalier era. people are
terrified, many have left their homes and are in hiding,'' the
committee's deputy director, william o'neill, commented.

o'neill, who has visited haiti on eight occasions, said that
the few radio stations which are still broadcasting operate under
strict self-censureship so as to avoid reprisals.

former detainees consulted by the legal mission related that
soldiers routinely beat prisoners and demand bribes to stop the
beatings or release the victims, whom they keep in crowded cells,
without medical attention and poorly fed.

journalists also described the threats and attacks they were
subjected to for reporting on the september coup.

one of them told the committee that ''the local commander
called journalists 'garbage and subversives'. he ordered his men
to beat me. soldiers hit me at least 250 times on the stomach,
back and kidneys. i passed out. for the next 15 days i couldn't
stand up or walk''.

the lawyers said army repression had also targetted priests
and nuns.

a french priest told the mission he was arrested for holding a
catechism class. his 15 students were also detained and seven of
them were beaten, including a 17-year old girl who was pregnant
at the time. (more)
----


the report cited dozens of cases in which the armed forces
illegally arrested and detained people for their link, whether
real or supposed, with organizations sympathetic to aristide.

the new-york based committee urged the u.s. government and the
united nations to investigate the human rights abuses and ensure
the protection of those who participate in the ivestigations.

it demanded the u.s. government to revoke its ruling to
forcibly return haitian 'boat people' and called on the un
security council to analyse the application of a universal
embargo on haiti.

the organization of american states (oas) decreed an economic
embargo against haiti in october in an effort to force the
military-led regime there to step down.
(end/ips/trd/so/mas-cs/kb/92)
----