[R-G] Fears of a cover-up grow in the case of missing human rights activist in Haiti

[Anthony Fenton]

Fears of a cover-up grow in the case of missing human rights activist  
in Haiti
by Kevin Pina
http://www.haitiaction.net/News/HIP/8_20_8/8_20_8.html

Events marking the one-year anniversary of the abduction and  
disappearance of Haitian human rights activist Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine  
took place in several major cities last week. Demonstrations and  
vigils were held in Port au Prince, Haiti where several hundred  
supporters marched to the Palace of Justice to demand that the  
government of President Rene Preval and the United Nations release a  
report on their investigations into his disappearance. Similar actions  
took place in London, Oakland and Los Angeles.

Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine was last seen in Haiti after leaving a meeting  
with a human rights delegation from the United States and Canada on  
August 12, 2007. His abandoned vehicle was found the next morning and  
he has not been heard from since. Although his alleged abductors  
contacted friends and family two days later demanding a $300,000  
ransom, most people including Amnesty International, believe this was  
a ruse to cover up what was actually a political abduction aimed at  
silencing Mr. Pierre-Antoine. They point to the fact that most  
kidnappers maintain contact in an effort to negotiate and arrange for  
payment. Amnesty International issued an appeal last January where  
they stated, "Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine's abduction was reportedly made  
to look like a kidnapping for ransom. On Tuesday 14 August, the  
alleged abductors called Pierre-Antoine's family asking for a ransom  
of USD 300,000. However there has been no further contact from the  
abductors."

So who is Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine and why is there a growing chorus of  
international condemnation of the government of President Rene Preval  
and the U.N. regarding his case? According to Amnesty International,  
"Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine graduated in psychology from the Haitian  
State University and obtained further specialisation on child  
psychology in Montreal, Canada. He has been involved for several years  
as a grass-roots community organizer, mainly working with children. In  
the early 1990s, he co-founded the Foundation for the Support of  
Children (Fondsayon Kore Timoun Yo) for young street children in Port- 
au-Prince, and a centre for teenage mothers (Foyer pour Mères  
Adolescentes)."

Mr. Pierre-Antoine is also one of the founders of the Fondasyon Trant  
Septanm (September 30th Foundation) and is a leading advocate and  
voice for victims of the 1991 brutal military coup in Haiti. He is  
also one of the fiercest critics of the ouster of President Jean- 
Bertrand Aristide in February 2004 and is closely associated with his  
Lavalas political movement. Mr. Pierre-Antoine was appointed General  
Coordinator of the National Office on Migration during the last  
presidency of Jean-Bertrand Aristide and was forced into exile after  
the U.S-installed regime of Gerard Latortue took power. He returned to  
Haiti to continue his human rights work in February 2006.

Brian Concannon is an attorney who works with a rights group called  
the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti or IJDH. Mr.  
Concannon, who is also a close friend and colleague of Mr. Pierre- 
Antoine, spoke of his decision to return to Haiti in 2006, “I know it  
was a difficult decision for Lovinsky, because he knew the risks, and  
he had a family that he loved. But in the end, Lovinsky felt he could  
not stay out of Haiti any longer, that he was needed to help organize  
progressive grassroots voices in Haiti.” Concannon recalled the  
pressure Mr. Pierre-Antoine faced after returning to his homeland, “I  
last saw Lovinsky in person in February 2007. At the time he was  
receiving threats, and frequently changing where he slept. He knew he  
was in danger, but also knew that in Haiti’s democratic transition  
that the traditional forces would have the upper hand. He knew that if  
the people did not organize, life would become more difficult for the  
majority of Haitians who are poor.” Days before his abduction,  
Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine announced his intention to run as a candidate  
for the Haitian Senate under the banner of the Fanmi Lavalas Party,  
Jean-Bertrand Aristide's political party.

Wilson Mesilien, who has been standing in for Mr. Pierre-Antoine as  
Acting Director of the Fondasyon Trant Septanm, has condemned what he  
has called "a wall of silence" when referring to the investigation of  
Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine's disappearance by the government of President  
Rene Preval and the United Nations in Haiti. A lack of any discernable  
progress made by them in the case has led to speculation ranging from  
a concerted effort to keep Mr. Pierre Antoine's disappearance quiet to  
charges of complicity in his abduction.

When asked about progress made by Haitian authorities towards solving  
Mr. Pierre-Antoine’s case, Brian Concannon stated, “I have not heard  
of any report from any Haitian authorities on Lovinsky’s  
disappearance, despite requests from Lovinsky’s family, Fondasyon  
Trant Septanm, members of the U.S. Congress and human rights and Haiti  
solidarity activists from around the world.” In describing the  
progress of investigations made by the Haitian police in the case  
Concannon commented, “We also know that the police have repeatedly  
failed to follow up on leads they have been provided. It is hard to  
escape the conclusion that the Haitian government is not reporting on  
its investigation because it is not conducting one.”

Other critics point to numerous death threats made against Mr.  
Mesilien and his family as proof of an organized effort to silence  
criticism of the authorities concerning their lack of a serious  
investigation. Amnesty International was moved to issue an appeal last  
December "calling for the authorities to ensure Wilson Mesilien’s  
protection in accordance with his wishes."

Equally disturbing is the fact that the United Nations leadership has  
failed to recognize Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine’s abduction and  
disappearance altogether. According to a report delivered to the U.N.  
General Assembly on January 10, 2008 by the Working Group on Enforced  
or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), there were no reported  
instances of persons disappeared in Haiti during the year 2007. The  
WGEID is part of the U.N. High Commission on Human Rights and as such  
is in the loop to receive regular human rights reports filed by the  
U.N. mission in Haiti.

More than five months after Mr. Pierre-Antoine’s disappearance and  
public acknowledgement of the case by U.N. authorities in Haiti, the  
WGEID completely omitted any reference to it in their report to the  
General Assembly. Brian Concannon is puzzled by this glaring omission  
on the part of the WGEID. He responded, “I cannot explain why Lovinsky  
was left out of the Working Group’s report. The UN Mission in Haiti  
issued a press release about it. The abduction was in the news,  
Amnesty International and other human rights groups issued action  
alerts. The omission was especially troubling because Lovinsky was  
such a high profile human rights activist, and candidate for the  
Senate elections.”

Whatever the reason behind the omission of Mr. Pierre-Antoine’s case  
in the WGEID’s report, it is sure to stoke fears of an organized  
effort to cover-up the facts of his abduction and disappearance one- 
year ago in Haiti. Demonstrations and vigils demanding accountability  
in the investigation of the disappearance of Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine,  
like those that occurred last week, are expected to continue to grow  
as a result.