From: hrcoord@igc.apc.org (Human Rights Coordinator)
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Subject: AI UA281/92 HAITI Disappearance
Date: 14 Sep 92 21:22:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700466:000:7263
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Sep 14 14:22:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: AI UA281/92 HAITI Disappearance

/* Written  8:46 pm  Sep 14, 1992 by gn:rmitchellai in cdp:ai.uan */
Subject: AI UA281/92 HAITI Disappearance

EXTERNAL (for general distribution)    AI Index: AMR 36/45/92
                                       Distr: UA/SC       

UA 281/92      Fear of "Disappearance"/      8 September 1992
                     ill-treatment

HAITI:         Wilson SINCERE, teacher
               Mousson ROMERO, ironworker
               Alix MONDESIR, Assistant Secretary General of
               Organisation Populaire 17 Septembre (OP17)

Amnesty International is concerned at the reported arrest of Wilson
Sincere, a teacher, in Port-au-Prince on 25 August 1992, carried out by
uniformed members of the security forces; and at the abduction of Alix
Mondesir, Assistant Secretary General of the Organisation Populaire 17
Septembre (OP17), September 17 Popular Organization, by two armed
men in civilian clothes on 26 August 1992, in down-town
Port-au-Prince. The authorities deny holding them and there are fears
that they may "disappear".  Amnesty International is also concerned for
the safety of Mousson Romero, an ironworker, who sent a note to his
family from a detention centre in Port-au-Prince, but whose detention
has reportedly been denied by the authorities.  Wilson Sincere is a
teacher at a local school in the Fort National area of Port-au-Prince. 
He was reportedly arrested along with two others, whose names are
being withheld for their own security, on 25 August 1992 at his home
in the Fort National area. The arrests were reportedly carried out by
uniformed members of the army, dressed in kaki and by police in blue
uniforms, believed to belong to the Service d'investigation et de
recherches anti-gang, Anti-gang Investigation Service.  All three were
taken away to an unknown destination.  The two people detained with
Wilson Sincere were subsequently released, but are in hiding in fear
for their lives.  Amnesty International fears for the safety of Wilson
Sincere.  He has reportedly been severely beaten in custody.  His
family have searched for him but the security forces deny holding him. 

   On 26 August Alix Mondesir, the Assistant Secretary General of the 
left-wing political movement OP17, was, according to witnesses,
abducted by two armed men driving a pick-up. It is believed that the
men may belong to the security forces.  The family have searched
police and military detention facilities, but all deny holding him.        
  
   Several weeks ago, Mousson Romero, an ironworker, left his home
to go to work in the Delmas 33 area of Port-au-Prince.  According to
his parents, he did not return home and his parents, with whom he
lives during the working week, assumed he was staying with his wife
who lives in Petit-Go	ve, a town, approximately 70 kilometres west of
Port-au-Prince.  After he had been missing for over two weeks the
family received a note from him through a former prisoner, saying that
he was being held in the military base in Delmas 33, Port-au-Prince,
and that the family should intercede with the authorities for his
release.  However, the authorities deny holding him  and his
whereabouts remain unknown.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Troops violently overthrew the democratically elected government of
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who took office in Haiti on 7
February 1991, in a coup on the night of 29 to 30 September.  Since
then Amnesty International has learned of widespread human rights
violations committed by the security forces, including a large number
of extrajudicial executions, torture and ill-treatment and mass arrests
without warrant. Several of those detained by the authorities remain
"disappeared".  These abuses have been carried out by uniformed
security force agents or, on some occasions, by men in civilian clothes
ostensibly linked to them. (See Haiti: Human Rights Held to Ransom,
AI Index: AMR 36/41/92, August 1992)

   On 19 June 1992 a new prime minister, Marc Bazin was sworn in. 
Several days before he took office, he pledged before the Haitian
senate to "stop repression and restore freedom of the press". 
However, Amnesty International is continuing to receive reports of
widespread human rights violations. 

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes and
airmail letters:

- expressing concern at the arrest of Wilson Sincere on 25 August
1992, reportedly carried out by members of the security forces; at the
abduction of Alix Mondesir on 26 August, by armed men believed to
be members of the security forces; and at the reported "disappearance"
of Mousson Romero;

- expressing concern at the reported ill-treatment of Wilson Sincere;

- urging that if detained, their detention be acknowledged and their
whereabouts be made known, and that their physical safety be
guaranteed;

- asking also that if detained, they be granted immediate access to
their families and to legal representation;

- urging that if detained, they be charged with a legal recognizably
criminal offence, or released immediately. 

APPEALS TO:

Prime Minister:

Marc BAZIN
[Salutation: Monsieur le Premier Minister / Dear Prime Minister]
Premier Ministre
Palais National
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telegrams:     Premier Ministre BAZIN, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Faxes:   + 509 34 1980; + 509 23 2121

Minister of Justice:

Matre Moise SENATUS
[Salutation: Monsieur le Ministre/Dear Minister]
Ministre de la Justice
Ministere de la Justice
Cite de l'Exposition
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telegrams:     Ministre de la Justice SENATUS, Port-au-Prince
Telephone:     + 509 45 0474;  + 509 45 1626
Telexes: 20166 Justice

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces:

Monsieur le General Raoul CEDRAS    
[Salutation: Monsieur le General/Dear General]
Commandant-en-Chef des Forces Armees d'Haiti
Grand Quartier General des Forces Armees d'Haiti
Rue Geffrard
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telegrams:     Comandant-en-Chef des Armees d'Haiti Cedras,
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telexes: 20391 gqfadh
Faxes:   + 509 23 9007; + 509 23 9407

Attorney General:

Matre Josue PIERRE
[Salutation: Monsieur le Commissaire/ Dear Mr. Attorney General]
Commissaire du Gouvernement pres le Tribunal de premiere instance
de Port-au-Prince
Parquet de Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telegrams:     Commissaire du Gouvernement, Parquet,
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telephone:     + 509 22-3238; + 509 22-3239

COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:

Anti-gang investigation and research service:
Monsieur le Capitaine Joanis JACKSON 
Chef du Service d'investigation et de recherches anti-gang
Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Chief of National Police:
Monsieur le Lt.Colonel  
Michel FRANCOIS         
Chef de la Police Nationale
Grand Quartier General de la Police
Port-au-Prince

National Penitentiary Director:
M. le Major Coulange
JUSTAFORTE
Commandant
Penitencier National
Rue du Centre
Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Police Precinct at Delmas 33:
Monsieur le Capitaine
Commandant de la 22eme
Compagnie de Police
Delmas 33
Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Haiti en Marche (News weekly)
173 N.W. 94 St
Miami, FL 33150, USA

and to the diplomatic representative for Haiti in your country - see 
the responses to this topic for further details.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.