HAITI - Pedophile: Discriminating Conduct of Some North American NGOs in Haiti

The fight for justice for Haitian children, sexually abused by NGOs' executives, leads some observers to question whether there is a pattern of behaviors akin to apartheid, discrimination and other biases underneath these executives' worldview.

The case of Mr. Douglas Perlitz in Cap -Haitien and that of Mr. Michael Geilenfeld in Delmas illustrates some deeply held discriminatory views by the members of the Boards of Directors of "Haiti Fund" and "Heart with Haiti," which unfortunately, results into apartheid-like approach to the sexual scandals   that have plagued these NGOs and contempt for the alleged victims as human beings.

Over several decades, these NGOs, under the umbrella of philanthropy, have raised large amounts of funds to help the impoverished and the destitute children while they remain insensitive to the sexual assaults and plights, which have been thrust upon these young victims by the very executives who came to provide them with education, healthcare, shelter, etc.

The leaders of these NGOs remained supportive of those who have been accused of serially sexually abusing children under their care. They never considered it worthy, justified or even prudent to   investigate, denounce, condemn and eventually stop the sexual abuse of those children. They would rather address the form of the revelations in lieu of considering the denunciation of those appalling and horrible on their own merits.

Strategically, the management of these two NGOs strives to break victims' resistance through a war of attrition and by attacking their character when they paint them as liars and ingrates who dare protest or challenge the abuses they have sustained.

Advocates for justice against child abuse such as Cyrus Sibert and Paul Kendrick have been the subject of smear campaign and intimidations by M. Geilenfeld.   

The pattern is obvious since we can remember so well during the intervention of Mr. Perlitz' counsel at the U.S Federal Court in New Haven Connecticut, on December 21, 2010, when the counsel stated that Haiti is a poor country, stained by bacteria and diseases, and that the ignorance of its people hinders their ability to practice basic hygiene principles. He claimed that the victims were predisposed to sexual misconducts and that someone else would have committed the offenses, and that Mr. Perlitz, somehow, was belittled for having sex with these destitute children.

The sitting judge on the Federal Court of Connecticut had to remind   the counsel that he could defend his client without insulting Haiti and its people. Many broke in tears hearing a foreigner presenting Haiti as a pariah, a rotten state deserving good laws and institutions, and that its people were naturally stripped of their pride and dignity. 

Today, in this new struggle between us and the NGO "Heart with Haiti," we wonder why is it so difficult for the leaders of that NGO to recall one of their representatives accused of pedophilia. Why is it so hard for an NGO to call for an internal review to discover the truth, to cooperate with the law, and to redeem itself?

Why it is morally acceptable for   the NGO, "Heart with Haiti" to elect to back a man accused of pedophilia, a suspect of multiple sexual assaults on children in his care? Why is this NGO striving to impose on the Haitian society a missionary accused of pedophilia while in the United States the suspect would be prohibited from areas frequented by children? Why is that over 30 years, accusations of sexual predations on children have consistently pointed toward Mr. Geilenfeld?

Over the years, more specifically, in 1987, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2003 and 2010, some young Haitians came forward to speak out against crimes of sexual abuses, human trafficking, and pedophilia, which have plagued the St. Joseph Orphanage of Delmas 91. However, the NGO's rationale on the relationships between a human being and a poor from Haiti   led to contempt and overbearing. The North Carolinian NGO has scrupulously ignored the cries of the victims and insisted, by all means, to keep the suspected sex predator as the executive manager of that orphanage while this man continued, undisturbed, committing the repeat of pedophilia. The suspect has used his privilege and money to exploit public officials and weaken further an already weak justice system in Haiti.

These NGOs always boast and clamor their love for the impoverished children of Haiti. Would their managers accept that their own children attend a school or sports club run by a multiple accused of sexual assaults, especially, on children? Why have the officials of "Heart with Haiti" found it excessive the activism of Cyrus Sibert and Paul Kendrick riling against those   practices and calling for justice for the victims of child exploitation, yet have spent roughly half a million dollars to provide the suspect with a strong legal defense team and other experts to burnish his image? Would this imply that the victims are underserving of any kind of support?

What lesson do they want to teach in Haiti? Are they suggesting that if one of their missionaries is accused of abusing sexually poor children, they will, unconditionally, defend and protect the suspect until he prevails?

Certainly they have considered Haitian children as inferior beings as they have stripped them of their inherent rights, and frankly,   failed to see them through the lenses of human being.

Should we accept helplessly such a situation of degradation of the children of Haiti?

Some files related to the operation of the St. Joseph Orphanage of Delmas 91 reveal that, John Duarte, priest and co-executive of that orphanage, was arrested and convicted in Canada of pedophilia committed in Haiti. Other visitors who stayed at the orphanage such as Mr. Michael Brower and Mr. Philip Norris are known or have been prosecuted for sexual abuse of children. Recently, it was revealed that the pedophile Association NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association) maintained an excellent   relationship with the St. Joseph Orphanage and has raised money on the latter's behalf.

How can it be explained to the officials of the NGO "Heart with Haiti" that something is wrong at the   St. Joseph Orphanage and that the responsible and right thing to do would be to first recall their representative, Mr. Geilenfeld; and call for a thorough and serious investigation, make public the results of such an investigation, and finally, work with law enforcement while supporting the young alleged victims?

Research shows that victims of human trafficking and sexual abuses bear the scars throughout their lives and that the pedophiles tend to commit a repeat the offence. Also, the side effects and the trauma hardly disappear over time. As a result, our support for the victims must not be deterred until we reinstate them as full members of society.

The arrest of Mr. Geilenfeld which has occurred on September 5 is a positive message sent by the Haitian government to those NGOs willing to always offer the Haitian people before a done deal. To these people who consider Haitian children as sex objects and sex slaves stripped of their beings, the Haitian government has just shown that it can set the rules of the game. The Ministries of Planning and that Interior must assess the responsibility, accountability, and social impacts of these NGOs before renewing their license to operate. Leaders of NGOs using the humanitarian umbrella as a Trojan horse while having no respect for our people ought to be deported.

Humanitarian aid cannot be carried out in atmosphere akin to apartheid and contempt of beneficiaries. Even the poor   children of Haiti deserve to be treated like children with inherent rights and human dignity without prejudice or racial discrimination.

We commend the courage of the Haitian government, and much specifically the Haitian justice for its decisive actions suggesting that Haiti can stand up against a suspected criminal no matter how powerful he might be.

Cyrus Sibert, Cap-Haïtien, Haïti
19 septembre 2014
reseaucitadelle@gmail.com
@reseaucitadelle
www.reseaucitadelle.blogspot.com
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READ: Five (5) Victims of a Pedophile at the St. Joseph's Orphanage at Delmas 91 have reached the Cabinet of investigation in the Haitian's Justice court.--
http://reseaucitadelle.blogspot.com/2014/02/civilcriminal-lawsuit-filed-in-haiti.html

http://www.heartswithhaiti.org/