Cc: President Elect Joe Biden, Vice President Elect Kamala Harria, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConell, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schummer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority leader Rep. Steny Hoyer , House Republican Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Chairman Senator James Risch, Ranking Member Senator Bob Mendez, Senator Ben Cardin, Senator Ron Johnson, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Senator Cory Gardner, Senator Christopher Coons, Senator Mitt Romney, Senator Tom Udall, Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator Chris Murphy, Senator John Barrasso, Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Rob Portman, Senator Edward J. Markey, Senator Rand Paul, Senator Jeff Merkley, Senator Todd Young, Senator Cory Booker, Senator Ted Cruz, Senator David Perdue, Senator Rob Portman, Senator Micheal Enzi, Senator James Lankford , Senator Josh Hawley, Senator Thomas Carper, Senator Margaret Wood Hassen, Senator Krysten Sinema, Senator Jacky Rosen, House, Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Rick Scott, Rep Fredericka Wilson, Rep. Alcee Hastings, Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, Governor Ron DeSantis, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Deputy Secretary of State- Stephen Biegun, Office of Foreign Assistance- Director James L Richardson, Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights- Nathan A. Sales, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor- Roberto A Destro, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration -Carol Thompson O’ Connell, Office of Global Criminal Justice- Ambassador At Large Morse H. Tan, Bureau of International Organization Affairs- Senior Bureau Official Pamela D. Pryor, Senior Official for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs - Nilda R. Pedrosa, DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf, USCIS National Acting Director: Francis Cissna, U.S. Ambassador Michelle Sison, OAS General Secretary Luis Almagro, OAS Haiti Representative Ambassador Leon Charles, Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe
December 22, 2020
Port -Au-Prince, Haiti
According to the Miami Herald, more than 162 women and girls have been kidnapped in Haiti this year. Family Action Network Movement (FANM) urges you to take immediate action to stop this grave crisis and to secure the safety of women, girls and every Haitian citizen.
Haitians abroad are in utter shock after the news of Evelyne Sincere’s atrocious death. It is completely unacceptable that Evelyne, like several other students, was awfully kidnapped and brutally murdered. We demand that her offenders be held accountable for this heinous crime. Nou Pap Domi stated that about 118 murders happen every month in Haiti. This does not include the many cases which haven’t been reported because family members are in fear of retaliation. We demand that those who commit murder or other atrocious acts are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The government must put in place judicial parameters to prevent these barbaric acts from recurring again.
In August 2020, the National Human Rights Defense Network launched an investigation of the relentless violence occurring in Cité Soleil during July 2020. After speaking with more than 108 victims and their family members, the reports show that citizens of Cité Soleil live in total terror after 111 people were murdered, 48 people are missing, and 20 others were wounded by bullets. Eighteen women and girls were repeatedly raped by armed bandits. At least 5 public transit vehicles were intercepted and 6 houses burned down. On many occasions the police officers charged with protecting the area left their posts because they didn’t have the proper vehicles, weapons and ammunition to protect their own lives, let alone the lives of the endangered civilians. According to the National Human Rights Defense Network, government officials currently in power were complicit in the crimes.
Haitian women have always been respected as the “poto mitan” (backbones) of our communities. Yet our women, the backbones of our society, live in constant panic. All Haitians, especially our children, deserve to live in a country whose government has their best interest in mind. All government officials and officers conspiring with criminals must be discharged of their positions. Policemen need to be properly trained and equipped in order to protect the constituents.
We sincerely hope that the death of Evelyne Sincere and many others has not been in vain. We, the undersigned, remain confident that you will heed our call to take action in the following ways:
Put in place judicial parameters to prevent these barbaric acts from recurring again.
Fully prosecute those responsible for Evelyne Sincere’s murder and other heinous crimes less publicized
Establish democratically legitimate legislative measures towards criminal reform in Haiti.
Put an end to massacres, extra-judicial killings, and other human rights violations
Put an end to the kidnappings and gang activities that endanger the population’s safety
Build Haiti’s socio-economic infrastructure and develop a strategic plan to meet every citizen’s basic needs. Dismantle the inequalities that women in Haiti suffer from.
We will continue to support all your efforts that ensure the wellbeing of all Haitians.
Sincerely,
Haitian American Community Leaders Task Force
