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Congresswoman
Maxine Waters
Letter to
Colin Powell on Repression in Haiti
April 1, 2004
The Honorable
Colin Powell
Secretary of
State
Department of
State
2201 C Street,
NW, Room 7261
Washington, DC
20520
Dear Secretary Powell:
We write to urge you to provide all necessary personal
protection, and safe passage out of Haiti should they choose to
leave, to Haitian Prime Minister Yvon Neptune and other Lavalas
Party officials whose lives are being threatened in Haiti.
Prime Minister Neptune had his home burned down during
last month's uprising. Because
of the substantial risks to his life, he went into hiding on
March 10, 2004, after his successor, Gerard Latortue, took
office. Since that
time, Prime Minister Neptune has been moving secretly from one
friend's house to another. He
also recently learned that his name is on a list of Lavalas
Party officials whom the thugs are targeting for murder.
As you know, many of the thugs who were involved in the
mayhem and criminal activities that led to the departure of
President Aristide, including Guy Philippe, Louis-Jodel
Chamblain and Jean-Pierre Baptiste, have a long history of
killing Lavalas Party supporters.
There is substantial evidence to indicate that the lives
of Lavalas Party officials are in danger if they do not receive
immediate protection by U.S. and multinational forces.
We implore you to act immediately to do whatever is
required to protect Prime Minister Neptune and other Lavalas
Party officials whose lives are being threatened and provide
them with safe passage out of Haiti if they choose to leave.
Sincerely,
Maxine Waters
Jan Schakowsky
John Conyers
Donald Payne
Diane E. Watson
Barbara Lee
Donna M.
Christensen
Corrine Brown
Ed Towns
Raul Grijalva
Major Owens
Charles Rangel
Sheila Jackson-Lee
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Congresswoman Maxine Waters is
Co-Chair of the House Democratic Steering Committee, a member of
the House Judiciary Committee, and the House Committee on
Financial Services. Following the 2000 U.S. presidential
election fiasco, Congresswoman Waters was named Chair of the
Democratic Caucus Special Committee on Electoral Reform.
Prior to being elected to the United States
Congress in 1990, Congresswoman Waters served in the California
State Assembly for 14 years, where she rose to the powerful post
of Democratic Caucus Chair. She has been a key leader in the
presidential races of Edward Kennedy, Jesse Jackson, and Bill
Clinton. She was a leader in the anti-apartheid movement in
the United States, was a key figure in Congressional efforts to
restore democracy to Haiti in 1994, and continues to be a
no-holds barred voice for justice and democracy at home and
abroad. |
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update 23 May
2009 |
