News HaitiAction.net

October 21, 2004

Congresswoman Waters AGAIN
Urges Secretary of State Powell

to Demand that the Interim
Government of Haiti

Release Father Gerard Jean-Juste
from Prison

Washington, D.C. -- Today, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) sent a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell, urging him to take action to obtain the immediate release of Father Gerard Jean-Juste, the pastor of Saint Claire Church in Haiti, who was arrested by Haitian police on October 13, 2004, and who remains illegally detained in prison in violation of Haitian law. The Congresswoman's letter is a follow-up to a previous letter on Fr. Jean-Juste's behalf, which was sent by the Congresswoman to Secretary Powell on the day of Fr. Jean-Juste's arrest and which has yet to receive a response. The text of today's letter follows:

"I urge you to take action to obtain the immediate release of Father Gerard Jean-Juste, the pastor of Saint Claire Church in Haiti, who is currently illegally detained in prison in violation of Haitian law. Fr. Jean-Juste is a widely-respected advocate for peace and justice in Haiti. He should never have been arrested.

"Fr. Jean-Juste has always spoken out forcefully against all forms of violence. He opposed the state-sponsored violence of the Duvalier regime and the military dictatorship from 1991 to 1994, and he speaks out against violence in Haiti today by everyone in Haitian society, regardless of their political affiliation.

"According to reports, Saint Claire Church was surrounded by heavily-armed men, some of whom were hooded and some of whom were members of the Haitian National Police, while Fr. Jean-Juste was feeding hungry children in the church on Wednesday, October 13, 2004. These heavily-armed men subsequently arrested him, although they did not have a warrant for his arrest. Fr. Jean-Juste currently remains illegally detained in prison in violation of Haitian law.

"As you know, I wrote to you on the day of Fr. Jean-Juste's arrest, asking you to take immediate action to protect his life, and I am still waiting for your response. While I am relieved to hear reports that Fr. Jean-Juste is still alive, those same reports cause me to be deeply concerned about the conditions of his imprisonment. I am told that he shares a small cell with 18 other prisoners, that has no beds or water for bathing, and that the bathroom is a smelly bucket in the corner of the cell. If these reports are accurate, these conditions are inhumane. They are especially inhumane given the fact that Fr. Jean-Juste has not committed any crime.

"Please contact the Interim Government of Haiti immediately to demand that Fr. Jean-Juste be released at once. I would appreciate a call as soon as possible to discuss Fr. Jean-Juste's fate and to advise how our government intends to move forward in response to my concerns. I look forward to speaking with you."

        Sincerely,

        Maxine Waters
        Member of Congress

See also:

IJDH Human Rights Alert:
Illegal Arrest of Catholic Priest,
Rev. Gérard Jean-Juste

Masked Haitian Police Shoot Children While Arresting Priest -Oct 21

Haitian Priest Jailed Indefinitely
for 40 Cent Crime - After over a week in jail, the charges against Haitian priest Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste have finally been made public by the government. Fr. Jean-Juste, a powerful advocate of the poor, was arrested October 13, 2004, by masked heavily armed gunmen while feeding 600 children at his parish of St. Claire in Port au Prince. The unelected government of Haiti has accused him of providing support for the opposition. At one point they suggested that he provided "guns and money for terrorists." - Oct 20

Catholic Priest arrested in Haiti
Haiti Information Project (HIP)Port au Prince, Haiti (HIP) Heavily armed units of the Haitian National Police (PNH) arrested Catholic priest Gerard Jean-Juste today at his parish of St. Claire in the poor neighborhood of Petite Place Cazeau. The U.S.-backed government of Gerard Latortue accused Father Jean-Juste of importing arms and harboring gunmen in his parish. Jean-Juste spoke by telephone minutes prior to his arrest and denied any involvement in the violence that has rocked Haiti since September 30th when police opened fire on a peaceful demonstration.

Tearing up the Charter: UN's Erosion Continues in Haiti - Flashpoints Radio's Dennis Bernstein Interviews Kevin Pina and Brian Concannon.

Message from a Jailed Priest in Haiti
Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste shares a small dark jail cell with 18 other men in Haiti. Their bathroom is a smelly bucket in the corner of the cell - open for all to see. Oct 16