Human Rights Horrors in Haiti

On July 19th, the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti released a nineteen-page report: "Human Rights Violations in Haiti: February-May 2004." [1] One is immediately struck by the copious documentation and graphic detail of the report, and this is, according to the IJDH, "only a tiny fraction of the violations committed during the period covered." Information is difficult to come by because "many victims or relatives are in hiding", and many have a "fear of further retaliation." Additionally, the areas under the control of the "rebels" [note US-supported], have largely been inaccessible, with the coverage relegated to Port au Prince and the Central Plateau. Perhaps the most telling detail is the commonality amongst victims: "With the exception of four victims and for those whom it has not been possible to obtain their identity, interviewees have reported that the victims were supporters of Aristide or Haiti's former constitutional government ." [more]