The Office for the Protection of the Citizen (OPC), an independent National Institution for the promotion and protection of human rights, makes it its duty to remind public opinion that we are on the eve of the commemoration of the 59th anniversary of the massacre perpetrated on April 26, 1986 at Fort Dimanche on many citizens, women, men, old people, children and infants...

To this end, a presidential decree published on April 21, 2015 in the official newspaper "Le Moniteur", devotes April 26 as "National Day of Remembrance in memory of the victims of Fort Dimanche".

According to this decree, "During the day of April 26, the national flag will be lowered to half-mast, radio and television stations are invited to program of programs and music for the occasion, the private and public sectors, the families, educational, social, commercial, religious and other institutions are encouraged to observe periods of recollection."

However, since the publication of this decree, the date of April 26 has never been commemorated in accordance with legal provisions. The OPC wishes to emphasize that this date represents a pivotal date in the history of our country which reminds us of the bloody and painful moments of the Duvalier regime.

"No society can be built on oblivion and impunity. Teaching rising generations to know the sad moments of our history is a patriotic duty."

Consequently, the OPC recommends that State authorities and vital sectors of national life take all necessary measures to ensure that the day of April 26 is respected and commemorated with dignity, with special attention for this year, dedicated to the centenary of the birth of the writer Jacques Stephen Alexis, one of the martyrs of the Duvalier regime.

HL/ HaitiLibre