ALERT-Top Haitian labor leader faces death threats, search of home & threat of arrest
Eng. translation - CTH fears for PaulLoulou Chéry and others after police operations -
PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY....FAX AND WRITE YOUR CONCERN TO THE PERSONS LISTED BELOW
The CTH executive secretary is disturbed over the situation of the labor organization's general coordinator Paul Loulou Chéry
Port-au-Prince, October 26, 2004 (AHP)- Jacques Belzin, Executive Secretary of the Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH), on Tuesday denounced the search operations conducted Monday at the home of the Confederation's general coordinator, Paul Loulou Chéry, by armed men wearing the regular uniforms of the police.
According to Jacques Belzin, armed men aboard two vehicles bearing police license plates have been attempting to arrest Paul Loulou Chéry since Sunday October 24.
During a search of the CTH on Sunday, the labor organization's security guard, Innocent Blanc, was arrested and important documents were taken away, he said.
The watchman was forced to lead them to the home of Mr. Loulou Chéry, where they confiscated a photo of Mr. Chéry, threatening to kill him if he fails to appear at a police station, said Mr. Belzin.
Jacques Belzin expressed grave concern at this situation because, he said, nobody knows the current whereabouts of Paul Loulou Chéry.
Other CTH officials have been forced to go into hiding, he said.
He deplored that arrests are being made solely on the basis of simple accusations.
The CTH leader said he hopes that public opinion in Haiti and abroad will take note of the situation.
Several members of the labor confederation were arrested on September 16 and are still in prison although they have not not been brought before a judge for a ruling on the basis for their arrests.
Agence Haitienne de Presse (AHP) October 26, 2004 11:00 AM
FAX OR CALL Ambassador James Foley and UN Officials in Haiti:
Demand that the US-installed authorities in Port-au-Prince cease their persecution of Paul Loulou Chery, the CTH labor confederation and trade union activists!
Demand an end to impunity for human rights violations!
James B. Foley, U.S. Ambassador to Haiti
PHONE: 011-509-222-0354
FAX: 011-509-223-9665
UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)
PHONE: 011-509-244.9650/9660
FAX: 011-509-244-9366/9667
Kofi Annan's Special UN Envoy to Haiti: Mr. Juan Gabriel Valdes
UN Military Commander in Haiti: Lt. General Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira
UN Commissioner for Human Rights in Haiti: Mahamane Cisse-Gouro
Please Fax the MINUSTAH office Attention to the 3 listed above. Better yet, send 3 separate letters addressing them individually.
Thanks to all of those who responded to the previous urgent action. You generated hundreds of faxes and calls to the U.S. Embassy and UN. According to our human rights monitors on the ground, your action helped the demonstrations (especially in Cap) to proceed without provocation.
TO STAY INFORMED AND CURRENT ABOUT HAITI, GO TO www.haitiaction.net the website of Haiti Action Committee
International Action Center
39 West 14th Street, Room 206
New York, NY 10011
email: mailto:iacenter@action-mail.org
En Espanol: iac-cai@action-mail.org
Web: http://www.iacenter.org
Support Mumia Abu-Jamal: http://www.millions4mumia.org/
phone: 212 633-6646
fax: 212 633-2889
Make a donation to the IAC and its projects
The International Action Center
Home ActionAlerts Press
Share this page with a friend