10 June 2011

HTI103751.FE

Haiti: The Fanmi Lavalas party and its activities; treatment of its members by authorities (2010 - April 2011)
Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

The Fanmi Lavalas political party was founded in November 1996 (OAS 2001, 15; PHW 2011, 595). The national representative of the party is Jean-Bertrand Aristide (Fanmi Lavalas n.d.a). Maryse Narcisse is referred to as Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s spokesperson (AlterPresse 11 Feb. 2011; Radio Métropole 22 Feb. 2011; Haïti Libre 19 Feb. 2011). According to the Fanmi Lavalas website, the party's committee is made up of the following members:

    * Ex-senator Youseline Augustin Bell, co-founder and ex-coordinator
    * Jacob François, co-founder and coordinator
    * Belfort Homerre, deputy coordinator
    * Maulaire Semé, secretary
    * Kivland Lubin, deputy secretary
    * Claudine Janvier, public relations
    * Jean Wilson Jean-Claude, delegate
    * Yves Bonnet, treasurer
    * Samson Duvergé, member (Fanmi Lavalas n.d.b)

Various media outlets consulted by the Research Directorate announced Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s return to Haiti in March 2011 after many years spent in exile in South Africa (BBC 18 Mar. 2011; France Info 18 Mar. 2011; AP 18 Mar. 2011; AlterPresse 19 Mar. 2011). Approximately 50 people, including members of the Fanmi Lavalas party, were on hand when he arrived at the airport in Port-au-Prince (France Info 18 Mar. 2011). According to some media reports, Aristide stated that he no longer wants to take an active role in politics (BBC 18 Mar. 2011; AP 18 Mar. 2011), but that he wants to focus his efforts on his foundation for education (ibid.). Aristide left power in 2004 [translation] “under the combined impact of an armed insurrection, and pressure from the United States [US] and France” (France Info 18 Mar. 2011; Radio-Canada 19 Mar. 2011), who accused him of [translation] “being incompetent” (ibid.). An article published by Inter Press Service (IPS) on 30 July 2010 indicates that Aristide was removed from power in 2004 following a coup d’état that was backed by the United States.

Activities

Sources state that, in February 2011, Fanmi Lavalas party supporters organized a demonstration in Port-au-Prince calling for the return of Aristide (Haïti Libre 19 Feb. 2011; AHP 19 Feb. 2011; Radio Métropole 22 Feb. 2011). According to an article published on 19 February 2011 by the Haitian online newspaper Haïti Libre, during the demonstration, Aristide’s sympathizers and supporters also denounced the [translation] “the international community’s interference in Haiti’s business;” they demanded that the 28 November 2010 elections be cancelled and that all political parties-including the Fanmi Lavalas party-be included in the electoral process (Haïti Libre 19 Feb. 2011). The article also states that the demonstration ended peacefully (ibid.). Furthermore, according to the IPS, in July 2010 nearly 100 Fanmi Lavalas supporters laid siege to the Embassy of the United States in Port-au-Prince, to request President Obama’s intervention in the electoral crisis (30 July 2010).

The IPS article points out that, for “technical” reasons, the Fanmi Lavalas party was excluded from participating in the senatorial elections that had been organized before the earthquake (30 July 2010). The party was also excluded from the November 2010 general elections (UN Apr. 2011). Similarly, the US Department of State’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2010 indicated that the Fanmi Lavalas is one of 16 political parties that wished to participate in the November 2010 elections but that were rejected in November 2009 by the Provisional Electoral Council for presenting documents that were “inconsistent, lacked notarization, and did not conform to legal requirements” (US 8 Apr. 2011, Sec. 3). The party was also excluded from the March 2011 ballot, “apparently because of technical errors in its application forms” (BBC 18 Mar. 2011). According to the Fanmi Lavalas spokesperson Maryse Narcisse, Fanmi Lavalas’ exclusion from the 28 November elections is "political" (CounterPunch 17 nov. 2010).

