Aftermath of a Coup The Other Disaster in Haiti

[seemslikeadream]

By Bishop THOMAS GUMBLETON
and BILL QUIGLEY

The democratically elected government leaders and their supporters are in prison or have been made into refugees in their own country while former military, gangs and rebels affiliated with those in power are often allowed to do as they please.

...

We also visited the women's prison in Petion-Ville where 51 women are kept in a poorly lit concrete structure and met with activist Annette Auguste, a 69 year old folk singer also called "So Anne who supported President Aristide. She has been in prison since May 10, 2004.

Ms. Auguste and all of her family of fifteen, including children as young as 12, 10 and 5 years old, were illegally arrested in her home by US Marines. The Marines used grenades to break into the house in the middle of the night, forced black hoods onto the heads of all inside and bound their arms behind their backs with plastic handcuffs. While she was arrested and questioned by the US, she is now being held by the Haitian government and has never confronted her accusers. She told us "The Americans put me here, I am waiting for the Americans to set me free.

....

Our delegation also visited a local police station in Port au Prince where 36 males were being kept in one concrete cell, 12 foot by 12 foot. None of those in the cell had formal charges, none had a lawyer, none had seen a judge, one had been in the cell since September 4. There is no medical care, and no food is provided. What food there is must be brought by families.

Mixed in the same small cell were children, adults, and people with mental problems and epilepsy. We met one 13 year old boy and two 15 year olds in the cell. Prisoners showed open sores on their legs, others showed injuries from physical brutality. Some told us no one in their family even knows they are in jail. They sleep standing up and leaning against the wall as there is no enough space for everyone to even sit down together much less lay down. The criminal law system which has never worked well for the poor is now being used for massive arrests in the poorest neighborhoods.

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http://www.counterpunch.org/quigley10132004.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. They have no one powerful to speak for them.

What kind of world has _Bush created?

36 people in a twelve by twelve foot room? Can you IMAGINE? 36 FROGS would be crowded in that space. It simply takes your breath away.

Most of us knew hell was coming for Haiti, and there was nothing which could be done. That's the way _Bush wanted it. He had to correct the effort Bill Clinton exerted to get the peoples' properly chosen candidate back into the place he was elected to fill.

_Bush had to repudiate ol' "lefty" Bill Clinton's decision, just as he overturned so many measures his predecessor had taken.

Taking us all back to the Dark Ages. Sure hope he loses this election. Surely a decent President here can bring help to Haiti. Bill Clinton did.

[struggle4progress]

2. kick

:kick: