Reply #2: Congresswoman Maxine Waters travels to Haiti

[seemslikeadream]

Congresswoman Maxine Waters travels to Haiti; visits former Prime Minister Neptune in prison; and demands that the interim government release him and all political prisoners.

Washington, D.C. -- Today, Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-35) traveled to Haiti to visit Haiti's former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, who is being detained illegally in prison. She was met at the airport in Port-au-Prince by U.S. Embassy officials early this morning and immediately traveled to the National Penitentiary, where she met with Prime Minister Neptune, as well as former Interior Minister Jocelerme Privert and former delegate Jacques Mathelier. The Congresswoman spent an hour with Prime Minister Neptune, discussing his health and the treatment he has received in prison, after which she returned to the airport and held a press conference.

"I urge the interim government of Haiti to set Prime Minister Neptune free and release all political prisoners in Haitian prisons," said the Congresswoman. "The interim government's repression of dissenters like Prime Minister Neptune must end immediately. The whole world is watching."

Prime Minister Neptune has languished in prison in Haiti since June 27, 2004. His life has been endangered throughout his confinement. There were reports of a plot to assassinate him last November, a massacre in the National Penitentiary on December 1, and a revolt in the National Penitentiary on February 19. Prime Minister Neptune recently began a hunger strike and has vowed not to eat until the unjust, unsafe circumstances of his confinement are addressed.

"The conditions that I observed in the prison where Prime Minister Neptune is being held were deplorable," reported the Congresswoman. "Prime Minister Neptune was weak and could only speak in a whispering voice. He insisted that he had been jailed without justification and that he had committed no crime. He has not been allowed to go before a judge to challenge his confinement as required under the constitution of Haiti, and he believes he has been targeted to be killed."
http://www.haitiaction.net/News/MW/3_7_5.html


National Hispanic Civil-rights Group Honors Dodd
Advocacy For Early Childhood Education, Majan Jean Are Cited

By TED MANN
Day Staff Writer
Published on 3/9/2005

The nation's largest Hispanic civil-rights organization honored Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., on Tuesday for his efforts on behalf of the Head Start program and early childhood education, as well as his work to prevent the deportation of a Norwich teen.

Dodd and Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, were honored by the National Council of La Raza at its annual awards dinner in Washington, D.C., along with the Llano Grande Center for Research and Development, which provides education along the Texas-Mexico border.

“Senator Dodd is one of the most loyal and committed supporters of the Latino community,” said Janet Murguia, the president and CEO of NCLR. “He has worked tirelessly to protect the civil rights of all Americans and has been a champion for early childhood education, leading the debate to expand the Head Start program and provide universal access to preschool.”

Dodd was also recognized for his efforts to prevent the deportation of a Norwich teenager, Majan Jean, who faced deportation to Haiti last year before the senator and Rep. Rob Simmons, R-2nd District, intervened on her behalf.

more
http://www.theday.com/eng/web/news/re.aspx?re=58A7AA69-A816-4788-9009-9B687F8A57C9