Haiti : The Organization of Leading Thinkers of Santo for the Advancement of Youth (Organisation des grands penseurs de Santo pour l'avancement des jeunes, OGPSAJ), including its role in the opposition's activities since the October 2015 elections; treatment of opposition supporters by the authorities following the October 2015 elections (2015-March 2016)

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

Information on the OGPSAJ could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. However, the following information may be useful.

1. The OGPSAJ

Santo is a village in the Croix-des-Bouquets commune (HaïtiLibre 15 Nov. 2013; Haïti-Référence 10 Oct. 2015).

During telephone interviews with the Research Directorate, the Director of the National Human Rights Defense Network (Réseau national de défense des droits humains, RNDDH), an organization based in Port-au-Prince (RNDDH n.d.), and a Haitian journalist who acted as an observer in the 25 October 2015 elections stated that they were not familiar with the OGPSAJ (ibid. 8 Mar. 2016; Journalist 10 Mar. 2016).

On 25 March 2015, the Provisional Electoral Council (Conseil électoral provisoire, CEP), [translation] "the institution responsible for overseeing the electoral processes in Haiti" (Haiti n.d.a), published a news release "listing registered and nonregistered political parties and groups" (ibid. 25 Mar. 2015). The OGPSAJ is not on that list (ibid. n.d.b). The news release states that, in the framework of the implementation of the electoral calendar, according to the electoral decree of 2 March 2015, the CEP publishes [translation] "the list of properly registered political parties and groups entitled to participate in the upcoming elections" and adds that the non-registered parties and groups "have until Friday, 27 March 2015, at 4 p.m. to produce any potential claims" (Haiti 25 Mar. 2015). The journalist, who was an observer during the 25 October 2015 elections, stated the following: [translation] "I have the list from the CEP and the OGPSAJ is not on it" (Journalist 10 Mar. 2016). Information on whether it was the same list, as well as information on other lists of registered political parties in Haiti could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate, an economist working for the NGO Activity Coordination Unit (Unité de coordination des activités des ONG, UCAONG) stated that the registry [translation] "did not have the name of this organization [the OGPSAJ] as an NGO that is recognized by the Haitian state" (Haiti 7 Mar. 2016). According to the Decree of 14 September 1989 amending the law of 13 December 1982 governing NGOs (Décret du 14 septembre 1989 modifiant la loi du 13 décembre 1982 régissant les ONG),

[translation]

[t]the ministry of planning and external cooperation is responsible for coordinating and supervising the activities of NGOs in the Republic.

It carries out these national-level duties through the UCAONG (ibid. 1989, Art. 13).

According to the same source, NGOs are required to register with that ministry, and the UCAONG is responsible for [translation] "updating the list of NGOs operating in the country" (ibid. Art. 8, 16).

2. Treatment of Opposition Supporters Following the 25 October 2015 Elections

According to sources, on the day of the 25 October 2015 elections, some opposition supporters were mistreated by authorities (Journalist 10 Mar. 2016; HPN 23 Nov. 2015). Sources state that in Port-au-Prince, during the opposition protests following these elections, the police used violence toward the participants (ibid.; RNDDH 8 Mar. 2016; OPC 24 Nov. 2015). Media covered the violence with which the police dispersed the 18 November 2015 protest in the capital (AlterPresse 18 Nov. 2015; Radio Kiskeya 19 Nov. 2015).

However, the journalist was of the opinion that the protests that followed the 25 November 2015 elections were instead the start of [translation] "a civil war between the populations," meaning those who wanted to protest and those who wanted the protests to stop, and that it was not a concerted action by the ruling party against the opposition (Journalist 10 Mar. 2016). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

In correspondence published on 24 November 2015 by the Office of Citizen Protection (Office de la protection du citoyen, OPC), an [translation] "independent national institution," the ombudsperson highlights that the publication [on 5 November 2015 (HPN 23 Nov. 2015)] of the preliminary results of the presidential election of 25 October 2015 resulted in "street protests that the police suppressed through acts of brutality and the abusive use of force," including "the excessive use of teargas and sometimes shots fired resulting in injuries and deaths among the protestors."

