What does a kidnapper in Haiti "look" like?
Could Maxime Charbonneau be a real kidnapper?

On March 10, 2007, the Calgary Sun published a brief (7 lines) note
titled "Missionaries' son detained in Haiti" in which we learn that a
20 year-old Canadian has been jailed in Haiti for more than 8 months
over his alleged contribution to the wave of kidnappings that has
engulfed Haiti over the past three years.

Since Saturday, there have been a flood of short articles, mainly in
the Canadian press, about the case of Maxime Charbonneau. In the most
extensive English language article by the Edmonton Sun titled "Cut
Haiti aid until son free: Missionary", Charbonneau's father declares:
"The only way that Max will be released is if the Canadian government
freezes a part of the (aid) money or all of the money we are supposed
to give them".

According to CBC News, the response from DFAIT has been more
diplomatic, in fact, rather guarded. As one would expect, Canadian
bureaucrats do not publicly endorse Michel Charbonneau's call to
dangle "foreign aid" as a bargaining chip to help release a man
accused of the grave crime of kidnapping in a foreign country.
Especially, a country where the Canadian officials continually boast
of having spent millions of dollars "fixing" the justice system.
( http://www.dominionpaper.ca/articles/1070 )

"We are aware of the case, and consular assistance is being provided
to him and his family," said Catherine Gagnaire, a department
spokesperson. Yet, still according to CBC News, "Foreign affairs
declined to explain why the young man is still in jail".

But isn't that the real question: Why is Maxime Charbonneau in jail?

Why is the answer to this simple question still mysterious?

Why is it, after so many published articles, the reader knows so
little about how, why and under what circumstances this young Canadian
man found himself accused of kidnapping in Haiti and jailed for over 8
months? Apparently, to date, no one has thought of asking his jailers,
the Haitian government.

As I await responses from both Haitian and Canadian officials from
whom I will be seeking further details about this case, here are a few
leads that journalists may wish to pursue to help solve some of the
mysteries surrounding the Maxime Charbonneau case.

1) Charbonneau's story was in the Haitian Press (although misspelled
without the "h") back in July 2006, when the alleged kidnapping of a
17 year old girl named Reyes occurred at Caribbean Supermarket.
Another name associated with this case is that of alleged accomplice
Nicholas Coles. See text from Agence Haitienne de Presse, reported by
the Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network "kidnapping of a young girl
from a wealthy family" http://www.margueritelaurent.com/campaigns/campaignone/testimonies/raining.html#wealthykidnapper

2) The case was discussed on Haitian newsgroups, including one where a
Haiti-based participant relunctantly offered testimony that she has
personal knowledge of both the victim and of Charbonneau with whom she
attended the same school. The newsgroup participant (mamimi) wrote
that her own son was kidnapped by some of the same criminals who
allegedly work with Charbonneau. According to this person, Charbonneau
who has attended school in Haiti, since a young age and who is fluent
in both Creole and French "had been expelled from school and was
always in trouble"

3) There supposedly exists a self-made video in which Charbonneau
brags about his friendship and money connections with kidnapping rings
operating in Haiti.

4) According to the newsreports of the past week Charbonneau "has been
jailed for eight months without charges". If the Haitian government
has so many elements to prosecute him, why have they not done so,
after so many months?

Obviously, there are major discrepencies between what we have read in
the Canadian press and what has come out from Haitian sources about
this case. The only way to get to the truth is through further
investigation of the matter. Considering the number of people that
have suffered in recent years of this kidnapping surge, getting to the
bottom of this case may help free not only one person, but it could
help save many lives.

I would encourage anyone who finds out more about this case to please
share the information with us at jafrikayiti@hotmail.com

SEE ALSO:
http://www.haitianconnection.com/hcperl/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=politics&Number...#Post450730