Bill Quigley: Fr. Jean Juste dying of Leukemia and pneumonia in Prison

The popular Haitian Catholic priest, liberation theologist and banned Lavalas presidential candidate Father Gerard Jean Juste is dying of pneumonia and leukemia in Prison. He is currently being held without written charges by the government of the recent coup on suspicion of killing a journalist and family friend in Port-Au-Prince. Though Jean-Juste was in Florida during the killing, was attacked by a right wing mob when he returned for the funeral. He was arrested on the scene and has been in deteriorating health ever since.


Loyola of New Orleans law professor Bill Quigley brings us an urgent appeal for action for democracy in Haiti and the life of Fr. Jean Juste.

ACTION STEPS:
call
1) Haiti's Ambassador to the U.S. Ray Joseph (202 332 4090),
2) U.S. State Dept Haiti Desk Officer Daniel Stewart (202 647-4755),
3) and the Human Rights Officer in the US Embassy in Haiti, Dana Banks, (011-509-223-0707 ext, 8270, or 011 509 222 0200), BanksD@state.gov.

Doctor's report TODAY 1.26.06: "marked deterioration of his condition since I last saw him two weeks ago." "his health has steadily deteriorated. Over the last four days he has had a fever and cough, and was diagnosed with pneumonia. His blood cell counts have dropped markedly due to the leukemia, and he appears extremely pale, fatigued, and with visible skin bruises due to his rapidly advancing disease.", "Father Jean-Juste requires immediate hospital-level care for this deteriorating condition. Further, given his precipitously low blood cell counts, significantly worse than two weeks ago, it is imperative that he also receives immediate treatment for his leukemia. Without this treatment he will die in prison."

26 January 2006
Mr. Brian Concannon
Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti
P.O. Box 745
Joseph, OR 97846
Fax: +1-541-432-0264

Re: Health of Gerard Jean-Juste
Dear Mr. Concannon,

I am writing because I am deeply concerned about the health of Father Gerard Jean-Juste. I am currently in Port-au-Prince, where I have just examined Father Jean-Juste and am alarmed at the marked deterioration of his condition since I last saw him two weeks ago.

As you know, Father Jean-Juste was diagnosed with leukemia a few weeks ago. This diagnosis was confirmed by Haitian physicians two weeks ago. Since that time, his health has steadily deteriorated. Over the last four days he has had a fever and cough, and was diagnosed with pneumonia. His blood cell counts have dropped markedly due to the leukemia, and he appears extremely pale, fatigued, and with visible skin bruises due to his rapidly advancing disease.

While he has received some antibiotics in prison for the pneumonia, Father Jean-Juste requires immediate hospital-level care for this deteriorating condition. Further, given his precipitously low blood cell count, significantly worse than two weeks ago, it is imperative that he also receives immediate treatment for his leukemia. Without this treatment he will die in prison. There is no time to waste.
Thank you for any assistance you can provide for Father Jean-Juste.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Furin, MD, PhD
Harvard Medical School

ACTION STEPS:
call 1) Haiti's Ambassador to the U.S. Ray Joseph (202 332 4090),
2) U.S. State Dept Haiti Desk Officer Daniel Stewart (202 647-4755),
3) and the Human Rights Officer in the US Embassy in Haiti, Dana Banks, (011-509-223-0707 ext, 8270, or 011 509 222 0200), BanksD@state.gov.