crime - Haiti Observer Blog

According to Dominican Police this happened late Saturday in village of La Victoria when Jean Lounis who is 37, got into an argument with Patricia Philomar, the mother of his 4-month-old daughter. As the mother ran away to call police, Jean Lounis took his frustration on their 4-month old innocent child in the home

A local mub reacted by killing the 37 year old Haitian Jean Lounis

This kid of behaviors will not help the Haitian community in the Dominican Republic, Instead it would reinforce the conception in the Dominican Republic that we, Haitians, are uncivilized.

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Jean-Claude Duvalier returned to Haiti in 2011 hoping to accomplish re-assimilation into the country that still had yet to recover from his years as president decades ago. From the start of the 70's through to the mid 80's, 'Baby Doc' Duvalier forged his name as one of the worst violators of human rights to come out of the country's history.

While it remains to be seen just what he planned with his return to the country after his long exile, if shirking the consequences of his actions during rule was one item on his list, he can redact it.

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On Saturday, February 8, 2014 Daniel Dorsinvil and Girldy Lareche were killed in Bois Patate by a lone gunman as they walked through a residential neighborhood in the capital, Port-au-Prince. The version of government officials, as per lawyer's statement is--the victims were returning from bank.

Daniel Dorsinvil was a civil engineer, a former official at the Ministry of Public Works Transport and Communications (TPTC). He was part of many social and human activist groups which include (i) one of the founder members of Alternatives and Justice Group (FPG); (ii) a member of another human rights organization "Platform for Haitian Organizations for the Defense of Human Rights" or POHDH; (iii) an activist organization named "Popular Resistance Committee Batraville Benoit (KRPBB)" which is a part of the conglomeration of 30 groups called "Patriotic People's Democratic Movement (MPDP)". Daniel Dorsinvil was also one of the coordinator of a lesser known advocacy groups by the name of "Platform of Haitian Human Rights Organizations". His wife Girdly Lareche was the sister of Deputy Ronald Lareche. She served as an employee at the General Hospital and used to volunteer as a nurse for "Doctors without Borders" (Medecins sans Frontiers).

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Details of the report filed on January 17 by investigative judge Yvickel Dabrésil are slowly coming to the fore, including the names of the 9 accused of having blood on their shoulders following the April 2000 gunning down of Jean Dominique and a security guard at his radio station, Jean-Claude Louissant. The accused include former Lavalas Family (FL) senator, Mirlande Libérus Pavert, who has been named as the engineer of the plot, past deputy mayor of Port-au-Prince, Gabriel Harold Sévère, FL activist Sò An, folksinger, Annette Auguste, Dimsley Milien, Mérité Milien, Frantz Camille, Markenton Michel, Jeudy Jean Daniel and Toussaint Mercidieu.

The naming of the co-conspirators has been a long time coming, with fear behind the slow pace of the progression of the case. The seventh judge to handle the case has found a way to push that fear aside and, with the evidence given by 19 witnesses throughout his investigation that lasted from 2011 to 2013, he's been able to push a prosecution for the murder of the outspoken and controversial journalist further than it's ever been.

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Haiti has been ranked 12th in the most corrupt countries across the world based on Transparency International, in part because, for many prisoners, the opportunity of getting their cases heard before the courts actually means waiting for several years. The end result of arrest, trail, conviction or release all boils down to money.

There are multiple reasons why cases often do not get processed according to Brian Concannon, director of the Institute for Justice and Democracy. One of the biggest problems is insufficient resources. Another is because of an outdated system. However, the biggest problem is the high rate of pre-trial detention which fuels the market for bribes.

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It is a rather sticky mess that began, perhaps, even before the 2000 murder of journalist Jean Dominique. Today, the saga continues after Judge Yvikel Dabresil accused nine people, close associates of the country's former president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, of having, between them, silenced Dominique.

While the judge has not indicted the former president on the heels of his investigations, which was revealed by a panel of the Appeals Court, Aristide has been fingered as having ordered the act which took place at Mr. Dominique's station house, Radio Haiti Inter in Port-au-Prince. The incident had also claimed the life of a security guard for the radio station.

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A close friend of President Michel Martelly has been arrested as he was implicated in the kidnapping of an important businessman.

According to Radio Lakansyel, Woodly Ethéard also known as "Sonson Lafamilia" has been arrested for his implication in the kidnapping of businessman Samy Azzi.

The report indicated that the kidnapping of businessman Samy Azzi took place on February 17, 2014 by a gang led by Woodly Ethéard alias Sonson Lafamilia

Also our source has reported that the vehicle used to carry out the kidnapping was that of Interior Ministry.

Mezanmi, Kote nou ye nan Payi sa! Konyè-a se machinn Leta minm kape kidnappe moun. Epi, Avantaj ke machinnn leta ginyin, lè ke yape fè kidnapping, vit yo fime et yo ka mete sirenn.