Reporter Kevin Pina opened his family home to me last month in Port au Prince, Haiti when violence closed the orphanage where I usually stay to do human rights work. Tonight, Kevin sleeps in a jail cell like those I visited in Cap Haitian just weeks ago. He has become part of the story he risks his life daily to tell.

He was arrested September 9th while covering the ransacking of Father Jean-Juste's church, the humanitarian priest who routinely served 600 hungry and impoverished children the only meal they often got before he became yet another of the hundreds of political prisoners held by the government that came out of the US-sponsored Coup d'État of February 29, 2004 that overthrew democratically elected President Aristide.

The first time I met Father Gerard Jean-Juste it was with Kevin Pina, inside St. Claire's Church in the Delmas district. This is the same church the masked police were tearing apart yesterday as Kevin went to cover the story. Now, Kevin Pina with fellow journalist and photographer, Jean Ristil are also held in custody for trying to get the truth out to us. They are appearing before a judge today. They deny any wrongdoing. Kevin Pina reports from his cell to human rights workers that the charges against him are changing even as fast as sympathetic phone calls come pouring in calling for their release.

Kevin Pina is known for his searing documentary work that often includes graphic portrayals of violence against the poor in Haiti. He has been persistent in speaking out on behalf of political prisoners, such as Father Jean-Juste. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Pina donated time to speak at Sacramento State University last year addressing the student body as a visiting scholar. He is an editor for the Black Commentator, founder of Haiti Information Project, an international news correspondent for Flashpoints at KPFA and a well-known documentary filmmaker. He just released some amazing footage from his new film exposé on Haiti. Now he believes his life is very much at risk. For the work he does, he stands behind bars...and stand he probably will.

When I visited the prison in August I had to turn away several times to control my emotions. The small cells sometime detain as many as 29-34 men. There is one twin bunk bed and a few mats in the limited floor space of each small cell. They take turns sleeping if they could keep the rats off themselves, while the others stand.

Time out of the cell is limited to 10 minutes a day that includes the only opportunity to use the toilet, a few minutes to shower and then to carry back some water to the cell. One plate of rice with a few beans is the only food. Some men who had been there for months told me they had not yet seen a judge, been charged or sentenced. One tall wide-eyes young man was only 15 years old. Many were there as political prisoners. Now Kevin Pina joins them. His voice cried out for those same prisoners, now his voice joins their from prison.

Last month Kevin and I climbed up on top of his home in Haiti because he wanted me to see the neighborhood where shots had rung out the night before as we slept. He spread his arm out to the city, "Poor, all you can see is the poor any where you look." he said, and shook his head heading back down the stairs. "We need to speak for the poor, not only in the country, but in each city and town. We need to speak for the poor here in Port au Prince."

Now, he speaks out from behind bars. Our concern is not only for Kevin Pina, Jean Ristil and Father Jean-Juste and the other political prisoners; our concern is also for Merlande, the wife Kevin leaves at home with their infant son. Paulo was born in Haiti while his father paced the floor of the hospital, now his father paces the floor of a prison cell. While we remember those who where killed by terrorists on 9/11, let us not forget those who are victims of political terrorism, especially victims of terrorism that is endorsed by our own government.

Leisa Faulkner of Sacramento, California is co-founder of Coalition 4 Democracy In Haiti, serves on the National Spokes council board of Progressive Democrats of America, serves as a delegate to the National Writers Union, and will do another speaking tour this spring with Father Roy Bourgeois - founder of School of the Americas Watch.

She can be reached at leisafaulkner@hotmail.com

For more information about this story, and to learn what you can do, please go to: http://www.haitiaction.net/News/HIP/9_9_5/9_9_5.html

Below is a list to contact to urge release for these political prisoners:

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Call and write the United Nations: 212-963-4879, presidentga58@un.org *

UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)
PHONE: 011.509.244.9650.9660
FAX: 011.509.244.9366/67 Or, Fax, Office of General Secretary (New York) - 212.963.4879

Hon. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General
United Nations
United Nations Headquarters
First Avenue at 46th Street
New York, NY 10017
inquiries@un.org;
press office: (509) 510-2563 ext. : 6343

Ambassador Anne Patterson
Acting Permanent U.S. representative to the United Nations: 212-415-4050 or
Peggy Kerry: kerryp@state.gov

Bacre Waly Ndiaye
Director-New York Office of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
ph: 212-963-1583 or 212-963-5930 fax: 212-963-3463

Louise Arbour
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland
ph: 41-22-917-9000 fax: 41-22-917-9011 email: ngochr@ohchr.org

Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: 41 22 917 9006 email: urgent-action@ohchr.org *

Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General,
Head of Human Rights Division Juan Gabriel Valdés
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)
385, Ave. John Brown, Bourdon, B.P. 557,
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (W.I.)
Fax: +509 244 3512

Thierry Fagart Human Rights Division, MINUSTAH 385, Ave.
John Brown, Bourdon, B.P. 557 Port-au-Prince, Haiti (W.I.)
Fax: +509 244 9366 +509 244 9367* Fax No. (212) 963-4879

Hon. Kofi Annan,
Secretary-General United Nations
United Nations Headquarters First Avenue at 46th Street
New York, NY 10017
************************************

Additional contact information:

Ambassador Embassy of the Republic of Haiti
2311 Massachusetts Ave.NW.
Washington DC 20008
Fax: 1 202 745 7215 Email: embassy@haiti.org

U.S. Charge D'affairs, Timothy Carney
United States Embassy
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telephones: 011-509-223-4711, or 222-0200 or 0354
Fax: 011-509-223-1641 or 9038
Email to Dana Banks, Human Rights Officer: BanksD@state.gov

Canadian Ambassador to Haiti, Claude Boucher
Embassy of Canada
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telephone: 011-509- 249-9000 Fax: 011-509-249-9920
Email: prnce@international.gc.ca ________________________________________________

Ambassador of France in Haiti, M. Yves GAUDEUL
Embassy of France
51 place des Héros de l'Indépendance - BP
312 Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Telephone: 011-509-222-0952 Fax : 011-509-223 5675

cc: Fax or send copies to:
Fax. No. 011-509-245-0474
Me. Henri Dorlèans Ministre de la Justice et de la Sècuritè Publique Ministère de la Justice
19 Avenue Charles Sumner
Port-au-Prince, Haiti

General Director of the Haiti National Police Mario Andresol
Directeur Général de la Police Nationale d'Haïti Grand Quartier Générale la Police
12 rue Oscar Pacot,
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (W.I.)
Fax: 011-509 245 7374 *

Prime Minister Gérard Latortue
Ministère de l'Intérieure,
Villa d'Accueil, Delmas 60 Musseau,
Port-au-Prince, HAITI (W.I.)
Fax: +509 298 3901

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