Comments on: Revolutionary Haitian Priest, Gerard Jean-Juste, Presente! http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/06/revolutionary-haitian-priest-gerard-jean-juste-presente/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:34:32 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: JH http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/06/revolutionary-haitian-priest-gerard-jean-juste-presente/#comment-49271 JH Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:16:05 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=8479#comment-49271 U.N. denials in Haiti by Kevin Pina Haitian priest Father Gerard Jean-Juste, a symbol of strength, courage and leadership to a great many, was to be laid to rest by his family, friends and supporters on June 18. Few expected the solemn occasion would be transformed into confusion and terror as U.N. forces opened fire towards Haiti's national cathedral following the arrest of one of the mourners. A victim of a single gunshot wound to the head would be discovered moments later. Witnesses say his body writhed and convulsed struggling with the inevitable as blood slowly formed a crimson background around his head. Jean-Juste would probably not be surprised by the shooting given that he was a leader of Lavalas and this was after all a Lavalas funeral. He would most likely recall many other instances of human rights abuses committed against Lavalas where the U.N. was complicit or directly involved. He would often criticize the U.N. mission in Haiti for killing unarmed civilians in Cite Soleil and for training the Haitian police as they regularly shot up peaceful demonstrations, performed summary executions and falsely arrested Lavalas supporters following the ouster of Aristide in Feb. 2004. Jean-Juste more than most, would understand that this incident is but one more in a long list of violent offenses committed against the movement of the majority of the poor in Haiti as part of the U.N.'s current experiment in political landscaping. FULL ARTICLE <a href="http://haitiaction.net/News/HIP/6_30_9/6_30_9.html" rel="nofollow">HERE</a> U.N. denials in Haiti

by Kevin Pina

Haitian priest Father Gerard Jean-Juste, a symbol of strength, courage and leadership to a great many, was to be laid to rest by his family, friends and supporters on June 18. Few expected the solemn occasion would be transformed into confusion and terror as U.N. forces opened fire towards Haiti’s national cathedral following the arrest of one of the mourners. A victim of a single gunshot wound to the head would be discovered moments later. Witnesses say his body writhed and convulsed struggling with the inevitable as blood slowly formed a crimson background around his head.

Jean-Juste would probably not be surprised by the shooting given that he was a leader of Lavalas and this was after all a Lavalas funeral. He would most likely recall many other instances of human rights abuses committed against Lavalas where the U.N. was complicit or directly involved. He would often criticize the U.N. mission in Haiti for killing unarmed civilians in Cite Soleil and for training the Haitian police as they regularly shot up peaceful demonstrations, performed summary executions and falsely arrested Lavalas supporters following the ouster of Aristide in Feb. 2004. Jean-Juste more than most, would understand that this incident is but one more in a long list of violent offenses committed against the movement of the majority of the poor in Haiti as part of the U.N.’s current experiment in political landscaping.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

]]> By: Michael Cavlan http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/06/revolutionary-haitian-priest-gerard-jean-juste-presente/#comment-47334 Michael Cavlan Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:38:19 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=8479#comment-47334 Thank you for this article. Meanwhile Bill Clinton, the man who started the destabalization of Jean Bertrand Aristide has just been made Ambassador of Haiti. What a blatant insult. Just one more in a long list of reasons for REAL progressives to oppose the Obama Administration. Thank you for this article. Meanwhile Bill Clinton, the man who started the destabalization of Jean Bertrand Aristide has just been made Ambassador of Haiti. What a blatant insult.

Just one more in a long list of reasons for REAL progressives to oppose the Obama Administration.

]]> By: Claude Adams http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/06/revolutionary-haitian-priest-gerard-jean-juste-presente/#comment-47323 Claude Adams Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:12:52 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=8479#comment-47323 I met Jean-Juste in Port au Prince in the early 90s, when he was hiding from the military junta that feared him. He agreed to come out of the dark church sanctuary where he was staying, to say a few words on camera for a story I was doing for Canadian television. He was mad, defiant, combative. "They can KILL me," he said, "but they can't kill the spirit of the people." He somehow survived 15 more years, his fortunes rising and falling with that of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, in and out of prison, in and out of exile, in trouble with the "law," tending to that spirit of resistance. I imagine he died disappointed--Haitians are as badly off today as they were 15 years ago--but he will be remembered for his passion and his refusal to bend. I met Jean-Juste in Port au Prince in the early 90s, when he was hiding from the military junta that feared him. He agreed to come out of the dark church sanctuary where he was staying, to say a few words on camera for a story I was doing for Canadian television. He was mad, defiant, combative. “They can KILL me,” he said, “but they can’t kill the spirit of the people.” He somehow survived 15 more years, his fortunes rising and falling with that of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, in and out of prison, in and out of exile, in trouble with the “law,” tending to that spirit of resistance. I imagine he died disappointed–Haitians are as badly off today as they were 15 years ago–but he will be remembered for his passion and his refusal to bend.

]]> By: greybeard616 http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/06/revolutionary-haitian-priest-gerard-jean-juste-presente/#comment-47285 greybeard616 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:25:17 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=8479#comment-47285 Pere Jean-Juste was an inspiration to all who worshipped at his church. The official structure thought they would silence him by assigning him a church in the most desolate, poorest section of Haiti. God inspired the locals through him to create a vibrant living community where none had been before. Requiem in Pace, mon Pere! Pere Jean-Juste was an inspiration to all who worshipped at his church. The official structure thought they would silence him by assigning him a church in the most desolate, poorest section of Haiti. God inspired the locals through him to create a vibrant living community where none had been before. Requiem in Pace, mon Pere!

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