HURAH!

HURAH SUPPORTERS NEWS BULLETIN
– 8.30.10

Dear Friend of Haiti,

DELIVERY? Many people reported initially
that they had not received our last bulletin. But in checking back it seems that we didn’t have a problem in bulletin delivery. Perhaps the summer and too many e-mails to read is the problem.

RETURN HOME: It was great getting back to Vermont or the first time since moving out west.(5 years) Great seeing all our supporters!

SHORT:We did not get what we needed
to finish up our commitment to our new Trainee, Gentilhomme There were about
$525 in new donations.We are about $1,320 short and would like to finish up
giving this to Gentilhomme who has continued working under always difficult
circumstances. His program runs out at the end of October–6 months in all.

AFTER SEPTEMBER?: Will we be able to
fund our new program, now to be called Human Rights Advocate (originally Communication
Trainee)beginning in October for one year? We figure we need $7,060. This will
cover expenses for housing/phone/gas/internet plus a stipend at the minimum
wage ($5) for 20 hours a week. This will provide Gentilhomme with some employment
and Hurah with a first hand representative on the scene. He would continue to
represent us at various agencies, advocate for the abuse, give us reports, search
out programs we want to support. We’ll see what starts coming in now during
September and take it as we go. Monthly our budget works out to about $588.
We have to pay rent on a 6 month basis, so that will have to come first. Then
we’ll see how it goes after that

THANKS! As always a big thank you to everyone who donates
and who supports us in any way!

P.S.: As we go to press we have received two requests: 1)
receive money for the AUMOHD prisoner release program using our tax-exempt status (see article below); 2) to join again in the long term sustainable
plan we first started in January after the earthquake, see short story below.
Tom Luce

CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Online; Send Checks to Tom Luce, 1515 Fairview St. Berkeley, Ca. 94703

to top / to
index

Gentilhomme (GH) Jean-Gilles: THE HUMAN RIGHTS BEAT

INDEX:

1. Prisoner Release – Donate to their
fund

2. Update On Violence In Camp

3. Grand Ravine Community Human Rights Council

4. Sustainable Future For Haitians?

CLICK HERE TO DONATE
ONLINE;

Send Checks to Tom Luce,

1515 Fairview St. Berkeley, Ca. 94703

====================================

1. PRISONER RELEASE:Good News! see below
about donating to them

by Tom Luce and Gentilhomme Jean-Gilles

Picture – far left taken in AUMOHD courtyard: Gentilhomme Jean-Gilles,
Hurah Trainee; Maurice Geiger in center with Atty. Fanfan behind him. Others
are ex-prisoners. American at right is with the Rural Justice center.

As reported last month, the perennial problem of poor people being thrown in
prison illegally and kept there has been getting some resolution. Thanks to
AUMOHD and the Rural Justice Center (RJC), as well as with good cooperation
from the government prosecutor’s office and the penitentiary administration,
a couple dozen of these prisoners have been freed.

At a press conference on Aug. 4, AUMOHD and the RJC brought these men and their
families together to celebrate their freedom and to press for continued proper
handling of illegal prisoners. Since the earthquake the problem has been complicated
because there have been people rounded up, allegedly having escapted from prison
and thrown back in. Mr. Harrycidas Auguste government prosecutor worked with
AUMOHD and the RJC. As has been the struggle that AUMOHD has waged since 2004,
no money is paid for this action, neither the court/prison system gets paid
for releasing these illegally held people, nor does AUMOHD. This is judicial
reform at its best.

left,
Maurice Geiger of the Rural Justice Center (NH) who has partnered with AUMOHD,
Atty. Fanfan, right, President – continuing to advocate for the release of illegally
detained prisoners. Hurah celebrates this perennial challenge and is glad to
celebrate this victory and support AUMOHD.

NOTICE: AUMOHD has asked Hurah to hold funds for these prisoners
since people have been asking how to help with their expenses, trying to get
back on their feet and to get home. If you care to donate to this effort simply
send checks designated “prisoners” to Tom Luce, 1515 Fairview St.,
Berkeley, Ca 94703 or CLICK HERE TO
DONATE Online.

