Port-au-Prince, March 31st, 1995 Senator Jesse Helma The United State Senata. Washington, D.C. PAY WO.(202) 224-7588 Honorable Senator, Knowing your interest for the establishment of the true democracy in Haiti, I take the decision to inform you of the followings: As the spouse of Mrs Miraille Durocher Bertin who was cowardly assassinated on March 28, 1995, I want to bring forward to your attention that it is false that the haitian authorities ever informed my wife that there was a threat on her life and that she refused any protection offered to her. I swear that neither I or any member of the close family was aware of such initiative. All we know is that her uncla was approached by a friend in the name of M. Harner Jérome who informed him that they were about to make an arrest warrant on Mireille,s name, and advise her to leave the country if she did not want to be jailed. My wife refused saying that she had no reason to leave the country because she had not broken any law. She was conforted in this decision by her uncle Rudolph LAMOTHE, of the United Armed Forces on duty at that time in Haiti, that democracy will prevail for all in the country. Also on March 23, 1995, the Minister of Justice, Mr. Exume confirmed to her the rumor of that warrant and gave her his telephone Number in case she wanted any help. I and all the family raquest your support to clarify this. horrible crime. Sincerely Yours, Ilan Bertin Joan Bartin Montagne Noire Pétion-ville, Haiti, W.I. Phone 509-574829 BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, NEW YORK WILLIAM F GOOOLING. PENNSYLVANIA TOBY ROTH, WISCONSIN HENRY J HYDE ILLINOIS DOUG BEREUTER, NEBRASKA CHRISTOPHER H SMITH, NEW JERSEY DAN BURTON INDIANA JAN MEYERS KANSAS ELTON GALLEGLY, CALIFORNIA PETER T KING NEW YORK JAY KIM CALIFORNIA SAM BROWNBACK, KANSAS DAVID FUNDERBURK NORTH CAROLINA STEVEN CHABOT, OHIO MARSHALL MARK SANFORD, SOUTH CAROLINA MATT SALMON ARIZONA AMO HOUGHTON, NEW YORK RICHARD J. GARON CHIEF OF STAFF One Hundred Fourth Congress Congress of the United States Committee on International Relations House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 January 15, 1996 LEE H. HAMILTON, INDIANA RANKING DEMOCRATIC MEMOUR SAM GEJDENSON, CONNECTICUT ROBERT G. TORRICELLI, NEW JERSEY HARRY JOHNSTON, FLORIDA ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA. AMERICAN SAMOA VICTOR O FRAZER, VIRGIN ISLANDS (IND) MICHAEL H. VAN DUSEN DEMOCRATIC CHIEF OF STAFF Ms. Wendy Sherman Dear Ms. Sherman: Enclosed are written questions for Assistant Secretary Robert Gelbard and Mr. James With respect to these submitted questions, I ask that you remind these witnesses that, as a supplement to their testimony offered under oath before the Committee, their written replies will be considered as sworn testimony. Because of the urgency of the Committee's ongoing inquiry into these issues, we intend to complete the record of this hearing as soon as possible. Therefore, we ask that written replies to these questions be submitted no later than January 19. Any questions regarding the record of this hearing should be directed to Ms. Parker Brent of the Committee staff, 202-225-5021. With best wishes, Enclosures as stated Sincerely Qe BENJAMIN A. GILMAN QUESTIONS FOR AMBASSADOR ROBERT GELBARD We understand that U.S. officials have informed their Haitian counterparts that we have evidence of human rights violations and other criminality on the part of Dany Toussaint, Medard Joseph, Pierre Cherubin, Richard Salomon, et al, and that we would suspend police assistance if such persons were given responsibility for Haiti's security forces. Is this description accurate? Have we essentially conditioned future U.S. police assistance on Haitian compliance with this requirement? Provide the names of the individuals about whom U.S. officials have raised these concerns to date as well as a summary of the reports of criminality by each of these persons. Have any of the individuals associated directly or indirectly with the Special Investigative Unit been implicated in human rights violations or other criminality? For example, is it correct that Dany Toussaint has had or may have direct or indirect supervisorial role over the Unit? QUESTIONS FOR AMBASSADOR JAMES DOBBINS When did you and other State Department officials first become aware of the evidence collected by the FBI that linked the Bertin killing to other execution-style killings? During your January 4 testimony, you twice cited several attempts from April to September 1995 to arrange a briefing for State Department officials on the FBI's Bertin investigation. For the record, please provide correspondence or telephone logs to substantiate any such requests within the State Department or with the National Security Council, the Justice Department, or other U.S. government agency. What was the decision on whether such briefings should take place? If and when such Were you ever instructed by any U.S. government official to withhold information from On another subject covered during the October 12 Subcommittee hearing, on that date, in response to a question on the Haitian government's commitment to privatization, you dismissed the suggestion that the Haitian government was going back on its commitment to privatization. Just after that hearing, however, we heard that the Haitian privatization plan was put on hold before October 12 and that Prime Minister had told Ambassador Swing that he was quitting because President Aristide would not back up his economic plan, which included privatization. When you reassured the Subcommittee about the Haitian commitment to privatization, did you know at that time that Prime Minister Smarck Michel had told Ambassador Swing that he was quitting on a date certain over that very issue? Don't you consider it important that the head of government was quitting because of the very issue that Subcommittee Chairman Dan Burton had raised with you? What is the status of Haiti's Truth Commission? Has the Commission produced any results? Is the Commission receiving adequate resources to function effectively? Has the United States provided or considered providing any support to the Commission? Please provide an update of all incremental costs associated with U.S. operations in Haiti. BENJAMIN A GILMAN NEW YOR WILLIAM F GOODLING, PENNSYLVANIA TOBY ROTH WISCONSIN HENRY J. HYDE, ILLMOS DOUG BEREUTER, NEBRASKA CHRISTOPHER K. SMITH, NEW JADEY DAN BURTON, INCHANA JAN MEYERS, KANSAS ELTON GALLEGLY, CALIFOR LEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, FLORIDA CASS BALLENGER NORTH CAROLINA DANA ROHRABACHER CALFORMA EDWARD A ROYCE, CALIFOR PETER T KING NEW YORK JAY KIM, CALIFORN SAM BROWNBACK, KANSAS DAVID FUNDERBURK, NORTH CAROLINA STEVEN J. CHABOT, ONIO MARSHALL "MARK SANFORD, SOUTH CAR MATT SALMON ARIZONA AMO HOUGHTON, NEW YORK RICHARD J. GARON CHIEF OF STAPP One Hundred Fourth Congress Congress of the United States Washington, DC 20515 January 15, 1996 Mr. Louis J. Freeh Director Federal Bureau of Investigation J. Edgar Hoover Building 9th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Dear Mr. Director: Enclosed are written questions for Mr. Bill Perry, pursuant to his sworn testimony at a January 4 Committee hearing on Haiti Human Rights and Police Issues. We are also providing the unedited transcript of this hearing for any necessary editing by this witness. With respect to these submitted questions, I ask that you remind Mr. Perry that, as a supplement to his testimony offered under oath before the Committee, his written replies will be considered as sworn testimony. Because of the urgency of the Committee's ongoing inquiry into these issues, we intend to complete the record of this hearing as soon as possible. Therefore, we ask that written replies to these questions be submitted no later than January 19. Any questions regarding the record of this hearing should be directed to Ms. Parker Brent of the Committee staff, 202-225-5021. |