Haitian dismayed by detention, allegations

Haitian dismayed by detention, allegations
The Windsor Star
Mon 15 Jan 2007
Page: A1 / Front
Section: News
Byline: Don Lajoie
Source: Windsor Star

A former Haitian parliamentarian, arrested and detained for 15
days at the Windsor jail upon arriving at the border to seek
political asylum, says he was "first surprised" then "dismayed"
to learn that the political lies in his homeland had followed
him to Canada.

In his first interview since being released Dec. 28, Jean
Candio, elected as deputy in the parliament of ousted Haitian
president Jean Bertrand Aristide in 2000, said he had reason to
believe he would be welcomed in Canada, at least as a refugee,
when he arrived Dec. 13.

Instead, Candio was arrested by Canadian Border Service Agency
(CBSA) officers and hauled to Windsor's jail, where he
languished for two weeks on allegations of terrorist
affiliations in Haiti.

He was not freed until local activists and MP Joe Comartin
(NDP--Windsor-Tecumseh) intervened on his behalf.

"I was surprised the Government of Canada would take such
action," said Candio, a large, barrel-chested man with a voice
as soft as it is deep.

"Before coming to Canada I made inquiries with government
officials and it was set that I would come Dec. 13, and make my
application... I had a meeting with border officials to present
my case."

But Candio could not convince the CBSA officers on duty and was
detained.

Asked about his treatment during the detention, Candio would say
only "the experience wasn't good."

Candio, who fled Haiti after Aristide and his Famille Lavalas
party government were toppled in 2004, was told he was being
held because of allegations he was involved in human rights
violations and had connections to violent political gangs or
terrorist groups in his homeland.

The CBSA has since dropped the allegation Candio was the member
of a terrorist group, his lawyer Paul Copeland said last week.

Candio remains in Windsor as he pursues his refugee application.

The accusations of involvement in human rights violations and
other political violence are false, he said. One incident he was
accused of taking part in, an armed attack on a church, happened
when he was outside the country.

"I am against violence, in all of its forms, and I have been
since childhood until today," he said. "I would never be a
member of such organizations.... How can I be part of violence?
I am a teacher, called to educate.... Lavalas has never used
gangs for politics. We are a democratic party."

When Candio was freed, an official with the Canadian Embassy in
Port-au-Prince stated the embassy "is not under instruction to
characterize the Lavalas Party as terrorist."

While the Lavalas party was supported by "grassroots" elements
during the violence before Aristide was forced out, Candio
denied the government had any association with criminal elements
taking advantage of the chaos for their own gain.

Candio's family also suffered during the uprising. His house was
burned to the ground. His sister and her seven-month-old baby
were killed. A cousin was murdered at a roadblock set up by the
former military.

Candio fled and eventually made it to neighbouring Dominican
Republic. From there he and his family made their way to the
United States.

He lived there until he was detained by the U.S. Immigration and
Naturalization Service. Upon negotiating a voluntary departure
he left for Canada, leaving his wife and newborn child behind.
He also has a teenage daughter living "in hiding" in Haiti.

Candio's goal is to reunite his family in Windsor, where he
hopes to make his home, find work and, eventually, apply for
Canadian citizenship. Candio said only death awaits him if he
were to return to Haiti, though he would not rule out going back
if "democracy comes."

Asked if there is still hope for the western world's most
troubled country, he replied: "There's always hope in Haiti.
People will fight to the end. This is not the first occupation,"
he added, referring to the presence of UN troops.

.