Urgent Alert: The people of Site Soley fear attack from UN Soldiers to justify their continued existence in Haiti

Date: 29 April 2006

Ezili Danto Note:
Below is a note HLLN received. The writer is an HLLN member who heard the gun fire and spoke directly to the resident from Site Soley asking for our help regarding MINUSTHA’s attack on Site Soley tonight. This seems urgent enough to put our Network on alert to help shine a civilized light and stop another possible UN massacre in Site Soley like the one on July 6, 2005. Please folks stay tune for further information. Those of you in our Nework in Haiti, if you have further info on this matter, please contact an HLLN member as soon as possible. To the best of our knowledge, this information has not made it onto our Haitian broadcast waves yet.

Ezili Danto
April 29, 2006

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Onè Ezili Dantò:

R__ called me earlier and he had L____ from Site Soley on the line. L____ told me that they had learned that MINUSTHA soldiers, Brazilians and Jordanians, were going to hit Site Solèy tonight (April 29, 2006).

According to L____who is in Site Soley right now, for the past 2 to 3 days, the UN soldiers have come to Site Solèy in their armored vehicle, shoot for a few minutes and then leave. Tonight though, they did not leave. I could definitely hear heavy weapons fire in the background.

As for the reason for their behavior, L in Site Soley says that observers think that Site Solèy’s calm since the February 7th election was proof enough that MINUSTHA was not needed to “establish peace”. Since the soldiers are not anxious to leave, they are creating unrest in order to justify their presence.

According to L, a rebirth has definitely taken place in Site Solèy. People are walking the streets again. Those who had left were coming back. Churches are offering regular religious services again. Finally, the people of the area have apparently gone to the Gonaives Bus Station and asked the drivers to use the National Route #1 again, that they would be safe. L in Site Soley thinks this fast return to normalcy is being interfered with by MINUSTHA in an attempt to remain longer in the country.

One more point made by L: he said the people of Site Soley have accused MINUSTHA of being confrontational for refusing to reopen the Boulos Market. MINUSTHA is also alleged to have apparently “inadvertently” left a pick-up full of arms in the area of Perpetual Church, expecting the people to fall for the trap and steal the arms. The people of the area again proved smarter than expected and ignored the guns that would have condemned them as “gang members” and made them a justified target. The soldiers were forced to remove the pick-up, when they realized that their plan did not work. This incident took place approximately 3 weeks ago, not long after the elections.

______,
HLLN member, transmitting a reporting from Site Soley on MINUSTHA’s allege attack on Site Soley this 29th day of April 2006.

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Forwarded by the Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network
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