President Aristide's message of solidarity to Father Jean-Juste

President Jean-Bertrand Aristide

Pretoria, South Africa – After more than a month in jail, the health of Rev. Fr. Gérard Jean Juste is deteriorating. Once again I join my voice to the voices of many calling for his release. His unlawful detention, alongside the unlawful detention of thousands of political prisoners in Haiti, demonstrates a clear determination to exclude Lavalas, or the huge majority of Haitian people, from participating in free, fair and democratic elections.

Again we must ask: In 1994, who could have expected free, fair and democratic elections in South Africa with Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki, Oliver Tambo and other leaders and members of the African National Congress in jail, exile or in hiding?

In Haiti, in order to have elections and not a "selection", the following steps must be taken:

1. The thousands of Lavalas who are in jail and in exile must be free to return home.

2. The repression that has already killed over 10,000 people must end immediately.

3. Then, there must be national dialogue.

Fr. Jean Juste too has echoed this call for dialogue and peace. He must be freed.

All the political prisoners must be freed.

Dialogue leading to peace through the restoration of constitutional order - this is the will of the Haitian people. After 200 years of independence it is clear that from this dialogue will emerge a new Haiti.

August 31, 2005