Picture below: The conference about the release of the prisoners
included an artistic presentation including the clown pictures below.

=======================

2. UPDATE ON VIOLENCE IN A CAMP by Gentilhomme

Back in June we reported that Gentilhomme was effective in bringing some order
to a camp that had been involved in violent acts against vulnerable campers,
in particular some young boys in the care of one of our colleagues. GH managed
to get wide estimony from campers who were affected. He was able to obtain clear
evidence that it was a certain few people, not even residents of the camp who
were perpetrating the violence. Gentilhomme talked with the camp rep on 8/26/10
and learned that things are going well for the moment, thanks to his (Gentihomme-Hurah’s)
work. Not more threats. According to this rep the Red Cross has been working
on a shelter project, building small houses for those who already have some
land, or whose families have some land. They have a project of building 1090
small houses. The camp rep reported that he has met with a group of organizations
about security, either from the police or from the UN program. Occasionally
the UN soldiers come around.

==============================

CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Online; Send Checks to Tom Luce, 1515 Fairview St. Berkeley, Ca. 94703

back to index

==============================

3. Grand Ravine Community Human Rights Council by Gentilhomme

At
the end of July Gentilhomme met with the Grand Ravin Community Human Rights
Council (CHRC-GR) and learned of their activities. This CHRC-GR has been supported
by Hurah from the horrible days of the first massacres in 2005 and then afterward
through a 3rd massacre and house burning. Hurah has helped these folks as they
were being threatened with violence just because they were advocating for justice
in their community–in opposition to some violent thugs and other groups used
to intimidation to get their way. Last year we provided funds for renovating
an office that would give them even more visibility. They are a brave group,
many of the originals members. There are 11 members currently including the
former head who was driven out of the community, Frantzco Joseph.

The CCDH-GR meets weekly on Thursdays and once a month with the
victims. (The cases of reparations for loss of life and property are still pending
since 2005-6 and AUMOHD wishes to take them to the Interamercan Court to obtain
a judgment. The Haitian Government was in charge and the police perpetrated
the first massacre..

They organize days of consultation with AUMOHD on human rights
advocacy. They have been able to distribute some food to victims. Hurah was
able to donate $500 to this cause in February.

They have begun a program of “microcredit” loans to
help 9 individuals begin a small business. Hurah is seeking help for this program
as well as for scholarships for 500 children with no means to attend school.
See below if you would like to donate to these causes. Picture: sign advertising
the presence of the Grand Ravin CHRC. Solidarity, Together, Human Rights, Justice,
Peace, Nonviolence.

=========================================================

CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Online; Send Checks to Tom Luce,

1515 Fairview St. Berkeley, Ca. 94703

back to index

=============================================

4. SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR HAITIANS?

As reported last month Hurah had to suspend its involvement in
a very special program aimed at creating a sustainable socio-economic model
for a new Haiti based on agricultural coops and ecotourism. Tom Luce visited
the agricultural coop of peasant farmers in Galette Chambon, 40 miles east of
Port-Au-Prince on the border with the Dominican Republic. This group of people
were open to receiving quake refugees to settle on the coop and allowing them
to become owner-members and partiipate in their plans for sustainable agriculture
and an eco-tourism business. The pressures of managing such a program in its
start up phase proved to be too much. Now Hurah has been invited again to participate
with the originators of the project, the American Museum of Creole Cultures
(AMCC)American Museum of Creole
Cultures (AMCC) Funds will be raised through the auction of French
artworks during an educational tour in the US and Canada for the purpose of
setting up schools in two of the land coops already established, Galette Chambon
and Milot.

Watch for a special bulletin announcing the details
of this project.

==============================================================

===============================================================

Human
Rights Accompaniment In Haiti-Hurah, Inc.

a 501(c)(3), non-profit

1515 Fairview St., Berkeley Ca. 94703 President, Tom Luce, president@hurah.org
Blog Site Hurah

To DONATE click here.Or
mail a check to Tom Luce,

1515 Fairview St. Berkeley, Ca. 94703

TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send an e-mail to president@hurah.org

back to index