AHP News August 12, 2005

English translation (Unofficial)

The American ambassador in Haiti considers the liberation of the No 2 of a paramilitary organization while a former prime minister is kept unfairly in prison is a real scandal

Port-au-Prince , August 12, 2005 (AHP)- Outgoing Ambassador of the United States in Haiti James B. Foley declared Friday that there was a serious need of justice and education in Haiti.

Mr. Foley, who was speaking at a conference the day before he leaves Haiti, deplored the bad running of the judicial apparatus under the interim regime, even though he said he sees some efforts done by the new Minister of Justice Henri M. Dorléans who replaced Bernard Gousse.

He considered the liberation of former number 2 of FRAPH Louis Jodel Chamblain who was found guilty of horrible crimes as a real scandal. Even if he was acquitted by a court, it is a man known for serious crimes, Ambassador Foley said.

Louis Jodel Chamblain came out of prison on Thursday August 11th, after the Court of Cassation broke the verdict of the trial for the Raboteau massacre that had killed several dozens of people in April 1994. Chamblain had handed himself to justice in April 2004 after taking active part in an armed rebellion against President Aristide in January and February 2004.

"Louis Jodel Chamblain’s release tarnishes Haiti’s image abroad even more. Imagine the release of a man condemned for horrible crimes, while we keep in prison former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune who put the country’s interests before his own interests", Foley declared.

After Aristide’s hasty departure on February 29, 2004, Yvon Neptune stayed at the prime minister’s office until the nomination of the interim prime minister and helped to compose the three-party commission that gave birth to the Council of the Wise.

"It is sad that we chose to ignore that contribution from Neptune. And as a proof, Neptune has been in prison for 14 months, with no investigation, no sentence and without any specific charge against him, Ambassador Foley deplored. "There are people who spoke of genocide, massacre and slaughter on February 11, 2004 in the neighborhood of La Scierie (Saint-Marc), what is real in all of that? », the ambassador wondered, adding that the fact that Neptune was in this town two days before cannot in any way justify the accusations against him.

"The United States are against impunity, but this is a question of violation of human rights, injustice and abuse of power", James B. Foley declared. He pointed out that some sectors of the regime in place take pleasure in such practices.

"These people are not welcome in the United States", the ambassador warned, saying that their behaviour tarnishes Haiti’s image throughout the world. According to him, Yvon Neptune is treated that way only because he collaborated with Aristide.

It is an organization known to be close to the former opposition to the Aristide/Neptune government, the NCHR/Haiti that had first accused Mr. Neptune of involvement in the matter of La Scierie. The organization claimed that about fifty people had been killed. To explain the absence of bodies, the NCHR/Haiti had then said that dogs had eaten them all.

The American Ambassador also denied the accusations that say that President Aristide was kidnapped. He said that it was Aristide himself who had asked for the United States’ help. It is the second time the United States intervened to save his life. First during the coup d'état and on February 29, 2004, Foley said, adding that Aristide had come back to the power in 1994 thanks to the United States’ help.

AHP August 12, 2005 2:10 PM