Hatians Seized, Abused by Marines

While Haiti has fallen off the radar, conditions continue to get worse. Why aren't John Kerry and the Democratic leadership talking about this?

Hatians Seized, Abused by Marines
http://www.blackcommentator.com/90/90_cover_haiti.html

At 12:30 in the morning of May 10, approximately 20 U.S. Marines executed a military assault on the Port-au-Prince home of 69-year-old Annette Auguste, a.k.a. Souer Anne.  Auguste’s residence is part of a compound that includes four other apartments that were also invaded by the U.S. military forces.  The troops covered the heads of 11 Haitians with black hoods and then forced them to lay face down on the ground while binding their wrists with plastic manacles behind their backs. The victims of this terrifying U.S. military invasion included five-year-old Chamyr Samedi, 10-year-old Kerlande Philippe, 12-year-old Loubahida Augustine, 14-year-old Luckman Augustine, and seven adults.

The Marines blew up a vehicle and a substantial part of Auguste’s three-story house, leaving behind c4 and c5 explosives paraphernalia including blasting caps and igniters. Not a single member of the Haitian National Police force (PNH) or the de facto Haitian government was present when the U.S. forces attacked the residence, said the arrestees. 

All the detainees except Auguste were released after questioning.

More. . .http://www.blackcommentator.com/90/90_cover_haiti.html

Abuse in the defense of corporations is no crime.

:mad:

So now we are the secret in Haiti. There isn't even an attempt to provide a mask of legitimacy.

We are rounding up Haitian citizens, in Haiti, in violation of their constitution, without a declaration of war as needed by our consititution, for the purpose of dominating their political process.

And yet, because Iraq is dominating the news this isn't going to get any attention.

Haiti fell off the map within a week, even amongst the left. There were a few articles here and there, but srios discussion didn't last very long at all.

Complicity or cowardice in the halls of power.

No need to disturb any "beautiful minds."

U.S. Marines arrest Haitian singer and activist So Anne on Mother’s Day

Nevertheless, at midnight, all the people in So Anne’s house, including her 5-year-old great grandson, Shashou, were forced to the ground and handcuffed by U.S. Marines armed with heavy artillery - a 5-year-old Haitian child, handcuffed by the world's most powerful soldiers at midnight in his own grandmother's home! The children’s pet dogs were shot to death for barking at the Marines.


All 11 people at So Anne's house were transported to the U.S. barracks at the Medical University the U.S. shut down upon arriving in Haiti, a country without doctors, and interrogated. None was charged. No apologies were given. All were released, except that Lavalas militant So Anne, after having been interrogated all night, was then delivered to the Haitian National Penitentiary. No charges have been cited.

Other Haitian popular organizational leaders, currently in hiding for fear of similar U.S. reprisals, suspect this arrest is a pretext to prevent So Anne from taking part in a demonstration demanding the return of the rule of law and President Aristide planned for May 18, Haiti's Flag Day. This is the sort of "law and order" and “democracy” Haitians are subjected to after their constitutionally-elected president was, himself, forced out of Haiti by U.S. and French soldiers at gunpoint.



More than 3,000 Haitians, mostly young Haitian men associated or rumored to be associated with the Lavalas Movement, have been killed in Haiti since the U.S. deposed President Aristide on Feb. 29. In a bare two months, this bloodbath and killing of 3,000 Haitians represents more than half the number of Haitians who were killed during the entire three years of the first coup d'état from 1991 to 1994. Yet the reason given by Secretary of State Colin Powell for forcing out President Aristide and bringing in the MIF was "to avoid a bloodbath."


Demand So Anne’s immediate release

What is So Anne’s “crime?” Organizing nutritional programs, serving food to the homeless, presenting cultural programs, and supporting Lavalas - along with the majority of the Haitian people - to name a few. Thousands of Haitians have already been killed since the coup d’etat on Feb. 29 for similar “crimes.” Thousands more are in hiding. We must fight back on their behalf.

Protest this illegal and immoral action by the United States Marines! Demand So Anne’s immediate release! Your calls, faxes and e-mails will make a difference to keep So Anne alive, to deter brutal treatment and to expedite her release.

http://www.sfbayview.com/051204/soanne051204.shtml

Please contact Ambassador James Foley directly at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince; call (509) 223-7011 or (509) 222-0200, fax (509) 223-9665, email acspap@state.gov or visit http://usembassy.state.gov . And contact Secretary of State Colin Powell at the U.S. State Department in Washington; call (202) 647-5291 or (202) 647-7098, fax (202) 647-2283 or (202) 647-5169, or email via http://contact-us.state.gov/ask_form_cat /
ask_form_secretary.html.

Outcry against arrests in Haiti

Supporters of ousted president detained as interim leader has talks at UN on peacekeeping

PORT-AU-PRINCE Two prominent supporters of ousted Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide have been arrested, prompting criticism by a leader of Aristide's party and a human rights group.

Annette Auguste, a pro-Aristide street activist, was detained early on Monday by international forces on suspicion of illegal activities, and US Marines spokesman Col David Lapan claimed she threatened the troops,

Auguste was turned over to Haitian police and charged with "criminal conspiracy", said police spokesman Max Harry-Isaac. However, the spokesman did not elaborate.

It was not immediately clear whether troops from the US, Canada, Chile or France were involved.

Police said a warrant had been issued for Auguste's arrest, and more arrests were expected.

Pro-Aristide former mayor Maxson Guerrier of the Port-au-Prince suburb of Delmas was detained last week on Haiti's border with the Dominican Republic.

That arrest was denounced as illegal by the National Coalition for Haitian Rights because there were no charges against Guerrier.

"The arrest and detention of citizens for reasons of investigation' is totally unacceptable," said the coalition's director, Pierre Esperance.

Former cabinet minister Leslie Voltaire, of Aristide's Lavalas Family party, criticised the arrests, saying: "I have never seen Annette Auguste involved in anything.

"In the case of Maxson Guerri
er, he was arrested without a warrant."

http://www.matamat.com/fullstory.php?gd=34&cd=2004-05-12

We need action on this - lots of it.

:(

kick