In a 3 May 2011 telephone interview with the Research Directorate, the director of the Haitian non-governmental organization (NGO) National Human Rights Defence Network (Réseau national de défense des droits humains, RNDDH) stated that his office had not received any report of political or police [translation] "repression" or of any "discrimination" by authorities against members of the Fanmi Lavalas party since 2010. During a 3 May 2011 telephone interview, a lawyer with the Office of International Lawyers (Bureau des avocats internationaux, BAI), based in Port-au-Prince and affiliated with the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH n.d.), stated that there had not been any [translation] "systematic persecution" of members of the Fanmi Lavalas party in Haïti since 2010 (ibid. 3 May 2011). Further information on the treatment of Fanmi Lavalas party members by Haitian authorities since 2010 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence haïtienne de presse (AHP). 19 February 2011. “Des milliers de partisans de Fanmi Lavalas manifestent à Port-au-Prince.” (Radio Télévision Caraïbes - RTVC) [Accessed 2 May 2011]

AlterPresse. 19 March 2011. “Haïti-Retour d'Aristide : premières réactions dans les milieux politiques.” [Accessed 2 May 2011]

_____. 11 February 2011. “Haïti-Aristide : Fanmi Lavalas dénonce une 'manœuvre d'intimidation' de la part des Etats-Unis.” [Accessed 28 Apr. 2011]

Associated Press (AP). 18 March 2011. “Retour d'Aristide en Haïti après sept ans d'exil.” (Le Nouvel Observateur) [Accessed 2 May 2011]

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 18 March 2011. “Haiti Ex-leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide Back After Exile.” [Accessed 28 Apr. 2011]

CounterPunch. 17 November 2010. Judith Scherr. "Interview with Dr. Maryse Narcisse of Fanmi Lavalas: Why Aristide’s Party Won't Vote." [Accessed 21 June 2011]

Fanmi Lavalas. N.d.a. "Le représentant national." [Accessed 21 June 2011]

_____. N.d.b. "Membres du comité." [Accessed 21 June 2011]

France Info. 18 March 2011. “Haïti : le retour de Jean-Bertrand Aristide.” [Accessed 28 Apr. 2011]

Haïti Libre. 19 February 2011. “Haïti - Politique : Fanmi Lavalas menace de pertuber le second tour des élections.” [Accessed 28 Apr. 2011]

Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH). 3 May 2011. Bureau des avocats internationaux (BAI). Telephone interview with a lawyer.

_____. N.d. “The Bureau des avocats internationaux.” [Accessed 3 May 2011]

Inter Press Service (IPS). 30 July 2010. Wadner Pierre. “Haiti Gears up for Polls - Again, sans Lavalas.” [Accessed 2 May 2011]

Organization of American States (OAS). 2001. Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD). Observation électorale en Haïti : élections législatives, municipales et locales, février à juillet 2006. [Accessed 3 June 2011]

Political Handbook of the World 2011 (PHW). 2011. “Haiti.” Edited by Thomas C. Muller, William R. Overstreet, Judith F. Isacoff and Tom Lansford. Washington, DC: CQ Press.

Radio-Canada. 19 March 2011. “Élections en Haïti : Aristide est arrivé à Port-au-Prince.” [Accessed 24 May 2011]

Radio Métropole. 22 February 2011. “Ira Kuzban et des militants lavalas sont furieux en raison du retard dans le retour d'Aristide.” [Accessed 28 Apr. 2011]

Réseau national de défense des droits humains (RNDDH). 3 May 2011. Telephone interview with the Director.

United Nations (UN). April 2011. Security Council. Security Council Report. April 2011: Haiti. [Accessed 10 June 2011]

United States (US). 8 April 2011. Department of State. “Haiti.” Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2010. [Accessed 28 Apr. 2011]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Attempts to contact the following people and organizations were unsuccessful: AlterPresse, Association des journalistes haïtiens, Brown Legal Group, Fédération haïtienne de la presse, Groupe d'assistance juridique, Groupe Médialternatif, Groupe de recherche et d'interventions en développement et en éducation, Haiti Press Network, Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, Lawyers Without Borders, Le Nouvelliste, Programme pour une alternative de justice, Radio France internationale, Radio Ibo, Radio Kiskeya, Radio Métropole, Radio Vision 2000, and United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.

Publication : The Europa World Year Book 2010.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International, Center for International Governance Innovation, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, Centre de recherche sur les droits de l'homme et le droit humanitaire, Coalition pour la défense de la constitution, Collectif Haïti de France, Le Devoir, Groupe Médialternatif, Groupe de recherche et d'interventions en développement et en éducation, HaitiAction.net, Haïti - Conseil électoral provisoire, Haïtielections2010.com, Human Rights Watch, InfoSud Belgique, International Crisis Group, Migrants outre-mer, Le Monde diplomatique, The North-South Institute, Le Nouvelliste, La Presse, Radio Ibo, Radio TV Focus, Radio Vision 2000, Tribune de Genève, United Nations (UN) - Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, United States Institute of Peace, Voice of America.