Human rights group: Bring Duvalier to justice in Haiti- BUT WHAT ABOUT ARISTIDE & PREVAL??-Added COMMENTARY By Haitian-Truth

By Moni Basu, CNN

September 22, 2011 — Updated 1507 GMT (2307 HKT)

(CNN) — An international human rights monitor urged Haitian authorities to bring former dictator Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier to justice for alleged human rights abuses committed during his 15-year rule.

Amnesty International published a new report Thursday with evidence of arbitrary detentions, torture, deaths in custody, killings and disappearances of Haitians from 1971 to 1985 when Duvalier was in power.

Amnesty said the abuse was systematic and widespread under Duvalier’s iron-fisted rule.

“Neither the passage of time nor immunity from prosecution can be used as excuses for not investigating or prosecuting those responsible for such crimes, including Jean-Claude Duvalier himself,” the report said.

Duvalier stunned the world by returning to Haiti in January. He had been living in exile in France.

After Duvalier’s return to Port-au-Prince, Haitian authorities reopened a 2008 corruption and embezzlement case against him based on allegations that he stole hundreds of millions of dollars from the national treasury.

Amnesty International as well as other human rights groups want Haitian authorities to also bring Duvalier to trial for his alleged brutality.

Amnesty gave the Port-au-Prince public prosecutor 100 documents that it said detailed cases of human rights violations.

“What is needed is political will from Haiti’s new administration to comply with their international obligations and their duty to the survivors and victims of abuses,” said Javier Zuniga, a special advisor at Amnesty International.

“The cases of human rights abuses we documented in Haiti are likely to be only a small proportion of what really happened during Duvalier’s rule,” Zuniga said. “We will probably never know the true extent of the horror, but carrying out effective investigations will go a long way towards delivering justice.”

Amnesty International’s documents tell the experiences of cobblers, taxi drivers, filmmakers, mechanics, distillers and even hairdressers, all of whom, they say, were arrested for anti-government activity.

Among the testimonies is that of Evans Paul, a journalist who was arrested in October 1980 at the Port-au-Prince airport. He was returning from New York after interviewing the exiled former Haitian President Paul Eugene Magloire.

He was several journalists arrested for subversion, according to Amnesty International.

“Several people with sticks … gave me a severe beating,” Paul told the organization.

“A man … pushed a long stick behind my legs and arms. I was like a ball. I felt as my body was going to break everywhere. At that point I was beaten with sticks. At one point I felt as though I were going to die. They gave me something to drink. Then they started again even worse. The skin on my buttocks had been torn away. The blood was running down. They weren’t put off. On the contrary, you could say that the sight of my blood excited them even more. When I was on the point of dying, they untied me and dragged me to a dark cell. You couldn’t see anything.”

He was later released without charge.

Gerard Duclerville, a Catholic lay activist, was arrested in December 1982.

Duclerville told Amnesty that he was interrogated about his radio show. “They jacked me up and started raining blows on me with a baton … I must have been hit 70 times with the baton. At some point I felt it was too much for me and I couldn’t stand any more. I said to them, ‘You guys, instead of torturing me like that, it would be better if you just killed me and get it over with…'”

He was released without charge and needed treatment in a hospital, including skin grafts.

He was lucky. Others died in custody, Amnesty said. Still others “disappeared,” never to be seen again.

Michele Montas, a journalist and former spokeswoman for the United Nations secretary-general, said she endured threats and detention and survived an assassination attempt for her journalism.

The staff at the independent radio station of her husband, Jean Dominique, was harassed and the station was shut down during Duvalier’s rule, she said. She was expelled from the country in 1980 and returned only after Duvalier’s ouster.

“We have enough proof,” she told CNN in January. “There are enough people who can testify.”

Dominique was slain in 2000. His daughter Nadine Dominique is one of the organizers of a Duvalier victims’ group in Quebec, Canada.

“We were shocked when we heard the news that he had returned to Haiti,” said Nadine Dominique. “We all felt so strongly that we had to help bring him to justice, because without that, the Haitian people will never fully heal. You cannot move on without that closure.”

