FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Merrie Archer  954-462-8231

Haitian Coalition Expresses Grave Concern Over growing Violence in Haiti

New York, August 7, 2002 - The National Coalition for Haitian Rights (NCHR) is deeply troubled by the recent jailbreak in Gonaïves, Haiti and the ensuing violence and chaos that have consumed that city and threaten to spread to other provinces. Particularly disturbing has been the Haitian government's apparent inability or unwillingness to take the necessary steps to respond to the warning signs leading up to this attack or to restore public order. 

On Friday, August 2, an armed mob used a bulldozer to break into the Gonaïves prison to free Amiot "Cubain" Metayer, a former ally of President Aristide arrested for his roles in burning down the home of a member of the Opposition during the December 17, 2001 violence. Also freed were Jean Tatoune, convicted in 2000 for his part in the 1994 massacre at Raboteau, and more than 150 other prisoners. Since then, the escaped prisoners have taken control of the Raboteau section of the city, which the small police presence has been unable to penetrate, and many residents of the neighborhood have gone underground. 

"This violence is a natural outgrowth of the 'zero tolerance' policy proclaimed by President Aristide last year," said Dina Paul Parks, NCHR's Executive Director. "This type of policy is not the kind of thing that you can control. It has taken the country down a steady path of disorder and away from the rule of law, essentially giving Haitian citizens the right to take their version of justice into their own hands. Let us be clear, however. Giving anyone, especially known or suspected criminals, free reign in a society cannot be called justice or any other type of legitimate political activism or dissent." 

The events of the last few days in Gonaïves constitute an unmistakable sign of the extent to which basic Haitian institutions have weakened. Despite repeated signs over the past month, the Haitian government did nothing to prevent last week's attack on the Gonaïves prison. Metayer's so-called popular organization, the "Cannibal Army", stated in early July that it would not allow its leader to remain incarcerated for more than one month, and the attack came precisely one month after his arrest. In the days before the prison break-in, Cannibal Army members staged attacks on the telephone company, the Port Authority, a private bank, the Gonaïves City Hall, the justice building and two government vehicles, including one belonging to the police. Yet none of these incidents brought reinforcements to assist the local police, nor did they result in the arrest any of the perpetrators, many of whom are well known in Gonaïves.

"This political violence has further exposed fault lines within the Haitian government that, although kept to a minimum since the December 17, 2001 attack on the National Palace, are a danger to President Aristide's weakened government and threaten the already-fragile balance of power it maintains," added Merrie Archer, NCHR's Senior Policy Associate. "As more long-time supporters become disillusioned and break away or publicly withdraw their support, Haiti is put at greater risk for more violence from armed and discontented groups who may be able to take advantage of the growing power vacuum."

This issue of security has become a third, dark force affecting the OAS-guided negotiations between the government and the Convergence Démocratique, threatening to derail the entire process as the international community attempts to determine its next course of action. NCHR strongly condemns the use of violence and chaos as a means to an end, and encourages the Haitian people to renounce this tradition in favor of one in which principled political negotiation and dialogue replace acts of terror.

We call on the government of Haiti to take every appropriate measure to restore order in the city. At a minimum, this includes sending police reinforcements in sufficient quantity and properly equipped to recapture the escaped prisoners and ensure the safety of the residents of Gonaïves and arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators of the jailbreak. This is essential to ensuring that the judicial process, so vital to the proper functioning of the Haitian state, is respected and made a priority of the government to benefit all Haitians. 

We also call on the international community, in light of the deteriorating situation, to recommit its resources to assisting Haiti at this critical juncture, including having the OAS renew and indeed broaden its mandate and Special Missions. 

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The National Coalition for Haitian Rights is a nonprofit non-governmental organization that 
seeks to promote and protect the rights of Haitian refugees and Haitian-Americans under U.S. and international law, and to advance respect for human rights, the rule of law and support for civil and democratic society in Haiti.