Americans Jailed in Haiti Plead for Help From U.S.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/10/world/americas/10prisoners.html?hp
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - The 10 American Baptists detained in Port-au-Prince on child trafficking charges are pleading for the United States government to do more on their behalf and for the news media to focus on them less.
Carla Thompson, right, and Corinna Lankford in their cell at a Haitian prison on Tuesday.
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"Help us," one of the detainees, Carla Thompson, said Monday as she lay on a bed in a scorching jail cell about 8 feet by 5 feet, her ankles bandaged from infected mosquito bites. "That's the message I would give to Mr. Obama and the State Department. Start helping us."
Sitting on a dirty concrete floor, another detainee, Corinna Lankford, nodded in agreement, a frustrated look on her face.
"I have faith in God," Ms. Lankford said. "But maybe the U.S. government could help a little more, too."
"No one is giving us any kind of information about what is going on," she added.
The Baptists, who arrived in the chaotic days after the Jan. 12 earthquake, were detained as they tried to take 33 Haitian children whom the Baptists had said were orphaned into the neighboring Dominican Republic.
Some of the children later said they had parents, and Haitian prosecutors charged the Americans on Jan. 26 with kidnapping and criminal association, suggesting that they may have been part of a child-trafficking scheme. The Americans have said they were on a humanitarian charity mission to aid Haiti after the quake.
Asked whether they believed their case had become a distraction to the quake disaster, several of the prisoners became upset.
"Yes, without a doubt," said Ms. Thompson as she suddenly started to cry.
"We came here to help, and now there is all this attention on us," Ms. Lankford chimed in as she, too, began to cry.
Five of the prisoners were questioned Monday by the investigating judge, Bernard Saint-Vil. The other five are expected to be questioned by him later Tuesday. The judge said in an interview that he planned to hear from the Americans as a group on Wednesday.
"I want to hear what they thought they were doing," he said. "I hope to hear from the parents of the younger ones."
On Monday, Prime Minister Max Bellerive told The Associated Press that his country would consider having the Americans transferred and tried in a United States court, since most government buildings in Haiti - including country's courts - were severely damaged in the earthquake.
American officials have said they intend to let the Haitian justice system take its course. The case is politically delicate for Haiti because the United States is spearheading much of the humanitarian effort. But Judge Saint-Vil emphasized that the judicial system was an independent body of government and that he intended to investigate the case fully.
For Laura Silsby, the leader of the group of Americans, and four others, that process began on Monday.
Sitting on a brown tattered couch in Mr. Saint-Vil's office, she waited to discuss her fate. A Bible on her lap, her hands shook.
"I'm nervous," said Ms. Silsby, 40, furtively glancing at the judge.
In an interview before being questioned by the judge, Ms. Silsby said she too was frustrated with the level of American government involvement.
"It has mostly been missionaries not the government that has been providing us with food and medicine," she said adding that one of the prisoners, Charisa Coulter, 24, who is diabetic, was lacking insulin for the first week of her detention. On Sunday, a missionary was allowed to deliver medicine to her.
Ms. Silsby said that no one, including U.S. officials and the group's original lawyer, had informed them of the status of their case. The only thing they have been told, she said, was that the judge would hear each of their stories and if they were consistent, they would be released.
"I'm not sure if anyone from the government is doing anything for us," she said.
Outside the courthouse, Aviol Fluerant, the new attorney hired for 10 Americans, said the group was indeed given authorization by the parents to take the children out of the country. He declined to elaborate.
The group's original lawyer, Edwin F. Coq Jr., was dismissed over the weekend after he allegedly tried to bribe the missionaries' way out of jail.
Mr. Coq denied the accusation, saying instead that he had stepped down in a fee dispute.
Back at the jail, all 5 of the prisoners said that they were being treated well by guards and other prisoners. They said they were passing the time reading the bible, napping, praying and snacking on frosted flakes and Pringles provided to them by missionaries.
They also said that they took the children in good faith.
"We were told by officials at the border that we could go back the next day and get the remaining papers," said Silas Daniel Thompson, 19, as he stood in his cell surrounded by about 8 other Haitian men.
Ms. Silsby said she would do that on behalf of the group, he said, "but then they arrested us before we got the chance."
Listening attentively from the adjacent cell, Nicole Lankford, 18, began shaking her head.
"Our point was to draw attention to the plight of Haitian orphans," she said. "We came here to help not to become the story."
You know when a foreinger breaks a law here so many scream in agreement . Many times the religous ones are doing the screaming , These people IMO knowingly broke a law and were and are being dishonest . I would take issue with them being tortured absolutly .
However I dont have an issue with them sitting in an uncomfortable jail cell while the law of the land takes course . I dont see the need to rush in and save them
They had NO right going in and trying to remove those children without the PROPER documents and government approval. There are LAWS for this sort of thing to protect children.
I don't care how good they say their intentions were, their actions were foolish! Now they expect us to bail them out? YOU DONT JUST LOAD A BUS FULL OF KIDS AND TRY TO LEAVE A COUNTRY! They need to be prosecuted so it doesn't happen again.
Just because these people are poor doesn't mean they don't love their childen and want to keep them!
After reading that they attempted to kidnap 40 other Haitian children prior to this arrest I'm not finding an ounce of sympathy for these people. Why should we believe they weren't going to sell these children to the highest bidder?
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Quoting katy_kay:
After reading that they attempted to kidnap 40 other Haitian children prior to this arrest I'm not finding an ounce of sympathy for these people. Why should we believe they weren't going to sell these children to the highest bidder?
This.........
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Why should our tax dollars go to save kidnappers?
These people are loons! They tried to STEAL children and now they want help???
I say leave them to the justice of Haiti.
Quoting Mommy_of_Riley:Why should our tax dollars go to save kidnappers?
These people are loons! They tried to STEAL children and now they want help???
I say leave them to the justice of Haiti.
Well said! 
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When in Rome...
Duh! No brainer...follow the laws of the land you tread upon...is it really that hard?
OBAMA better stay out of this...let the law manage under whatever jurisdictions and laws apply in the country these women committed the crimes they've found themselves incarcerated for.
Quoting Malapertinent:When in Rome...
Duh! No brainer...follow the laws of the land you tread upon...is it really that hard?
OBAMA better stay out of this...let the law manage under whatever jurisdictions and laws apply in the country these women committed the crimes they've found themselves incarcerated for.
OBAMA better stay out of this..
Is that a threat? 
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Meet Dodie702
This Nevada mom of two - who are just 18 months apart! - is married to her high school sweetheart and loves to craft in her free time.
MSNBC kicks off racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic Buchanan - About damn time
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- rlemde
on Feb. 9, 2010 at 10:55 AM