We Insist Upon Justice in the Case of Jean Dominique

7 June 2000

Rene Preval
President of Haiti
National Palace
Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Your Excellency,

On April 3 of this year the eyes of the world turned to Haiti.

On that that day, Jean Leopold Dominique, the husband of our friend and classmate, Michele Montas, was shot to death when he arrived at Radio Haiti Inter to host the 7 a.m. news program.

His death became a huge news story, covered by major media throughout the world, and caused an unprecedented outpouring of shock, anger and grief.

Yet more than two months later, Mr. Dominique’s killers remain at large.

There are no suspects in the case.

Mr. Dominique devoted a lifetime to speaking out passionately and courageously for Haiti, the country he so dearly loved.

For this he was murdered.

For this, his wife is in mourning, and thousands more of us, both in Haiti and the United States, still feel sadness, loss and a great sense of injustice.

We insist upon justice in the case of Jean Dominique.

We ask that your government commit whatever resources are necessary for Mr. Dominique’s murder to be fully investigated, and his killers brought to justice.

We have not forgotten Mr. Dominique’s murder.

We will never forget his murder.

Our thoughts and support continue to go out to our friend and classmate, Ms. Montas.

Our eyes remain steadfastly on Haiti.

Sincerely,

Class of 1969
Columbia Journalism School
Columbia University in the City of New York

• Tom Goldstein, Dean, Columbia Journalism School, New York, New York
• Karen Rothmyer, Managing Editor, The Nation Magazine
• Eric Pianin, Washington Post, Washington, D.C.
• Dick Knox, Science Writer, Boston, Massachusetts
• Frank Phillippi, The Kiplinger Magazine
• Gordon K. Brown, The New York Times, New York, New York
• Father Carl DeSouza, Franklin, Virginia
• M. William Salganik, Baltimore, Maryland
• Don Ringe, Communications Consultant, San Francisco, California
• Giselle Bergeret, Journalist, Montevideo, Uruguay
• Paul Sturm, Business Writer, Santa Cruz, California
• Jim I. Gabbe, Gabbe Group, New York, New York
• Ted Gest, Journalist, Washington, D.C.
• Martin Gottlieb, The New York Times, New York, New York
• George Leeson, Businessman, San Francisco, California
• Rosalie Jenkins, Journalist, New York, New York
• Terry Wolkerstorfer, Journalist, St. Paul, Minnesota
• Lynn Payer, Free-Lance Journalist, New York, New York
• Michael Brourman, Attorney, Santa Monica, California
• David D. Platt, Yarmouth, Maine
• Patricia Westfall, Athens, Ohio
• Amy Stone, New York, New York
• Carla Fine, New York, New York
• Miguel Frankenfeld, Washington, D.C.
• Tammy Tanaka, New York, New York
• Dean Gottehrer, Santa Cruz, California
• Maureen O’Connor, Louisville, Kentucky
• John Henry, New York, New York
• Susan Macovsky, New York, New York
• David Gumpert, Needham, Massachusetts
• Ray Goldbacher, Washington, D.C.
• David Hammer
• Allan Mann
• Allan Prentice
• Laurence Leamer
• Rick Seifert