By: Wadner Pierre - HaitiAnalysis.com

More than fifteen days since his disappearance, Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine remains in the hands of his kidnappers. Lovinsky, a well-known and long time defender of human rights in Haiti, was reportedly considering an electoral candidacy for Haiti's senate in upcoming elections.

On the 27th of August friends, family and comrades of Lovinsky held a press conference demanding that the Haitian state and all concerned individuals take concrete measures for Lovinsky’s release. Among those present were Ronald St-Jeanof the GDP (Group for the Defense oF the Rights of Political prisoners), Jean Mary Saturday of Fanmi Lavalas, Jacques Martelier, former political prisoner and member of Fanmi Lavalas and Mrs. Frifz Joseph representing the Kolektif Fanmiy Prizonye Politk.

Ronald St-Jean stated to the press, “We condemn sectors of Haitian society which want to make people believe that Lovinsky was kidnapped by his own close relations or his own organizations. We denounce the machiavellian and cynical attitude of some sectors which want to accept this kidnapping. Our group, the 'Group Initiative for Saving the Life of Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine' demands that the authorities of the state, particularly President René Garcia Préval, Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis, the Minister of justice Mr. Rene Magloire and the Commissioner of Government Claudy Gassant, call on MINUSTAH and human rights organizations like Amnesty International to support our effort to save the life of Lovinsky.”

The newly formed ad-hoc group described the work of Lovinsky, describing how he "worked with international human rights organizations to inform the world about the situation in Haiti." Just prior to his kidnapping "he was with a human delegation, headed by the Fondasyon Mapou organization, helping to facilitate its work. This organization had at its head Mrs. Eugenia Charles and was planning to possibly visit the political prisoner Rene Civil the following day”.

The 'Group Initiative for Saving the Life of Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine' took this occasion to present a schedule of activities for the week. This included demonstrations, meetings with the authorities, with the judiciary, and a sit-in in front of the ministry of justice, all to secure Lovinsky’s release and safe return.

In recent weeks, participants of the new organization have helped organize demonstrations in front of the National Palace in downtown Port-au-Prince. At each demonstration MINUSTAH troops with jeeps and APCs have shown up and on one occasion they harassed a foreign journalist covering the demonstration. The demonstrations have been peaceful, often with the women of the September 30th Foundation speaking and crying out loudly of their heartfelt love and admiration for Lovinsky.

Photographs: Jeb Sprague and Wadner Pierre