Haiti Galleries

Haiti News Alerts : On the Ground in Haiti...

Haiti News Alerts

On the Ground in Haiti...

Updated: Feb 23, 2010 11:28am PST

Kreyol Human Rights Flyer : SI OU PÈDI KAY OU NAN TRANBLEMANN TÈ A. Men Kèk Dwa Ou Dwe Konnen Ou Genyen Human rights flier for people who have been displaced by the earthquake.

Kreyol Human Rights Flyer

SI OU PÈDI KAY OU NAN TRANBLEMANN TÈ A. Men Kèk Dwa Ou Dwe Konne ...

Updated: Feb 08, 2010 5:15pm PST

Haiti Gallery : HAITI - Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti, their families and the international community living and working in Haiti when this horrible tragedy struck. Order a 10x15 print for $75 from any of the Haiti Galleries and 100% of the proceeds will be sent to the What If? Foundation in Port-au-Prince. Email: Linda@OpticalRealities.org or call: 215.694.4240 for more information. Medical supplies, food, water and other basic necessities are urgently needed NOW! Please take a moment to make a life-saving donation. Please also consider organizing your co-workers or community to travel to Haiti and volunteer your services. UNICEF What If? Foundation Mercy Corps Yele Haiti Partners in Health American Red Cross Doctors Without Borders Lambi Fund International Rescue Committee CARE William J. Clinton Foundation Save the Children The following organizations are accepting SMS donations in the US only: •SMS text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts •SMS text “YELE” to 501501 to Donate $5 to Yele Haiti’s Earthquake Relief efforts •SMS text "GIVE10" to 20222 to donate $10 to Direct Relief Photos by Linda Panetta. To print or publish call 215.694.4240 To schedule a slide presentation and / or photo exhibit email us at: Linda@OpticalRealities.org.

Haiti Gallery

HAITI - Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti, thei ...

Updated: Mar 02, 2010 3:36pm PST

St Clare's (Delmas) Port-au-Prince : St. Clare's Parish (Delmas) Port-au-Prince, Haiti Photos by Linda Panetta Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti, their families and the international community living and working in Haiti when this horrible tragedy struck. Order a 10x15 print for $75 from any of the Haiti Galleries and 100% of the proceeds will be sent to the What If? Foundation in Port-au-Prince. Email: Linda@OpticalRealities.org or call: 215.694.4240 for more information. Medical supplies, food, water and other basic necessities are urgently needed NOW! Please take a moment to make a life-saving donation. Please also consider organizing your co-workers or community to travel to Haiti and volunteer your services. UNICEF What If? Foundation Mercy Corps Yele Haiti Partners in Health American Red Cross Doctors Without Borders Lambi Fund International Rescue Committee CARE William J. Clinton Foundation Save the Children The following organizations are accepting SMS donations in the US only: •SMS text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts •SMS text “YELE” to 501501 to Donate $5 to Yele Haiti’s Earthquake Relief efforts •SMS text "GIVE10" to 20222 to donate $10 to Direct Relief --------------- To print or publish call 215.694.4240 To schedule a slide presentation and / or photo exhibit email us at: Linda@OpticalRealities.org. Nearly 400,000 hot meals are served annually through the What If? foundation in conjunction with St. Clare's Parish. Each week (Monday - Friday) up to 1,500 people are fed each day... History of the "What If? Foundation" In January 2000, Margaret Trost visited Port-au-Prince, Haiti for the first time. While there, she volunteered at an orphanage and hospice founded by Mother Teresa. She was inspired by the faith and dedication of the sisters, but overwhelmed by the suffering she saw throughout the city, especially among children. Having a young son of her own, she identified with the children, many of whom experience daily hunger and face disease related to acute malnutrition and the absence of clean drinking water. During her visit, Father Gerard Jean-Juste, a Haitian priest who served the Tiplas Kazo neighborhood on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, spoke to her about life in Haiti... Click here to continue reading

