U.S. citizens advised not to go to Haiti because of the crisis

The U.S. government yesterday "strongly" recommended its citizens against traveling to Haiti for several reasons, among those  mentioned were crime, the cholera outbreak, frequent and violent unrest in Port au Prince and the limited police protection.

"The Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to Haiti unless they are essential and only if the trip has the full support of organizations with strong infrastructure, disposal options and health care systems," it said in a statement.

According to the Department of State, Americans who have traveled to Haiti without such support "have been in danger."

The statement warned that there is a continual increase in the number of victims of violent crimes, including murder and kidnapping in Port au Prince.

"Nobody is safe from abduction, whatever their occupation, nationality, race, gender or age," said the statement. "In numerous cases over the past year travelers who arrived in Port-au-Prince on flights from U.S. were attacked and robbed shortly after leaving the airport. "

Adding to this is the fact that the Haitian authorities have "limited ability" to deter criminals and investigate crimes, and protests, demonstrations and riots have been frequent in the capital and other cities of Haiti, it adds.

Haitians 'sold' as slaves
The Haitian Support Group for Refugees and Repatriated Persons (GARR) today called for Haiti's former dictator Jean Claude Duvalier, "Baby Doc", to be tried for having "sold" Haitians as slaves in the Dominican Republic.

"On behalf of all migrant workers who were sold as slaves to exploit their sweat" in the production of sugar cane "in the Dominican bateyes (villages of laborers), GARR is seeking justice and restitution," said the group in a statement sent to local media.

The agency noted that "the scandal first reported after the fall of Jean Claude Duvalier in 1986 was the claim by the Dominican Republic for two million dollars paid to Haitian officials to hire migrant workers a few days before the end of the Duvalier regime.

Duvalier came as a surprise to Haiti on Sunday, after 25 years of exile in France, and has been accused of diverting funds, according to judicial sources, and also for corruption and criminal conspiracy, according to a defense of human rights lawyer.

Duvalier supporters and the return of Aristide
Duvalier, who become the focus of attention in Haiti after returning from an exile of 25 years, took time yesterday to welcome former aides before leaving the hotel where he has been staying since his arrival on Sunday from France.

Duvalier, 59, who was questioned on Tuesday by local law enforcement authorities and, according to various sources, accused of diverting funds during his administration (1971-1984), continued yesterday without offering public statements.

Former Haitian leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide yesterday reiterated yesterday in Johannesburg that he is ready to end his years of exile in Africa and return to Haiti today, tomorrow, anytime," he said. Aristide was overthrown in 2004 and left Haiti aboard a U.S. aircraft.

Share this article

Digg it!

del.icio.us

MySpace

Facebook

Fark

Reddit

Newsvine