Fort-Liberté bar demands accountability as land disputes turn deadly for prominent lawyer

OUANAMINTHE— The assassination of lawyer Artist Rémy has brought renewed focus on the growing dangers faced by legal professionals in Haiti, where practicing law can become a life-threatening occupation. Land conflicts, one of the most contentious issues in the country and its region, have long fueled threats and persecution, making it even more perilous for those who seek to uphold justice. 

Rémy, the secretary-general of the Fort-Liberté bar association, was shot and killed by armed men on Sept.17 as he entered his home in Ouanaminthe, a town rife with tensions over a land dispute between two local families. The conflict, which has been going on since 2018, has already claimed many victims, particularly within the judicial system.

“We are doing everything we can to prevent lawyers from becoming victims in this case,” said government commissioner Eno Zéphirin, referring to the escalating threats and violence tied to the conflict.

Handy Jean-Baptiste and Emmanuel Nelson head the two families involved in the land conflict, with Rémy defending the Nelsons.

Land ownership disputes in Haiti, particularly in the different provincial regions, are a well-known source of tension. They often escalate into extreme violence in the absence or inadequacy of law enforcement. Lawyers, bailiffs, and others involved in these cases have increasingly found themselves the targets of threats and attacks as they navigate a fractured legal landscape, where resolving land ownership disputes can trigger dangerous repercussions.

Rémy’s assassination followed a public trial that ruled in favor of one of the families involved in the dispute. Shortly afterward, the bailiff of the court’s prosecutor’s office, Jaccéus Aurélus, narrowly escaped an attack when unidentified assailants set fire to his car and shot at his home in Ouanaminthe’s Mapou district on the night of Aug. 4.

“I have nothing to do with anyone to be targeted like this,” Aurélus said, visibly shaken after the attack. He believed the violence was connected to a summons he was tasked with delivering related to the same land dispute.

The violence surrounding this case didn’t stop there. Lawyer Wilson Noël, also involved in the land dispute, was shot 10 times and rushed to the Ouanaminthe Community Medical Center, where he underwent three surgeries. Noël, who is known by his nickname “Ti Men,” survived the attack but remains in critical condition.

“They shot me in my own backyard,” Noël said from his hospital bed. 

“Three men masked in  hoods opened fire on me.”

Noël revealed that his law firm had been receiving threats for weeks before the attack, all linked to the land case. 

“They told us to drop the case if we wanted to live,” he said.

Despite ongoing violence, local officials have struggled to prevent further bloodshed. The Fort-Liberté prosecutor’s office, under the direction of Commissioner Zéphirin, has issued arrest warrants for suspects, but no arrests had been made before Rémy’s assassination.

 “This is a death that worries us all. Rémy was a colleague.”

 Junior Chérélus, President of The Alliance of Haitian Universities (AUH)

Growing threats against lawyers shake Ouanaminthe

The assassination of Rémy and the continuing violence tied to this land dispute have shocked legal professionals across the country. In response to Rémy’s killing, members of the Fort-Liberté bar have closed the doors of the court and painted graffiti on its walls in protest of what they see as the prosecutor’s failure to act swiftly.

“We have a police commissioner, but nothing has been done to arrest the accomplices involved in the attempted murders and the murder of Rémy,” said Jocelyn Dorsaint, former president of the Fort-Liberté bar association.

“Lawyer Rémy was always in court defending people who couldn’t afford representation, and today he’s dead, despite his many warnings,” said fellow lawyer Corinthe Augustin, who echoed other colleagues’ frustrations. 

Before his death, Rémy had recorded a voice message to alert the public about the death threats he had been receiving. He named the individuals responsible for the threats, but his warnings went unheeded by authorities.

“Several measures were put in place to stop the criminals, but unfortunately, they did not follow the plan,” Zéphirin admitted during a press conference on Sept. 18. He expressed frustration at the growing insecurity despite concerted efforts by law enforcement.

Arrests are made, but criticism of the slow response continues

Following Rémy’s assassination, the prosecutor’s office has arrested nine individuals and sealed the private property of a local businessman, Handy Jean-Baptiste, who is accused of orchestrating the murder. However, Jean-Baptiste is on the run.

Zéphirin continues to face criticism from the legal community for the perceived slow response to the escalating violence. 

“The Fort-Liberté prosecutor’s office did everything within the law to prevent this tragedy,” Zéphirin said. “If it were our actions that could have stopped Rémy’s assassination, it would not have happened.”

The Mobile Institute for Democratic Education expressed dismay at the resurgence of violence against members of the judiciary. In a statement, the organization urged authorities to step up their investigations and bring the perpetrators to justice. The Fort-Liberté bar association called on its members to “redouble their efforts” in the face of this crisis while urging the authorities to take immediate action to protect the legal profession and uphold the rule of law.

The Alliance of Haitian Universities, through its president, Junior Chérélus, condemned the murder and criticized the failure to protect Rémy despite his repeated reports of threats.

“This is a death that worries us all. Rémy was a colleague,” Chérélus said.

The post Fort-Liberté bar demands accountability as land disputes turn deadly for prominent lawyer appeared first on The Haitian Times.

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Fort-Liberté bar demands accountability as land disputes turn deadly for prominent lawyer was first posted on September 24, 2024 at 8:05 am.