TUC protests over death of trade unionist in Haiti

Mon Fritzner Gaspard

Chargé d'Affaires

Embassy of the Republic of Haiti

10, Rue Théodule Ribot

75017 Paris

France

Dear Ambassador

Death of Mr Louis Jean Filibert

On behalf of the TUC General Council, I write to express our shock and outrage over the death of Mr Louis Jean Filibert at the hands of the Haitian police on 8 October 2010.

Our information is that Mr Filibert - a mathematics teacher and member of the Union nationale des normaliens d'Haïti (UNNOH) - was taking part in a demonstration organised by a coalition conducting an awareness-raising campaign on the need for education of Haitian children when he was hit in the head by a bullet fired by a police officer outside the Ministry of Education.

The assaults on trade unionists over activities pertaining to the exercise of their legitimate rights and duties are a gross violation of the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Moreover, your country, which ratified Convention 98(1957) and Convention 87 (1979), is obliged to observe the workers' rights enshrined in them. Furthermore, these incidents will, no doubt, tarnish the image of your country in the eyes of the international community supporting your efforts at reconstruction of the country following the earthquake.

I urge you to use your influence with the Government of Haiti to ensure that those responsible for the killing are brought to justice without delay and that trade unionists and other citizens are allowed to exercise freely their fundamental rights.

Yours sincerely

BRENDAN BARBER

General Secretary