{news} Fw: USGP-INT Hait's Pere Jean-Juste

[Justine McCabe]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Leenie Halbert" <leenie at leenie.com>
To: <usgp-int at gp-us.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2006 6:21 PM
Subject: USGP-INT Pere Jean-Juste


> From: bill quigley <duprestars at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Update on and Letter from Pere Jean-Juste
> 
> 1.27.06
> Update on and Letter from Pere Jean-Juste
>    by Bill Quigley.  Bill is a law professor at
> Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans and
> assists Mario Joseph of BAI in Haiti as one of Fr.
> Jean-Juste's lawyers.  Bill's phone number in Haiti is
> 509. 401.4822.   The phone number for Dr. Jennifer
> Furin is 509.425.2953 in Haiti and 857.998.1768 in the
> US.
> 
>    Pere Jean-Juste wrote the following letter from
> the Pacot Prison in Port au Prince.  The Prison is
> guarded by Jordanian troops in grey camoflauge.  They
> have heavy weapons including a big machine gun mounted
> on a white UN jeep loaded with belts of big brassy
> bullets.
>    Fr. Jean-Juste is moist and feverish, occasionally
> coughing and sniffling.   As he writes mosquitoes
> circle his exposed feet arms and neck.  There was no
> water in the prison last night or this morning. 
> Despite this, he remains in good spirits as a constant
> stream of people visit him.  One little girl with
> white ribboned hair, bends over him as he writes and
> silently and gently kisses his bald head.
>    Dr.  Jennifer Furin of Harvard Medical School
> examined him yesterday and pronounced him very ill and
> his health deteriorating from leukemia and pneumonia. 
> After her examination Dr. Furmin went to the US
> Embassy to press for Fr. Gerry's release. 
>    The US Embassy says there is little they can do -
> this is a matter for the Haitian government.  "The US
> has no say in the internal affiars of Haiti or any
> other sovereign country," the say.
>    Dr. Furin is very, very worried.  She concludes
> Fr. Jean-Juste needs immediate hospitalization and
> treatment.  "We do not have the luxury of time
> anymore."
>    
>    
> 
> 
> Letter from Fr. Jean-Juste
> Pacot Prison Port au Prince, Haiti
> 
> Friends, Brothers and Sisters, Compatriots>
>     Once more I would like to bring you up to date on
> my case.  My physicians, to whom I remain most
> grateful, have done wonders.  They checked on me just
> in
> time.  I was unable to breathe freely due to some
> pneumonia the last 4 days.  Two good strong
> medications from Dr. Paul Farmer and Dr. Jennifer
> Furin bring me in better shape today.  Health wise,
> apart from the leukemia and pneumonia, I am holding
> on.  A friend visited me today an said his sister
> suffered leukemia and with quick treatment she was
> able to
> live for 3 years.  Early medical treatment, not
> available in Haiti, may allow me to survive for a
> while.
>      Secondly, on the legal level, we are moving
> forward.  The investigating judge has dropped two
> major charges and now charges me with two leser ones. 
> I am innocent of all the charges.  As elections will
> probably take place o February 7, 2006, I am sure
> these frivolous charges will be dropped soon.  In the
> meantime, I will not accept any kind of guilty plea or
> kangaroo trial by the de facto government in order to
> get released.  Forget it.  I want fair treatment.  I
> will fight for my innocence and my principles.  If I
> die for it, I want everyone to keep fighting.
>    Thirdly, understand that I wish you all to extend
> your support not only to me but to as many political
> prisoners as possible wherever on planet earth. 
> Probably, you are aware that there are quite a number
> of political prisoners around the world.  Think of
> them an keep them in your heart.  Amnesty
> International has done a wonderful job.  I am real
> proud of Amnesty from my first years in contact with
> them, in the late seventies until now.  AI members
> have comforted me with more than 4000 letters and
> cards.  Please know that I am very grateful to AI and
> to all of you for helping fight for the human rights
> of all political prisoners, here in Haiti and across
> the world.
>    Let's keep the momentum on for justice, peace,
> love, and sharing to prevail all over the world as God
> wants it.
> Sincerely yours,
> Gerard Jean/Juste   njeranjeri at yahoo.com 
> 
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