With the release of its report, Amnesty International urged Haiti’s new president, Michel Martelly, to take swift action.

“Haiti’s current government led by President Michel Martelly has an obligation under international law to bring to justice those responsible for the crimes against humanity committed during Duvalier’s years,” Zuniga said.

CNN attempts to reach Martelly for comment were unsuccessful.

Duvalier told reporters in January that he returned to Haiti to help with rebuilding the country after last year’s devastating earthquake.

In May, he was living with his companion Veronique Roy in a friend’s hilltop home in a plush Port-au-Prince neighborhood. He took over Haiti at the young age of 19 — then the youngest leader in the world — but at 59, looked infirm beyond his years. He has since turned 60.

He agreed to speak about all the allegations against him but in the end, CNN never heard back from him.

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COMMENT: HAITIAN-TRUTH.ORG

Javier Zuniga, a special adviser at Amnesty International  should invest a little time in making a balanced study of Haiti’s problems. The Duvalier period is time-expired whereas the Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Rene Preval presidencies all fall within the 20 year Statute of Limitations. There are hundreds of murders attributed to them, with substantial evidence to support conviction.

EVANS PAUL, along with MARIE LAURENCE LESSAGUE  was responsible for the massacre of over 200 members of Dr. Roger Lafontant’s political party in January, 1991.

Jean Dominique’s radio station was funded by Duvalier. Michele Montas was a fervent Duvalier supporter. Somehow they changed their coats, when it was beneficial, and claimed non-existent harassment. Jean Dominique was killed by Aristide/Preval with indirect complicity of Michele Montas. She stayed home, at Preval’s request, on the morning her husband drove of to his Destiny.

On the other hand, a balanced, and fair study of the Duvalier years will show a period of real law-and-order, stability, tourism, decreased illiteracy, investment….The Aristide/Preval years claim the same, but are simply smoke and mirrors created by media control – with good old American dollars.

Once again, I will quote American Ambassador Ernest Preeg, from his monograph on the Reagan Caribbean Basin Initiative.

“It can honestly be stated that the Jean-Claude Duvalier presidency in the longest period of violence-free stability in the nation’s history…”

The same cannot be said about the Aristide/Preval presidencies with murder, kidnaps, necklacings in their dozens, hundreds….

Duvalier lives within a mile of Preval and Aristide, in their ultra-plush surroundings with dozens of heavily armed security guards. Neither travels into the public for fear of the public reaction. Duvalier has 2 security people and can travel anywhere with safety, unless one considers the press of Haitians as they struggle to touch Duvalier.

Duvalier’s  companions are the greatest threat to the Duvalier’s legacy, father and son, as they block all efforts by the media to conduct interviews. The Truth is Duvalier’s best supporter. Some interviews will create negative product, because of the writer’s  personal agenda. However, real journalists, looking for the Truth, will create a real picture of Duvalier, and his presidency, warts and all.

Jean-Claude Duvalier is revered, by the Haitian people who hope that he will help them – and the Nation – overcome today and tomorrow’s challenges.

If Duvalier does not take control of his life he will be rapidly forgotten and become a shadowy memory from the past, a memory divorced from today’s reality that sees him receiving fewer and fewer guests, until there will be none.

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7 thoughts on “Human rights group: Bring Duvalier to justice in Haiti- BUT WHAT ABOUT ARISTIDE & PREVAL??-Added COMMENTARY By Haitian-Truth

  1. Actually Duvalier’s greatest Nemesis is Veronique Roy. She has become a control freak. We tried to do an interview with President Duvalier and she delayed, delayed, delayed until our BBC producer was no longer interested. This was probably a good thing because we planned a very positive interview but, after Roy’s continued delays, the producer would probably have done a negative piece because of irritation with this lady of indeterminate origin.

    Some suggest she is originally from Italy while others suggest Iran. I would personally pick Morocco.

    Duvalier is a nice guy. I met him some years ago in Paris, before Roy entered his life.

