The four Lavalas activists released Monday speak to the press after many months in detention  

Port-au-Prince, August 17, 2006 (AHP); The four Lavalas activists,  Annette Auguste, Paul Raymond, Yvon Antoine and Georges Honoré, who were released last Monday by the judicial authorities, said they were happy to have been released Monday, and declared that they were determined to fight for the release of all the other political prisoners.  

The Lavalas activists were released by the judicial authorities after more than two years in prison without any real charges under the interim authorities.  

The former political prisoners spoke at their first press conference, which took place at the BAI (Office of International Lawyers) and was held under the sign of union, peace and national reconciliation.  

Lavalas activist Annette Auguste, known as Sò Ann, asked all sectors of national life to offer their best efforts to the Préval/Alexis government to move the country forward.  

The word ''union" should capture the attention of all Haitians at this crucial moment in Haiti's history, asserted Annette Auguste. She asked all who were part of the former opposition (to the Aristide government) and who are now supporting President Préval, to collaborate with complete honesty and justice to move the country forward, she said. 

For his part, Paul Raymond, appealed to all Haitians to show great solidarity by working together for the welfare of Haiti.  

If we do not act in this way, he said, the country will be governed without us and against us.  

Yvon Antoine, known as Yvon Zap-zap, asked the competent authorities to shed light on what happened on December 5, 2003,  while calling for justice and reparations for all the time he spent in prison unjustly.  

Georges Honoré also sought justice for his wrongful imprisonment and also for his bodily injuries he claims were inflicted by officers of the DCPJ (Central Directorate of the Judicial Police) while he was being interrogated.  

These four former prisoners also said they were determined to fight for the re-hiring of all civil service employees who were arbitrarily discharged and for the return to Haiti of all political exiles.  

One of the attorneys for the Lavalas activists, Mario Joseph, announced that two days of mobilization will be organized with other human rights organizations on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 22 and 23, to compel the authorities to release all the other political prisoners.  

 Mario Joseph took the opportunity to thank all human rights organizations and other lawyers for their support in his struggle for the release of these individuals.  

He asked all such organizations to participate fully in this effort.  
AHP August 17,  2006 1:50 PM