FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, April 4, 2000
Contact:   Jocelyn McCalla
Phone:     (212) 337-0005
Fax:       (212) 337-0028

NCHR Laments Dominique Killing, Calls for Renewed Commitment   to Democratic Governance

New York, April 4, 2000 – The National Coalition for Haitian Rights (NCHR) expressed its shock and dismay today at the killing of one of Haiti’s most prominent journalists, Jean L. Dominique, and extended its condolences to his family.  Dominique had dedicated a 40-year radio career to ending the Duvalier dictatorships and establishing democracy in Haiti.  He survived years of threats and beatings at the hands of Duvalier’s Tonton Macoutes and was twice forced into exile, the last time when President Aristide was overthrown in 1991, only to die in a hail of gunfire yesterday as he arrived at his office for the morning news program.

“Jean Dominique pioneered a revolution in mass media communication in Haiti by embracing Haitian Creole as the medium of choice and giving voice to the poor and the oppressed,” said Jocelyn McCalla, NCHR Executive Director, “Many came forward to follow in his footsteps and champion basic liberties and freedom of the press.  His death is a great loss at a critical time for the country.”

Dominique was slain at a moment of rising tension and violence over the postponement of long-delayed parliamentary elections viewed as the way out of a constitutional crisis that has frozen political and economic development in Haiti over the last three years.  Last week, NCHR joined a growing chorus of Haitian and international groups urging President Preval and the Provisional Electoral Council to move to elections in late April or early May. 

“We are heartened by the Preval government’s vow to spare no expense in hunting down Dominique’s killers. However, we cannot help but note with deep regret the recent history of lame investigative efforts with respect to the attempted assassinations on Marie-Claude Preval (January 1999) and Pierre Esperance (March 1999), or the killings of Sen. Yvon Toussaint (March 1999) and Jean Lamy (October 1999),” said McCalla.

Today, NCHR called for calm in Haiti, urged the Haitian National Police to quickly identify and arrest the killers, and reaffirmed the critical importance of holding elections soon.  “The way to honor Jean Dominique’s life now,” said McCalla, “is to move quickly to restore constitutional government through reasonably fair elections and establish democratic governance.  More delay can only fuel despair and political chaos.”

NCHR also extended its condolences to the family of Jean-Claude Louissaint, a security guard who was also killed in the attack.