  2. Tout demagoji sa yo se radot.

    Wi, koman pou moun nasyozini sa yo kapab konprann ke tout lot moun se enbesil?

    Konpotman envestigate entenasyonal sa yo sanble ke yon enplike direk direk nan male peyi depi toujou.Reyaksyon yo demontre kare bare ke se yomenm menm ki kache deye tout move zak ki toujou apm pratike sou pep Ayisyen an sou tout gouvenman restavek yo soti depi sou gouvenman Aleksann Petyon pou rive sou denye gouvenman Bellerive-Preval an 2010.

    Malandren sa yo pran tout lot moun pou egare, je pete, iyoran tankou vagabon sanzave malpouwont ki tout ap resevwa lajan aletranje ak nan anbasab yo ki se yon estrikti kriminel ke ansyen peyi kolonyalis yo mete anplas pou pini Ayiti ak pep Ayisyen an akoz Ayiti te pran endepandans li epi li te louvri chimen libete a bay tout lot pep atrave lemond.

    Radot dosye rapo Amnisti sa a, se yon zatrap ke oganizasyon nasyonzini mete deyo akoz pep Ayisyen an vle mete yo deyo nan peyi a pou tout zap maspinay ke konplis Ayisyen yo atrave gouvenman sangine yo ak kek ONG ak Minustah ap fe sou popilasyon an. Yo pran preteks ke yo pi sansib pou pep Ayisyen an ki te viktim anba gouvenman diktatoryal Duvalier yo.

    Men tou,poukisa jouk jounen jodi a, Nasyozini pa di anyen sou tout zak maspinay ke pwop manm misyon nasyozini ap pratike sou popilasyon an?

    Kote rapo sou asasinay komandan Minustah a kite mouri nan Otel Montana avek yon sak dola vet ki te plis pase plizye milyon kite anpile apre ke manm fos lame nasyonzini an menm te reyalize nan aktivite kidnaping pou yo te teste kapasite solda li yo nan abilite pou yo te tabli sistem kidnaping nan na peyi a?

    Kote envestigate sa yo ye pou yo pa ni we ni konprann ke se manm nasyonzini sa yo menm ki responsab direk direk tout krim ak abi ki te fet sou gouvenman Duvalier yo? Kiyes ki te soutni gouvenman Duvalier yo? Kiyes ki te founi yo lajan ak zam pou konbat opozan li yo nan peyi a? Kiyes ki te vin monte sistem espyonaj ak asasinaj tout moun ki te kont gouvenman Duvalier yo?

    Kiles ki te finanse dechoukaj gouvenman Duvalier an 1986?Kiyes ki te anvayi Ayiti avek gazolin, kowoutchou, grenad, revolve,make,pou pep la te detwi tet li soti 1986 pou rive an 2011? Pep la pa genyen mwayen pou li manje alevwa pou li ta jwenn kob pou en vesti nan revol kont moun ki ap ede li siviv?

    Kopte rezilta travay sekirite ak jistis nasyonzini reyalize nan peyi a?

    Men kek rezilta prezans nasyonzini nan peyi a:

    Koripsyon jeneralize.
    Distribisyon zam bay tout timoun ak granmoun
    Montaj gann sou tout teritwa peyi a.
    Kidnaping tout kote
    Vyol sistematik fanm tankou gason atrave tout peyi a
    asasinay tout Ayisyen ki pa dako avek yo
    Asasinaj anyel anavn renouvelman chak nouvo manda
    Koripsyon tout ajan fonksyon piblik nan peyi a.
    Koripsyon tout gouvenman ak enstitisyon prive yankou piblik.
    De milyon ka lanmo nan popilasyon an
    Jenosid popilasyon an atrave kolera,
    Tranblemandte palnifye avek gouvenman Bellerive -Preval
    Vol ak piyaj lajan ONG yo
    Komsi, yo konprann ke tout lot moun se Enbesil tankou yo?

