Jean-Juste Update

A brief update [BEN TERRALL, "Bush Frolics, Father Jean-Juste Rots in Jail: No Holiday Compassion for Haiti's Political Prisoners," December 26, 2005] on Haitian priest and Lavalas member, Father Gerard Jean-Juste. The following passage is of some interest, especially the revelation (to me at least) that the U.N. participated in his "illegal" arrest:

Jean-Juste was arrested in a fashion consistent with the hysterical demonization of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's Lavalas Party waged by right-wing elites who control most of Haiti's media. Never formally charged, the priest was taken into custody after being accused of responsibility for a killing which took place when Jean-Juste was in Miami. Jean-Juste was assaulted at a funeral, but instead of arresting his assailants, Haitian police detained the priest. Human rights lawyer Brian Concannon noted, "To their discredit, United Nations Civilian Police participated in the illegal arrest, by handing Fr. Jean-Juste to the Haitian police without ensuring that he would be treated legally."

Mario Joseph, Jean-Juste's Port-au-Prince based lawyer, told me, "Jean-Juste serves the poor, always goes to the poorest neighborhoods when there are demonstrations, and helps with funerals after police and UN soldiers kill protestors. Politicians say they'll serve the poor, but usually don't."

Joseph added, "He has the trust and love of the people for all he has done for them, which is why the government wants to stop him and he is in jail. The U.S. embassy and UN don't want to use him as a peacemaker, because that would make him politically stronger and a threat to elite interests."