Note by Tom Luce 6.25.10: In the previous December, 08, the entire Grand Ravine Community Human Rights Council (CHRC-0FR) was threatened with violence if they insisted on continuing their non-violent quest for justice in their community. They regrouped and continued on working with armed groups to find a non-violent solution to the needs of the community.


Grand Ravin Community Human Rights Council 2.15.09

Report on the Grand Ravine Meeting  Feb. 15, 2009

by Gaëlle Celestin
translated by Tom Luce

PLACE: Grand Ravin (private)

TIME:     3-5:30 PM

PRESENT:

AUMOHD:  Atty. Evel Fanfan, Ms. Gaëlle M. Celestin

CHRC-GR: Denise Mathieu, Nicoles Dulomme, Ducas Marc Lucann, Jean Ernst Point-Du-Jour, Jean Pierre Franzy, Patrick Estinphil

ARMED GROUPS:  anonymous
TWO COMMUNITY LEADERS: anonymous

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

1. Reminder of the role of the CHRC--community mission, collective work, what it is not) History of AUMOHD in Grand Ravin--Incident: Vehicle

2. The CHRC and the question of security--how to build security in this community

3.  The CHRC and non-violence (importance for peace in Grand Ravin)

4.  Relationship between CHRC and the community--CHRC and armed groups

5.  Problem with the CHRC and the case of Franzco

6.  How to resolve this difficult situation

7.  Thanks and conclusion of the meeting

     Atty Evel Fanfan opened the meeting with a short greeting and  by thanking the members of the CHRC and the leaders present.  Everyone introduced themselves, by the first and last name and their function if there was one.

     Joseph Jean Claude, aka Nasson, the chief of the so-called armed men spoke and thanked Atty Evel Fanfan for the meeting.  He then continued by praising the work of AUMOHD and the CHRC-GR.  At the same time he denounced Franzco and the other members who according to him have always been acting badly toward them (so called armed men).  He accused the members of the CHRC of collaborating with the police and MINUSTAH.

     Atty. Fanfan spoke to the following point:

     He defined the role of the CHRC as a front line organization for the defense and respect of the rights and dignity of the human person.  Atty Fanfan underlined that the CHRC plays a role that is essentially community-based for peace and non-viiolence.  He made the point that the CHRC is not an agent of the police and would not wants it work to be seen as such on the ground, and yet, it can work with them (police) for the development of the community.

    It is a matter of misunderstanding and doubt according to Atty Fanfan which brought about this situation.  Now the question is how to build together the peace for Grand Ravin.  Atty Fanfan reminded them that violence begets violence and peace gives birth to peace.  Atty. Fanfan made allusion to Martin Luther King Junior who has given us after a long journey Obama as first Black president of the United States.  This is a lasting and positive victory.  For Atty. Fanfan peace is like gold, it is very valuable.

     Josué Vocimy, aka Colonel Bwa Doc then spoke to say that we have money from the foreigners (whites/blancs), Franzco has lots of money, works as president of the CHRC and as facilitator for the National Commission on Disarmament, that Franzco thinks himself as superior to them.

     Atty. Fanfan this time spoke in the same terms, it is a matter of perception.  “We do not have money”, Atty. Fanfan affirmed.  The people who support us do not have money and they support us to support you and we have done that.  According to Atty Fanfan, Franzco is a very humble man, he is not pretentious.

      Possibility for the return of Franzco

     Patrick, a member of the Council raised the qujestion of the return of Franzco to Grand Ravin and resuming the activities of the CHRC.  According to him Franzco has to return immediately to resume his activities, however, we have to have guarantees for his safety.  In fact Franzco’s wife is really very fearful and Franzco is not going to accept a return in such a climate of insecurity.  One of the armed men spoke up and stated: the return of Franzco depends on him but we cannot guarantee the safety of anyone in Grand Ravine.  Mac Lucannn proposed another meeting to decide on the possibility of Franzco’s return to Grand Ravin.

     Point Du Jour raised the problem of Franzco’s belongings which are currently in his house.  How can he get his belongings, or if he wanted to have them taken out, how can we do this?  As an answer Nasson stated that it is Atty. Fanfan who has to decide this.

     Patrick asked how the CHRC could resume its activities when now most all its members are somewhere else.  They are afraid after the serious threats that they would all be killed.  Nasson spoke in defense of the group by saying there was no menace from him but he was aware that other groups are looking to take control of Grand Ravine.  For this he declines any responsability for anything that might happen to members of the CHRC.  Nicole made clear that it is more dangerous now that other groups are looking to have control of the area.  This could make it difficult to dtermine who has done what.  In any case there has to be another meeting to clarify certain points.

     The meeting was closed with a proposal to have another meeting Tuesday, Feb. 17 at the AUMOHD office on Delmas Highway.  Other proposals were accepted such as another meeting in eight days with the group of armed men.

       Gaelle Martine Celestin
        AUMOHD reporter.