    Se yo ki anvayi Ayiti pou vin vanje san kolon ki te fe menm dyob la kont esklav ki t ap lite pou endepandans yo nan koloni a.
    Gouvenman ki dwe jije jodi a se gouvenman apre 1986 yo, milite tankou sivil ki te mare sosis yo avek estrilti ansyen kolon sa yo ki vin teworize popilasyon an atrave move plan konstitisyon, eleksyon fo mamit pou mete anplas palman, ministe, direksyon ak tout lot oganizasyon kriminel pou masakre popilasyon an.

    Wi tout moun sa yo dwe jije devan tribinal listwa.
    Tout anbasade ak diplomat ki pase nan peyi a soti 1804 pou rive 2011 dwe jije pou konplisite yo nan zafe move ajisman gouvenman ki depafini avek byen ak lavi popilasyon an.

    Kote patwon dechouke 1986-2011 yo ye jodi a?
    Konbyen Ayisyen ki pedi lavi yo soti 1986 pou rive 2011 pandan ke nasyonzini prezan nan peyi a?

    Ki moun ki te finanse SD, SSP, FRAP, ATACHE, CHIME,KIDNAPE,eksetera era nan peyi a?

    Konbyen moun Minustah asasinen nan site Soley, matisan,Potoprens, Kafou, Petyonvil, ak tout lot rakwen nan peyi a?

    Konbyen pe, jounalis,pwofese, etidyan,fonksyone prive tankou piblik, manman pitit ak pap pitit, jenfi tankou jen gason, timoun piti,tankou jenn moun ki prdi lavi yo nan peyi akoz entere Amnisti Entenasyonal ki se machin lanmo nasyozini?

    Nou vle yon jijman san fos kote pou tout kriminel limanite sa yo.
    Konbyen Duvalyeris ki pedi lavi yo pou anyen soti 1986 pou rivr 2011 anba je Amnisti Entenasyonal?

    Konbyen kay ki boule avek tout moun ladan yo anba je Amnisti Entenasyonal?

    Mezanmi, bann van pou m al Lagonav tande.
    Le moman rive, Ayisyen k ap etidye e k ap viv lot bo dlo genyen pou yo pran tet enpil oganizasyon entenasyonal sa yo k ap oganize krim sa yo, epi le sa a selman, pep Ayisyen va jwenn bonjan jistis pou tout moun.

    MWEN FOUT DI YO:” Sispann pran tout lot moun pou Enbesil tande” bann Avadra, Aferis, k ap mare sosis yo avek Vakabon san nasyon tankou: Aristide -Preval ak akolit yo, ki vann peyi a ak tout popilasyon san otorizasyon pep Ayisyen an.

    Ki moun ki pa konprann sa k ap pase la a?

    Anvan lontan, menm gouvenman koudyay-Switmiki sa a, k ap kraponnen pep la,nan kontinye aktivite koripsyon nan tet pouvwa genyen pou li rann kont bay popilasyon an kare bare.

    Michel Martelly,Prezidan
    Sophia Martelly, fonksuone otomatik
    Pitit gason Martelly, Konseye Ministe

    Ala pasaj mezanmi.
    Menm bon lakay Martelly vwayaje sou lajan taks peyi a san konte tout asosye Michel Martelly k ap viv lot bo dlo fe pati delagasyon ofisyel pou al pran inisyasyon nan nasyonzini pou yo ka vin fini ak pep la net.

    Manman pitit mare vant nou tande, paske, kou sa a pap pase non.

  3. Veronique is Jean Claude’s greatest danger since she has been in contact with Aristide for some time. What she hopes to benefit from this is beyond imagination as she continues her aggressive assault on Michel Martelly.

    To have contact and communication with Aristide can only destroy Jean Claude Duvalier. He was on a positive path but Veronique, coupled with the new Amnest reports and demands for his arrest – even though he is guilty of no crime – may see him arrested.

    Veronique will end the Duvalier dynasty on a sad note.

  4. It has long been supported that Veronique Roy is an agent of the French Deuxième Bureau, inserted to keep Jean Claude Duvalier under control. Before this she sought company of rich Arabs from the Emirates.

  5. Veronique is no Michele Duvalier.
    Michele had class.
    Veronique comes from the base

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