Antoine Izméry
Encyclopedia
Antoine Izméry was a Haïti
an businessman and pro-democracy activist.
descent, was among the wealthiest people in Haïti. He was one of the most prominent backers of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide
, and helped finance his election campaign. On the eve of the 1990 elections (which Aristide eventually won), Izméry accused former President of the United States
Jimmy Carter
of attempting to ensure the victory of Aristide's rival, Marc Bazin
. He reportedly caused some consternation in the American camp when he told former US Secretary of State Robert S. McNamara, who was also in attendance, "that [McNamara] would have to take charge of the bloodbath" if Bazin came to power through a rigged election.
When Aristide, having been elected President, was toppled and forced into exile by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état
on September 30, 1991, Izméry founded the KOMEVEB (Komite Mete men pou Verite Blayi) organisation, which attempted to discover and publicise the events surrounding the coup and see the return of democratic government. In 1992, Izméry's brother, Georges, was assassinated by a paramilitary death squad associated with the new regime. Antoine Izméry subsequently lodged a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
over the death, which sparked a sharply critical resolution from the commission.
, where numerous people had been killed in an attempt on Aristide's life, when he had been a parish priest. Few journalists or human rights advocates dared attend, as there was a strong chance at the time that such a gathering would be attacked by paramilitaries. Izméry told Michael Norton
of the Associated Press
that he had been warned by the police that there would be bloodshed if the event went ahead. At around 6:00 am, the church was surrounded by armed men in civilian clothing. Numerous journalists were beaten and detained, and placed under the charge of Jackson Joanis, who headed the Port-au-Prince
police's feared "Anti-Gang Unit". While this was ongoing, a group of 10 men forced Izméry outside, and made him kneel before shooting him dead with a single bullet to the head.
, and police officers Jackson Joanis and Michel François
, were convicted in absentia and sentenced to forced labour for life over Izméry's death. Chamblain soon fled into exile in the Dominican Republic
, and Joanis to the United States
. Joanis was subsequently deported back to Haïti in 2002, but escaped during the 2004 Haiti rebellion that preceded Aristide's second fall from power.
In early 2004, both Chamblain and Joanis turned themselves in to the new regime, which they were both supporters of, and on August 17, 2004, they were both retried. In a trial lasting only one night, the pair were acquitted. Only one witness testified for the prosecution, and the conduct of the trial came in for sharp international criticism from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
and Amnesty International
. Amnesty International claimed that key witnesses remained in hiding for fear of their lives, that evidence against the men from the first trial had disappeared, and that no attempt had been made to arrest the other twelve men from the original trial.
Izmery is survived by five children, three girls and two boys.
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an businessman and pro-democracy activist.
Career
Izméry, who was of PalestinianPalestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
descent, was among the wealthiest people in Haïti. He was one of the most prominent backers of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Catholic priest and politician who served as Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies...
, and helped finance his election campaign. On the eve of the 1990 elections (which Aristide eventually won), Izméry accused former President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
of attempting to ensure the victory of Aristide's rival, Marc Bazin
Marc Bazin
Marc Louis Bazin was a World Bank official, former United Nations functionary and Haïtian Minister of Finance and Economy under the dictatorship of Jean-Claude Duvalier...
. He reportedly caused some consternation in the American camp when he told former US Secretary of State Robert S. McNamara, who was also in attendance, "that [McNamara] would have to take charge of the bloodbath" if Bazin came to power through a rigged election.
When Aristide, having been elected President, was toppled and forced into exile by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état
1991 Haitian coup d'état
The 1991 Haitian coup d'état took place on 29 September 1991 when President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, elected 8 months earlier in the Haitian general election, 1990–1991, was deposed by the Haitian army. The coup was led by Army General Raoul Cédras, Army Chief of Staff Phillipe Biamby and Chief of...
on September 30, 1991, Izméry founded the KOMEVEB (Komite Mete men pou Verite Blayi) organisation, which attempted to discover and publicise the events surrounding the coup and see the return of democratic government. In 1992, Izméry's brother, Georges, was assassinated by a paramilitary death squad associated with the new regime. Antoine Izméry subsequently lodged a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is an autonomous organ of the Organization of American States .Along with the...
over the death, which sparked a sharply critical resolution from the commission.
Murder
On September 11, 1993, Antoine Izméry attended a mass that had been organised by KOMEVEB to commemorate the 1988 St Jean Bosco massacreSt Jean Bosco massacre
The St Jean Bosco massacre took place in Haiti on 11 September 1988. At least 13 people were killed and around 80 wounded in a three-hour assault on the Saint-Jean Bosco church in Port-au-Prince, which saw the church burned down...
, where numerous people had been killed in an attempt on Aristide's life, when he had been a parish priest. Few journalists or human rights advocates dared attend, as there was a strong chance at the time that such a gathering would be attacked by paramilitaries. Izméry told Michael Norton
Michael Norton
Michael Norton is a Paralympic alpine skier from Australia. He won a pair of gold medals at the 1994 Lillehammer Games in the Men's Slalom LWXI event and the Men's Super-G LWXI event.-References:...
of the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
that he had been warned by the police that there would be bloodshed if the event went ahead. At around 6:00 am, the church was surrounded by armed men in civilian clothing. Numerous journalists were beaten and detained, and placed under the charge of Jackson Joanis, who headed the Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
police's feared "Anti-Gang Unit". While this was ongoing, a group of 10 men forced Izméry outside, and made him kneel before shooting him dead with a single bullet to the head.
Trial
In September 1995, after Aristide had been returned to power, fourteen people, including former paramilitary leader Louis-Jodel ChamblainLouis-Jodel Chamblain
Louis-Jodel Chamblain is a military leader in Haïti who has led both government troops and rebels, and is considered a notorious war criminal....
, and police officers Jackson Joanis and Michel François
Michel François
Joseph-Michel François was a colonel in the Haitian army. As Haiti Chief of National Police he participated in the 1991 Haitian coup d'état, which overthrew Haiti's elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The Haitian Presidential candidate Michel "Sweet Mickey" Martelly is known to have...
, were convicted in absentia and sentenced to forced labour for life over Izméry's death. Chamblain soon fled into exile in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, and Joanis to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Joanis was subsequently deported back to Haïti in 2002, but escaped during the 2004 Haiti rebellion that preceded Aristide's second fall from power.
In early 2004, both Chamblain and Joanis turned themselves in to the new regime, which they were both supporters of, and on August 17, 2004, they were both retried. In a trial lasting only one night, the pair were acquitted. Only one witness testified for the prosecution, and the conduct of the trial came in for sharp international criticism from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is an autonomous organ of the Organization of American States .Along with the...
and Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
. Amnesty International claimed that key witnesses remained in hiding for fear of their lives, that evidence against the men from the first trial had disappeared, and that no attempt had been made to arrest the other twelve men from the original trial.
Izmery is survived by five children, three girls and two boys.
Film:
• Rezistans – a documentary about Antoine Izméry and the resistance against the 1991 coup d’ etat – 1997, in English, 158 min, by Katherine KeanExternal links
- National Human Rights Defense Network : Press release on murder trial
- Amnesty International Library : Haïti : Perpetrators of past abuses threaten human rights and the reestablishment of the rule of law.
- GreenTit Blog : Haïti's brutal history largely of our making
- IJDH : Haïti Assassination Trial An Affront to All Those Who Have Worked and Died for Justice