La Saline Declaration: The Right to Live Should Not Be Deprived!

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Context
On December 27, 2018, a day of reflection on the latest bloody events that took place in La Saline in November 2018 was carried out by Quisqueya University, Notre Dame University of Haiti and the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH).
This event was attended by dozens of people from different sectors of national life – human rights defenders, lawyers, doctors, agronomists, pastors, priests, university professors, students, journalists, economists, feminist activists, leaders companies, psychologists, sociologists, etc.  It was an opportunity, once again, to present the human and material loss record, make a legal analysis of events, look at the security situation in La Saline, stressing its impact on the lives of families and children, and reflect on a strategy for collective action to bring life back to La Saline.
At the end of the day, the La Saline Declaration was adopted by the participants.

Declaration of La Saline
We, the signatories of this declaration, express our solidarity with the families of the victims and reaffirm our determination to ensure that this massacre is not forgotten.
We ask that all light be shed on the events that took place from 1 to 14 November 2018 in La Saline, a district of the city of Port-au-Prince.
We question the reasons for this massacre, while authorities do not say a word on what occurred. We call on the public powers to carry out an independent investigation into the establishment of the truth, including, where appropriate, regional and international human rights bodies.
We are outraged by this massacre, where violence goes beyond human understanding: savagely murdered innocent people, including children and old people, raped women, vandalized and burnt houses.
These crimes constitute serious and massive violations of human rights and an attack on human dignity.Therefore, they must not go unpunished.
It is unacceptable that, until now, no official investigation has been opened to identify the culprits, lay down responsibilities and put public action in motion.

In the immediate future, we ask state institutions:
1) enhanced security measures to eliminate the hold of armed gangs on the inhabitants of La Saline and allow the return to life in the neighborhood;
2) special protection measures for victims, including those who have lodged a complaint;
3) free care for the injured;
4) psycho-social support for traumatized families, especially children;
5) compensation for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of destroyed or damaged houses;
6) economic support for companies that have been wiped out or are struggling to resume their activities;
7) an independent inquiry and the establishment of a dialogue with civil society organizations and universities throughout the process;
8) the setting in motion of a public action (legislative and regulatory measures, safety device, means of financing, etc.) aiming at the dismantling of all the gangs which poison the life in the districts.
We call on the active solidarity of all citizens to demand that the public authorities take action in the name of justice and provide urgent support to families and people in distress.

No to barbarism!
No to the silence of the authorities and society! No to impunity!
Solidarity with the victims of La Saline!

Port-au-Prince,  December 27, 2018

Signatories: