Haiti Hypocrisy: MINUSTAH comes to aid of UCREF director while hundreds rot in Jail.

Port-au-Prince, May 25, 2006 (AHP)- The director general of the Central Unit of Financial Information (UCREF), Jean Yves Noël, appeared this Thursday before investigating Judge Jean Pérès Paul.

Mr. Noel, accused of abduction and illegal confinement of bailiff Réginald St-Jean, who was on active duty at the Justice Ministry, was arrested on May 23 for refusing to collaborate with the justice system, said Judge Paul.

After a appearing before the judge for 15 minutes, he was escorted back to his cell.

The UCREF director general was appointed by interim Prime Minister Gérard Latortue to investigate cases relating to funds that are alleged to have been misappropriated. The mandate of UCREF in this case was restricted to the period February 7, 2001 to February 29, 2004 (when Aristide was president).

MINUSTAH's interim spokesperson, Sophie Lacombe, expressed the force's concerns about the arrest of the UCREF director general.

Sophie Lacombe said that members of the human rights section of MINUSTAH went to the National Penitentiary on the day Mr. Noël was incarcerated to ensure that his rights were being respected.

She stated that Jean Yves Noël said he was concerned about his own safety.

At the same time, the justice section of MINUSTAH met with investigating judge Jean Pérès Paul regarding this case, and provided a series of comments and points of protest about the case to the National Prison Administration (APENAH), said Ms. Lacombe.

"MINUSTAH is associating itself with other human rights organizations seeking to bring about respect for the rights of the UCREF director", declared the acting MINUSTAH spokesperson.

Hundreds of Haitians, most of whom are members of the former Aristide government or Fanmi Lavalas have been languishing at the National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince or at other detention facilities in the country for more than two years without any charge having been brought against them other than perhaps their political affiliation.

Several organizations, for the most part members of the anti-Aristide GNB campaign such as RNDDH have been exerting pressure for the release of Mr. Noel.

Numerous sectors consider that it is the interim government, which is still in power, and especially acting interim Prime Minister Henri Bazin and interim Justice Minister Henri Marge Dorléans who should be held responsible.

These same sectors have said that investigating Judge Jean-Pérès Paul should be questioned as to the reason for his order for the incarceration of the UCREF director general. These same organizations expressed no interest when Judge Pérès Paul recently ordered the release of a group of police officers accused of involvement in the massacre of more than ten people in the populist district of Grand'Ravine (south of the capital) during a soccer game sponsored by the US Embassy in August 2005.