Cited by the Haiti Press Network (HPN), an online not-for-profit news agency (HPN 28 Feb. 2016), the Coordinator of the League of progressive students for the advancement of the country (Ligue des étudiants progressistes pour l'avancement du pays, LEPAP) [translation] "deplored the fact that the national police would transform … into a militia defending the interests of the ruling party to the detriment of the Haitian citizens" (ibid. 23 Nov. 2015). In addition, he [translation] "denounced the repressive acts of the ruling party against the Haitian population that … took to the streets demanding sincere voting" (ibid.).

On 30 November 2015, HPN stated that the Group of 8 (Groupe des 8, G8), a group of [translation] "eight presidential candidates, who suggested that a transition power be formed … and that demanded … the departure of President Michel Martelly and the dissolution of the CEP," had stated that it was necessary "to end the reprisals and the police repression against peaceful protestors" in order to hold the elections.

The RNDDH Director stated that after the 25 October 2015 elections,

[translation]

there were protests and many arrests. Some individuals were imprisoned. It was not targeted. For example, some, [who went] home [and who were wearing] t-shirts representing candidates who were not official candidates were arrested by the police. There were many cases like this (RNDDH 8 Mar. 2016).

However, according to the same source, among the opposition, those [translation] "who have notoriety and who are very well known benefited from a sort of immunity, such that they were not affected. However, those who were not leaders, could … be arrested or intimidated" (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

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

AlterPresse. 18 November 2015. "Haïti - Élections : La police disperse violemment une manifestation de l'opposition." [Accessed 11 Mar. 2016]

Haiti. 7 March 2016. Ministère de la Planification et de la Coopération externe, Unité de coordination des activités des ONG (UCAONG). Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by an economist.

_____. 25 March 2015. Conseil électoral provisoire (CEP). "15 - Liste des partis et groupements politiques agréés et non agréés." [Accessed 11 Mar. 2016]

_____. 1989. Décret du 14 septembre 1989 modifiant la loi du 13 décembre 1982 régissant les ONG. [Accessed 8 Mar. 2016]

_____. N.d.a. Conseil électoral provisoire (CEP). "Institution." [Accessed 16 Mar. 2016]

_____. N.d.b. Conseil électoral provisoire (CEP). [List of registered and non-registered political parties and groups]. [Accessed 11 Mar. 2016]

HaïtiLibre. 15 November 2013. "Haïti - Politique : Croix-des-Bouquets en chantier." [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016]

Haiti Press Network (HPN). 28 February 2016. "Présentation de l'agence." [Accessed 16 Mar. 2016]

_____. 30 November 2015. "Haïti - Politique - Crise électorale : Le G8 propose la formation d'un pouvoir de transition." [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016]

_____. 23 November 2015. "Haïti - Élections : Des étudiants dénoncent les actes de répression du pouvoir en place." [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016]

Haïti-Référence. 10 October 2015. "7410. - Codes postaux en Haïti." [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016]

Journalist. 10 March 2016. Telephone interview.

Office de protection du citoyen (OPC). 24 November 2015. Florence Élie. "Processus électoral et violations des droits de l'homme en Haïti." [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016]

Radio Kiskeya. 19 November 2015. "La police disperse brutalement la manifestation du 18 novembre." [Accessed 11 Mar. 2016]

Réseau national de défense des droits humains (RNDDH). 8 March 2016. Telephone interview.

_____. N.d. "Qui sommes-nous et que faisons-nous." [Accessed 8 Mar. 2016]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Factiva; Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme; Human Rights Quarterly; iciHaiti.com; infohaiti.net; Le Figaro; Montray Kréyol; Le National; Organisation internationale de la francophonie; Presse-toi à gauche!; Radio Caraïbes; Radio Métropole; Radio Négritude; Radio Signal FM; Radio Tele Ginen; Radio Vision 2000; United Nations - Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, Refworld; Vant Bèf Info.