From the Haiti Support Group
Re: Violence at St Raphael, detentions without charge
Dear President Aristide,
We are most concerned and distressed about the reported violent attack on organised workers and peasants at the Guacimal company plantation at St. Raphael on Monday 27 May. We implore you to take immediate action to guarantee the safety of those at risk from further violence, and to administer justice against those carrying out the attack.
According to the information that we have received, on 27 May, a group of local people organised as the Sendika Travayè Agrikol Gwasimal Senrafayèl, accompanied by a solidarity delegation from the Cap-Haitien-based union federation, the Intersyndicale Premier Mai - Batay Ouvriye, assembled in St. Raphael. Their aim was to allocate parcels of land at the Guacimal orange plantation for use by local peasant farmers during the current growing season. This division of the unused land between the orange trees has been an established practice for many, many years.
The assembled group proceeded to the plantation where, according to the reports that we have read, they were met by a group lead by the authorities in the area, namely a grandon (landowner) called Lavaud who represents the Guacimal company, and by two Lavalas Family officials: a member of the CASEC, Analyas, and a member of the ASEC, Letoine. This group, some armed with machetes and clubs, others with guns, attacked the organised workers and peasants. Shots were fired by the CASEC member. Stones and other missiles were thrown in defence. Many people were seriously injured as the assailants dispersed the assembled group.
Most seriously, we are informed of the following outrage: According to information received from our colleagues, Batay Ouvriye, some time after the above incident two elderly members of the organisation who had come from St. Michel de l'Attalaye but who had not taken part in the fighting, were discovered hiding in a house far from the plantation. We are informed that members of the attacking group took these two people out of the house, tied them up and dragged them to the plantation. There they were mutilated and cut up with knives. Finally, they were beheaded and their bodies were thrown in a hole.
We further understand that on 29 May a helicopter carrying a unit of the CIMO police was dispatched from Port-au-Prince to St. Raphael, and took seven people detained in the St. Raphael jail back to Port-au-Prince. We understand that the seven detainees include three members of Batay Ouvriye and two journalists who were covering the events. All seven are apparently now detained in the National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince. As far as we know they have not been charged with any offence. If that was not bad enough we understand that the two journalists, Darwin St. Julien of the Haïti Progrès newspaper and Allan Deshommes of Radio Atlantique, are being denied the urgent medical attention that they require for the injuries they received during the 27 May incident. St. Julien may lose an eye, and Deshommes' condition may be life threatening. We understand that the two were originally detained by the St. Raphael police on the basis of the Lavalas Family mayor of St. Raphael's claim that he knew them to be "terrorists".
Mr President, you have been familiar with the work of the Haiti Support Group since you visited London in 1992, and you have met with members of our organisation on several subsequent occasions. You will appreciate that we are outraged not only that the above events can take place during your Presidency and under a Lavalas Family-dominated government, but that Lavalas Family Party officials are accused of playing a leading role in the St. Raphael attack.
Yours sincerely,
Charles Arthur
director, the Haiti Support Group,
London, UK.
