In the Army's Hands in the Army's Hands
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In the Army's Hands Human Rights in Haiti on the Eve of the Elections EMBARGOED FOR DECEMBER 9 1990 Americas Watch National Coalition for Haitian Refugees In the Army's Hands Human Rights in Haiti on the Eve of the Elections December 1990 National Coalition for Haitian Refugees Americas Watch Copyright (c) December 1990 by Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN 0-929692-80-2 Libarary of Congress Catalogue Number: 90-86195 National Coalition for Haitian Refugees The National Coalition for Haitian Refugees is comprised of 47 legal, human rights, civil rights, church, labor and Haitian community organizations working together to seek justice for Haitian refugees in the United States and to monitor and promote human rights in Haiti. Its Executive Director is Jocelyn McCalla and its Associate Director is Anne Fuller. Americas Watch Americas Watch was established in 1981 to monitor and promote observance of internationally recognized human rights in Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The Chairman of Americas Watch is Adrian W. DeWind; Vice Chairmen are Peter Bell and Steven Kass; Executive Director is Juan E. Méndez; Associate Directors are Cynthia Arnson and Anne Manuel; Research Associate is Mary Jane Camejo. Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch is composed of the five Watch Committees: Africa Watch, Americas Watch, Asia Watch, Helsinki Watch, and Middle East Watch. Executive Committee: Chairman, Robert L. Bernstein; Vice Chairman, Adrian W. DeWind; Roland Algrant; Lisa Anderson; Peter Bell; William Carmichael, Dorothy Cullman; Jonathan Fanton; Jack Greenberg; Alice H. Henkin; Stephen Kass; Marina Kaufman; Jeri Laber; Gara LaMarche; Aryeh Neier; Bruce Rabb; Kenneth Roth; Orville Schell; Sophie C. Silberberg; Gary Sick; Nadine Strossen. Staff: Executive Director, Aryeh Neier; Deputy Director, Kenneth Roth; Washington Director, Holly J. Burkhalter; California Director, Ellen Lutz; Press Director, Susan Osnos; Counsel, Jemera Rone; Business Manager, Stephanie Steele; Women's Rights Project Director, Dorothy Q. Thomas; Prison Project Director, Joanna Weschler; Research Associate, Allyson Collins; Orville Schell Fellows, Richard Dicker, Robert Kushen, Dina PoKempner. Executive Directors: Africa Watch Americas Watch Asia Watch Rakiya Omaar Juan E. Méndez Sidney Jones Helsinki Watch Middle East Watch Jeri Laber Andrew Whitley Copies of this report are available for $10.00 from: Publications Department OR Human Rights Watch National Coalition for Haitian Refugees 485 Fifth Avenue 16 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017-6104 New York, NY 10017 (212) 872-8400 (212) 867-0020 Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................................................................................v Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................................................1 1.1.1. Elections........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 The Political Climate.................................................................................................................................................................. 5 The Split Between the Council of State and the President .................................................................. 6 The Duvalierists Openly Bid for Power.............................................................................................................7 The Army and the Elections..................................................................................................................................11 International Supervision................................................................................................................................... 14 Registration and the Candidates ...................................................................................................................................... 15 Registration ................................................................................................................................................................ 15 The Candidates..........................................................................................................................................................16 2.2.2. The Army Under the Trouillot Government...............................................................................................................................19 Movement Toward Reform of the Military.....................................................................................................................20 Early Moves Against a Few Officers................................................................................................................. 21 The Justice and Peace Commission's Reports on Abusive Section Chiefs.......................................................................................................................................... 21 Arrest of a Former Tonton Macoute................................................................................................................23 Human Rights Training..........................................................................................................................................23 Military Involvement in Peasant Massacres...............................................................................................................24 The Role of Rural Section Chiefs......................................................................................................................24 The March 12 Piate Massacre............................................................................................................................25 The March 16 Délatre Massacre....................................................................................................................... 27 The March 31 Pérodin Massacre......................................................................................................................28 Military Involvement in Politically Motivated Violence....................................................................................... 30 The Army Riot in Cabaret..................................................................................................................................... 30 The Demonstration in Borgne............................................................................................................................31 Attacks on the Vigilance Brigades..................................................................................................................32 Attacks on the Press ...............................................................................................................................................32 Other Cases of Violence........................................................................................................................................34 Other Unlawful Politically Motivated Actions by the Military .......................................................... 38 The Labadie Incident ........................................................................................................................... 38 Harassment of the Democratic Unity Confederation......................................................... 39 Harassment of the League of Former Political Prisoners .................................................40 Other Incidents of Military Violence................................................................................................................................ 41 Killings by Soldiers Whose Identity is Known.......................................................................................... 41 Killings by Unidentified Men in Uniform......................................................................................................42 Military Abuses in the Course of Land Disputes ......................................................................................43 Other Military Abuses.............................................................................................................................................44 The Failure to Pursue Criminal Investigations ..........................................................................................................46 The Case of Roger Lafontant...............................................................................................................................46 Lafontant's Abusive Past..................................................................................................................... 47 The Reaction to Lafontant's Return...............................................................................................48 The Santos Hotel Killings.................................................................................................................................... 50 Failure to Execute Other Arrest Warrants....................................................................................................52 3.3.3. The Civilian Government....................................................................................................................................................................54