Haiti: The situation and treatment of former Tonton Macoutes; whether their family members are targeted by the chimères, members of the Lavalas movement or state actors

Information on the situation and treatment of former Tonton Macoutes and whether their family members are targeted by the chimères, members of the Lavalas movement or state actors was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

In 7 January 2009 correspondence, the Director of the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti stated the following:

Technically the Ton Ton Macoutes were disbanded following the departure of Jean-Claude Duvalier in February, 1986. Although I believe many of the leaders left Haiti, I doubt if the majority of rank-and-file members (most of them poor) were able to leave the country. Some certainly integrated into successor paramilitary organizations, including [the Front for the advancement and progress of Haiti (Front pour l'avancement et le progrès d'Haiti, FRPAH)]. But even FRAPH has not been functional as an organization for 14 years. [...]

I have not heard of cases of anyone persecuted for being a member of the Ton Ton Macoutes in several years, perhaps ten or more. In my experience, political violence in Haiti is not based on retaliation for long-ago past acts, but in order to intimidate or prevent the victim from participating in a current or future act. I would not expect that someone who was a TonTon Macoute, and nothing more, would pose a sufficient current threat for anyone to attack him now. If there were any systematic persecution of TonTon Macoutes, I expect I would have heard of it.

In a 6 January 2008 news article, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that among the candidates vying for the presidency of Haiti in 2007 was "Franck Romain, a top Duvalier official with close ties to the feared Tonton Macoutes and alleged planner of a 1998 attack on former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's church that left 12 people dead."

According to undated information provided by the MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base, "[s]ources claim that anti-Aristide groups have in their ranks former members of the Tontons Macoutes, some of whom became integrated into the Haitian police and military services."

Information on whether family members of former Tonton Macoutes are targeted by the chimères, members of the Lavalas movement or state actors could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti. 7 January 2009. Correspondence received from the Director.

Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT). N.d. Terrorism Knowledge Base. "Terrorist Group Profile: Tontons Macoutes." [Accessed 7 Jan. 2009]

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 6 January 2008. Jacqueline Charles. "President Wants Haiti to Remember Duvalier Horrors." (Factiva)

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Agence haïtienne de presse (AHP) [Port-au-Prince], Amnesty International (AI), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL), Center for International Policy, Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA), Develepment and Peace, Factiva, Freedom House, HaitiAction.net, Haïti Info, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), International Crisis Group, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Refworld, Organization of American States (OAS), Radio Vision 2000 [Port-au-Prince], Réseau national de défense des droits humains (RNDDH), Union internationale de la presse francophone (UPF), Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).