Haiti Support Group condemns human rights violations

The Haiti Support Group condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the human
rights violations and political repression carried out by agents of the
Alexandre/Latortue interim government.

Although it hard to decipher the truth from the conflicting claims and
counter-claims about the recent violent clashes between on one hand, the Haitian
police, and on the other, what are variously described as ’"local residents",
"Lavalas supporters" and "armed bandits", it seems clear that the interim
government is involved in serious human rights violations. We refer in particular to
the following actions and statements in connection with the continuing
protests, violence and aggressive policing in Port-au-Prince since 30 September
2004:

– The alleged violent attack by police officers on a demonstration of Lavalas
Family party supporters on 30 September, and the comments to journalists, the
day after, by interim prime minister, Gérard Latortue. According to the
Haitian Press Agency, Latortue admitted that the police shot and killed some
demonstrators, saying, "We fired on them, some fell, others were wounded, and others
fled."

– The arrest - without warrants - of former Lavalas Family Senators, Yvon
Feuillé and Louis Gérald Gilles, and former Lavalas Family Deputies, Rudy
Hériveaux and Axène Joseph, at Radio Caraibes in Port-au-Prince on 2 October. The
arrests took place several hours after Gilles, Hériveaux, and Joseph had
participated in a weekly talk show. Gilles and Joseph were held in police custody
before being released, without having been charged, on 6 October. Feuillé and
Hériveaux are still being held without being charged.

– The comments of Haitian National Police director, Léon Charles, who on 8
October told Radio Galaxie that recent acts of violence had been committed by
"terrorists". The head of the Haitian police then showed a complete disregard
for the rule of law and a proper judicial process by stating that the police
would take action against what he described as "outlaws". The Haiti Support Group
is concerned that those considered ’outside the law’ by the police cannot
expect any due legal process or respect for their basic human rights. Charles
also appeared to sanction politically-motivated repression when he promised
action against the "intellectual authors" of the violence.

– The arrest - without a warrant - of Father Gérard Jean-Juste at Sainte
Claire’s church, in Petite Place Cazeau, in Delmas, a suburb of Port-au-Prince.
According to Amnesty International, Father Jean-Juste - a long-time supporter of
the Lavalas movement and Lavalas Family Party - was arrested by police
officers who failed to show a written mandate of arrest issued by the appropriate
authorities. He has since been charged with a minor public order offence but has
neither been released - as would be expected in such a case - nor presented
before a judge.

– The continued use by interim president, Boniface Alexandre, interim
justice minister, Bernard Gousse, and other officials, of the word ’terrorist’ to
describe alleged criminals. In today’s world, there is a clear and obvious
danger that officials’ use of this epithet can act as a green light for military,
police and intelligence services to ignore human rights norms, and to carry out
torture, detention without judicial process and extra-judicial assassination.

The London-based Haiti Support Group - a solidarity organisation working
alongside Haiti’s popular, democratic movement since 1992 - condemns the interim
Haitian government for actively participating in the erosion of respect for
fundamental human rights. We also call on the individuals and organisations that
were so vocal in supporting the rule of law during the Aristide/Neptune
administration to stand up for human rights now.

This email is forwarded as a service of the Haiti Support Group.

See the Haiti Support Group web site:
www.haitisupport.gn.apc.org

Solidarity with the Haitian people’s struggle for justice, participatory
democracy and equitable development, since 1992.