While we're all enjoying our quiet weekend, I wanted to bring to your attention this post over at BC Holmes' place on Livejournal. BC's been involved with Haitian activism for several years now. She has posted there a sample letter, and a request for Canadians to send something similar, to Canada's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Americas), The Honourable Mr. Peter Kent, regarding the detention without trial of Ronald Dauphin in Haiti.
Mr. Dauphin, briefly, was a grassroots activist for the Lavalas party in Haiti, and was arrested after President Aristide was ousted from power in March of 2004. He has since languished in a Haitian prison, awaiting a trial which isn't even scheduled at the moment.
I encourage Canadians in particular to write to Mr. Kent, in his position as Minister, and ask that he express Canada's concern for the fate of Mr. Dauphin to the current government of Haiti, and press for his release while awaiting resolution of the case. Mr. Dauphin is suffering medically documented long-term damage to his health, and should be in a hospital, not a prison, particularly given the shaky grounds of the charges he is nominally being held on.
Citizens of other countries could well consider writing to their own governments' foreign affairs departments, and expressing their own concern, as well as to the government of Haiti itself.
This link will take you to a page of Haitian consulates and embassies abroad; follow them to get the address of the Haitian consul or embassy nearest you, and write a polite but firm letter telling them the eyes of the world are on them.
Teaspoons up, Shakers, there's an ocean to be bailed here. o.oP
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