Haiti Stories

IC was informed by close friends that military was searching for seventeen persons in his neighborhood, who were targeted as Aristide supporters and as repatriates. The seventeen names had been announced at the barracks/station ("caserne") which IC claims were provided to the seven military posts between Petit-Goave and Port-au-Prince (PAP) by PAP authorities.

Three days later, soldiers in a white car came to IC's house to arrest him. IC escaped from his house through a back window, IC then left for La Gonave. While in hiding in La Gonave, IC met up with IC [illegible], Joseph, who had been repatriated with him. IC left Haiti for a second time on 9 January, along with IC's [illegible], Joseph, and Fito, Jean.

IC: Coffy, Herold
DOB: [illegible]
POB: Croix de Bouquet (Arcahale)
POR: Cite-Soleil (Port-au-Prince)

IC originally departed Haiti on 13 November 91. IC was returned to Haiti on 18 November 91, arriving in Port-au-Prince at approximately 3:00 p.m. IC was repatriated with a friend, Leslie Dorsa. IC states that there were many soldiers on the pier. IC was then taken to the Red Cross facility by soldiers, at approximately 3:30 p.m. IC was separated from his friend Dorsa, during disembarkation. IC explains that he was among the group of repatriates that entered the Red Cross facility while the USCG cutter and foreign journalists and other American civilians remained in the proximity of the building. IC estimates that he completed processing in the Red Cross at [illegible].

As IC left the dock area with several other repatriates, soldiers followed the group. The other repatriates waited for a bus to Leogane; IC quickly got on a bus for Carrefour. During IC's first week in Carrefour, IC's brother visited from Petit-Goave and told IC that he had seen soldiers kill IC's repatriate-friend Leslie Dorsa. His brother explained that soldiers had arrested Dorsa upon his arrival in Petit-Goave by bus from Port-au-Prince.

On 20-21 November, IC heard news of other repatriates on the radio station Radio Galaxie. The radio reported that the soldiers had beaten and shot many of the repatriates who returned to Haiti on a USCG cutter on 19 November. The report detailed that these murders had taken place on the streets near the dock area, as the repatriates were searching for transportation home. The report explained that the repatriates had been attacked because they had left Haiti and been returned from U.S. custody.

IC explains that on 27 November 91, soldiers came looking for IC at his father's house in Cite-Soleil. After IC's father refused to divulge IC's whereabouts. the soldier shot the father dead. IC, who was still in Carrefour, was informed of the incident by his younger sister and three persons from his father's neighborhood.

IC then traveled to Petit-Goave by motorbike for his father's funeral. On his way back to Carrefour, IC was followed by soldiers, who ultimately overtook him and tried to stop him. As IC jumped off his bike, he fell on his head but he managed to escape.

IC made his way back to Petit-Goave by bus and then took a boat to La Gonave. IC left Haiti anew on 9 January 92.