Amnesty International Urgent Action: Threatened Forced Evictions in Jalousie, Haiti

HAITI THREATENS FORCED EVICTIONS 
The Haitian authorities are preparing to evict some 450 families living in the capital, Port-au-Prince, claiming their homes are at risk of landslide. They have not consulted the families, or offered them adequate alternative accommodation or adequate compensation.

The 450 families live in the Jalousie neighbourhood, in the municipality of Petionville on a hillside overlooking Port-au-Prince. They have not been consulted, and have not been offered adequate alternative accommodation or adequate compensation.

Ministry of Environment officials went into Jalousie with police officers on 21 June and marked 450 houses for demolition within 15 days. They did not present a court order for the eviction or any other legal notice, and told the residents nothing about why their houses were to be demolished.

The Minister of Environment subsequently went on Haitian radio to declare that the houses are in an area vulnerable to landslides. The residents have also heard that the authorities have apparently offered 100,000 gourdes (approximately US$2,500) to all those who own their houses and 20,000 gourdes (approximately US$500) to those who are renting.

Residents, many of whom have lived in Jalousie for decades, told Amnesty International that they themselves had built the community and its infrastructure, including roads, houses, businesses and access to electricity. They said that if there are environmental concerns, the government should engage them in meaningful consultation instead of forcing them out of their homes without providing adequate alternative accommodation or adequate compensation.

Please write immediately in French or your own language: 

• Calling on the authorities to halt immediately the threatened forced eviction of residents of Jalousie, who have not been consulted or offered adequate alternative accommodation or adequate compensation; 
• Urging them to open a meaningful consultation with the community to explain the environmental concerns and discuss adequate alternative accommodation and adequate compensation. 

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 28 AUGUST 2012 TO: 
President 
Michel Joseph Martelly 
Palais National 
Rue Magny, Port-au-Prince, Haiti 
Fax: + 1 202-745-7215 (via Haiti embassy in the USA) 
Twitter: @MichelJMartelly "Calling on Haitian President @MichelJMartelly to stop illegal forced evictions in Jalousie #Haiti Please RT" 
communications@presidentmartelly.ht 
Salutation: Monsieur le Président/ 
Dear President 

Minister of the Environment 
Joseph Ronald Toussaint 
Ministre de l’Environnement 
Ministère de l’Environnement 
4 Impasse Acajou, Rue Pomeyrac 
Delmas 95, Petion-ville 
josephronaldt@yahoo.fr         
Salutation: Monsieur le Ministre/ 
Dear Minister 


Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below: 
Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation         

Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date. 

URGENT ACTION

HAITI THREATENS FORCED EVICTIONS 

ADditional Information

Jalousie’s population of approximately 60,000 has increased substantially since the devastating January 2010 earthquake. More than 400,000 people still live in makeshift tents in the capital and surrounding areas, many of whom are at risk of forced eviction. 
  
Name:  450 families 
Gender: both 



UA: 213/12 Index: AMR 36/007/2012 Issue Date: 17 July 2012