St Clare's (Delmas) Port-au-Prince

Fr. Jean-Juste : Haiti / Fr. Jerry Jean Juste (2004) To schedule a slide presentation and / or photo exhibit at your school, a conference, place of worship, or other venue call or email us at: Linda@OpticalRealities.org. To view additional photos visit: www.OpticalRealities.org Contacts: Linda Panetta: 215.694.4240 Bishop Thomas Gumbleton: 313-898-3328 Advocates of Released Political Prisoner, Fr. Jean-Juste, Return from Haiti. Delegate Meets with Gang Leaders in Cite Sole. Bishop Thomas Gumbleton was accompanied by 5 parishioners from St. Leo's Parish (Detroit, MI), and human rights activist and photojournalist, Linda Panetta (Phila., PA) during a recent trip to Haiti. The purpose of the delegation was to offer support and strengthen relationships with their twin Parish, St. Jerome, in Petit Riviere, and to advocate for the rights of all Haitians. On Monday, November 29, the delegation visited the charismatic political prisoner, Fr. Gerard Jean-Juste of St. Claire's Parish (Delmas). Fr. Jean-Juste was arrested by Haitian police and hooded thugs while handing out food to hundreds of children. He was released from prison a few hours after the visit with the delegation when the judge declared that there was no legitimacy to his arrest. As news of his release quickly spread, hundreds of parishioners from St. Claire's Church, his US-based lawyer-William Quigley (Loyola Univ. Law School), and others took to the streets to celebrate his release. The following day delegates joined a prayerful and celebratory procession through the streets of Delmas, which concluded with Fr. Jean-Juste reenacting the brutal ordeal of his arrest (for more information on Fr. Jean-Juste's case visit: www.OpticalRealities.org), as well as a press conference. Later that day hundreds attended Mass at St. Claire's, which was celebrated by Bishop Gumbleton and retired Bishop Walter Sullivan (Richmond, VA) to give thanks for Fr. Jean-Juste's safe return. The delegation attempted to visit other political prisoners at Pention Ville and the State Penitentiary, including Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, but were turned away. That evening prisoners protested the severe brutality perpetrated by guards, the inhumane condition of the prisons, and the alleged "disappearance" of political prisoners. The Haitian police retaliated by opening fire on inmates, killing several. On Wednesday, December 1, delegates were able to visit with prisoners at the "Anti-Gang" Prison. Inmates are detained here before being taken to the larger penitentiaries. They were astounded to find children as young as 13 years of age in severely overcrowded cells with adults. Most told the same story of being rounded up on the streets by either hooded armed actors, or Haitian police who gave no explanation, nor a warrant for their arrest. Just a few blocks from the prison, delegates visited the state hospital and briefly met with 2 of 15 children from Lycee Petion School who had been shot by Haitian policemen. The police were allegedly disbursing an angry crowd that had been protesting in front of the Presidential Palace during a visit by US Secretary of State, Colin Powell. Repression is wide-spread throughout Haiti, especially against Lavalas party-supporters, those who voice opposition to the interim government, and against those who offer support for the poor. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in Cite Sole - one of the most infamous slums in Haiti. Violent gunfights between warring factions and alleged acts of brutality perpetrated by gang leaders have prevented much needed aid from entering the city, sent thousands fleeing Cite Sole, and offered the UN troops an excuse to steer clear of the region. But interviews with gang leaders in the Lavalas-supported regions reveal a strong desire for peace. In fact, gang leader "Dread" Wilmey, pleaded with us to do what we could to bring UN troops into Cite Sole to help stabilize the situation and bring about peace. The delegation will be pressing demands to end the repression of political parties and the release of all political prisoners; they will appeal for a dramatic increase of UN troops, especially in areas afflicted with the greatest levels of violence, and the recognition of human rights for all Haitians. Photos by Linda Panetta To print or publish call 215.694.4240 Check back for additional photos.

Fr. Jean-Juste

Cité Soleil : Order a 10x15 print for $75 from any of the Haiti Galleries and 100% of the proceeds will be sent to the "What If? Foundation" serving hot meals to earhquake survivors in Port-au-Prince.

Cité Soleil

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