1,000 AROUND THE WORLD DEMAND FREEDOM FOR HAITIAN POLITICAL PRISONER SÒ ANNE

1,000 AROUND THE WORLD DEMAND FREEDOM FOR HAITIAN POLITICAL PRISONER SÒ ANNE


Annette Auguste, Haitian folksinger and pro-democracy activist known as Sò Anne, has been held in prison without charges for more than one year.

But she’s not forgotten.

July 5 Haiti Action Committee members delivered petitions to U.S., U.N. and Haitian officials with 1,067 signatures from people living in 27 countries demanding the release of this fierce supporter of President Jean Bertrand Aristide. Aristide was forcibly removed from Haiti by U.S. government officials Feb. 29, 2004. Since that time the U.S.-backed government has rounded up, jailed, beaten and executed thousands of supporters of Fanmi Lavalas, Aristide’s political party.

“Sò Anne’s only crime is fighting for democracy,” said Sasha Kramer, Ph.D. candidate at Stanford University and Haiti Action Committee member, who visited the 63-year-old grandmother in prison last spring with a delegation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles.

The Coalition to Free Sò Anne includes 68 organizations (see details below).

Haiti’s interim prime minister has declared there are no political prisoners in Haiti.
However, in a recent letter from her prison cell, Sò Anne reminds the world that she is, in fact, a political prisoner, a status she shares with some 1,000 others, including ousted Aristide loyalists, Prime Minister Yvon Neptune and Minister of the Interior Jocelerme Privert:

“If I am not freed there are political prisoners in Haiti. If former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune and former interior minister J. Privert are not freed there are political prisoners in Haiti. If ALL the prisoners in Haiti who have been arrested merely for their affiliation with Lavalas are not freed, there are political prisoners in Haiti.”

Haitian attorney Evel Fanfan reports that Sò Anne is confined to a woman’s prison where there are six-10 people in a cell intended for two; three of the 108 women are pregnant, two have babies with them; two are known to have AIDS; another approximately 30 suffer from fevers; there are no medications. There are 17 minors. Only one prisoner has been brought to trial.

The petition says:
Release Annette Auguste: Prisoner of Conscience in Petion-Ville Penitentiary, Haiti

Whereas Annette Auguste, otherwise known by her performing name Sò Anne, was arrested on May 10, 2004 by U.S. Marines following a violent assault of her home, which included the use of grenades and plastics explosives;

Whereas Auguste was arrested without a proper warrant in violation of the Haitian constitution and has been held in a Haitian jail without formal charges since May 10, 2004;

Whereas, Auguste has declared herself innocent and a Prisoner of Political Conscience according to the definition espoused by Amnesty International;

Whereas, Auguste has stated that Haitian authorities cannot release her without approval of the Bush administration and the U.S. State Department;

We, the undersigned, demand the U.S. government and the Haitian government provide for the immediate and unconditional release of Annette Auguste.

Petitions are being sent to:
James B. Foley, ambassador to Haiti: 011-509-222-0200 Fax: 223-9038

Ambassador Anne Patterson, acting permanent U.S. representative to the United Nations: 212-415-4050 or Peggy Kerry: kerryp [at] state.gov; 212 415 4054

Secretary-General Kofi Annan: Fax for press only, 212-963-7055; inquiries [at] un.org;

Raymond Joseph, ambassador from Haiti to the U.S. 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; 202-332-4090; embassy [at] haiti.org

Henri Dorléans, minister of justice: 19 Avenue Charles Sumner, Port-au-Prince
011-509-245-5856

United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti:
Gender issues: Nadine Puechguirbal: puechguirbal [at] un.org
Human rights: Mahamane Cissé-Gouro (cisse-gouro [at] un.org)
Thierry Fagart (fagart [at] un.org )
press office: (509) 510-2563 ext. : 6343

The Coalition to Free Sò Anne includes:
1. Haiti Action Committee, CA
2. Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, OR
3. Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network, CT
4. Marin Interfaith Taskforce on the Americas, CA
5. Code Pink Women for Peace Hayward, CA
6. SF Women in Black, CA
7. Haiti Justice Committee, MN
8. Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, CA
9. Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, CA
10. Jewish Voice for Peace, CA
11. Justice for Palestinians, CA
12. Sacramento Coalition for Democracy in Haiti, CA
13. Fondasyon Mapou, D.C.
14. East Bay Sanctuary Covenant Haiti Committee, CA
15. International Socialist Organization, CA
16. Campus Peace Action California State University Sacramento, CA
17. St. Joan of Arc Haiti Committee, MN
18. Peace No War Network
19. Progressive Democrats of America Sacramento Chapter, CA
20. San Francisco Bayview Newspaper, CA
21. Vancouver Latin America-Caribbean Solidarity Committee, Canada
22. Haiti Solidarity, B.C, Canada
23. Interfaith Women for Peace, CA
24. Fanm Lakay, NY
25. Konbit Ayisian Kakola, NY
26. Veye Yo, FL
27. Fanm Veye Yo, FL
28. SEIU 715 African American Caucus, CA
29. Lake County Amnesty International, CA
30. Welfare Poets, NY
31. Out of Control Lesbian Committee to Support Political Prisoners, CA
32. Cape Codders for Peace and Justice, MA
33. April6Vt Citizens Lobby, VT
34. Nicaragua Center for Community Action, CA
35. Ecumenical Program on Central America and the Caribbean
36. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, DC
37. Haiti Solidarity Committee, FL
38. Quixote Center/Haiti Reborn, MD
39. Santa Cruz Bolivarian Circle, CA
40. Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903 - International Solidarity
Working Group, Canada
41. UCSC Cuba Study Group, CA
42. Global Womens Strike, International
43. Code Pink Bay Area, CA
44. Code Pink Portland, OR
45. Turnwind Peace and Justice, AZ
46. Gabriela Network Bay Area, CA
47. Comité québécois pour la reconnaissance des droits des travailleurs haïtiens en République dominicaine, Canada
48. Global Exchange
49. CESAPI Coalition in Solidarity with the People of Iraq, Canada
50. ActionLA Americas Watch, CA
51. Haiti Support Network (HSN), NY
52. South Bay Labor for Peace and Justice, CA
53. San Franciscans for Our City's Health, CA
54. Gwoup pou defans de pwizonye politik, Haiti
55. Womens Fightback Network
56. International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal
57. No One is Illegal Vancouver, Canada
58. Portland Peaceful Response Coalition, OR
59. East Timor Action Network- Madison, WI
60. Women for Peace-Madison, WI
61. TransAfrica Forum, International
62. Faculty For Peace and Justice, CSUS
63. Mourning Mothers, CA
64. Grandmothers For Peace, International
65. KAKOLA, NY
66. National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N'COBRA), CA
67. Foundations for Our Nu Afrikan Millennium (FONAMI), CA
68. African Initiative of American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Pacific Mountain Region

Signatories include individuals from:
Australia, Argentina, Belize, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Ecuador, Great Britain, Grenada, Haiti, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Saint Lucia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad, Turkey, United States