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29821: loveayiti ( Reply)RE: 29796: Morse (response) Miami (fwd)
From: Felix Edouard <loveayiti@hotmail.com>
I will reply to you on a separate note on why Haitians are treated
differently than Cubans.
However I believe you were referring to the case of Joseph Dantica.
Here's the timeline below. Does anyone any update since this tragic
event occurred 2 years.
TIMELINE IN THE CASE OF REVEREND JOSEPH N. DANTICA
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24TH, 2004
* 5:00AM: United Nations troops and Haitian Police forces launch a
major military operation in Bel-Air, the neighborhood where Joseph
Dantica has lived for the last 30 years and where he runs a church
and school.
* 9:00AM: As Sunday services begin, a member of a local gang called
RPK, who is being chased by UN and police, runs into Dantica’s
church. The UN forces park an armored vehicle outside the church.
* 9:30AM: Gang member is killed as he leaves the church. The UN and
police forces demand to enter the three-story church and school
building because it gives a clear view of the alleys below where gang
members are hiding. "We could not turn them down," says Dantica’s
son, Maxo Osnac Dantica. "If we said no to the UN or the Haitian
police we would be considered part of the gang and be dealt with the
same way." The shooting from the roof of the church goes on with
heavy fire for approximately 15-20 minutes while Dantica and his son
and church members cower inside the building for shelter. Neighbors
later tell Joseph and Maxo that at least 15 gang members are killed
and 6 wounded.
* 10:30AM: UN and Police forces withdraw from the church and move to
other locations in other parts of the neighborhood.
* 11:AM: Gang members come looking for Joseph Dantica and his son Maxo
demanding that they pay for the burial of the 15 killed or be
beheaded. Maxo flees with his five children. Joseph remains behind,
hoping to negotiate with gang members, some of whom he has known
since they were children. Negotiations fail. Joseph Dantica asks for
a few hours’ reprieve to make some calls to see what he could do
about the gang members’ complaints. Out of options, he runs into his
house, gets his passport and a few items of clothing and runs to a
neighbor’s house to hide.
* 3:00PM: The gang returns and not finding Dantica ransack the church,
burns the altar and the school office. Everything is removed from the
premises, including the doors.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, 2004
* 5:00AM: One of Dantica’s neighbors smuggle him to another house in
Bel-Air, where, according to his son, he "is forced to hide under a
bed for three days."
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28TH , 2004
* Neighbors and Dantica’s sister smuggle him out of Bel-Air and to his
sister’s house in Delmas, where he is reunited with Maxo, who himself
had been hiding in the countryside in Léogane. Both holders of valid
US/Multiple entry visas—Joseph Dantica’s expires in 2008--they decide
to leave for Miami together on Friday, October 29th, 2004.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29TH , 2004
* 12:32Am: Dantica and his son Maxo board American Airlines flight 822
to Miami.
* 3:30PM: Flight 822 lands in Miami. As they go through customs and
immigration, Dantica and his son are asked how long they will be
staying in the United States. Dantica, who has been visiting the
United States regularly since the 1970 senses that he will be staying
longer this time, declares that he has no where to go and fears for
his life and requests "temporary asylum".
* 9:00PM: Department of Homeland Security officials contact Dantica’s
brother in New York, Frank Dantica, to verify his story and confirm
his identity.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30TH , 2004
* 1:30AM: Dantica’s niece, Edwidge Danticat, a Miami resident, receives
a message from Immigration and Customs stating that her uncle is at
the airport. She is not able to reach the phone on time and no
contact name or number is left. She searches the Internet and is able
to reach someone at Customs who would not give his name. He says he
knows of the case but is too busy to talk to her as "two flights are
coming in and I am the only person here."
* 2:00AM: Edwidge and her husband rush to airport hoping to retrieve
Dantica. They are told by a second officer who answers the phone when
they call from near the customs office at the airport, that Dantica
will be not be released but will be taken to Krome. "We just called
to notify you that he is here." She asks to speak to him and is
refused. "He’ll contact you," she’s told, again by an officer who
would not give his name.
* 12:00PM: Dantica and his son Maxo are taken to The Krome Detention
Center after spending more than 20 hours in a holding room at Miami
International Airport. When they arrive at Krome, they are separated.
Dantica is taken to the medical "ward" at Krome, though, according to
his son, "he did not appear sick." In the Krome medical ward, where
he occupied a single room, without a bathroom—noteworthy, according
this his son, because his prostate inflammation required that he
urinate often—his Haitian medications for prostate inflammation and
blood pressure are taken away from him and his son is told he will be
given "American equivalents." A lawyer is retained, but can not see
Dantica until Monday morning.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1 , 2004
* 1:00PM: Attorney John Pratt visits with Dantica and his son Maxo at
Krome. Dantica uses an artificial larynx, a voice box, and has
trouble being understood by the Haitian translator he is assigned.
According to his son, the Krome-assigned translator "insults him".
His son is called in as his translator. Lawyer is seeking
humanitarian parole for Dantica, based on his age and circumstances.
Dantica’s "credible fear" hearing before an asylum officer is
scheduled for the next morning.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 , 2004
* 9:00AM: In the waiting room before the hearing, Dantica tells his
attorney John Pratt through another Creole-speaking detainee that he
his not getting his medicine. When they are called into the hearing,
Dantica begins vomiting, falls back against a wall and passes out.
Dantica is then taken to the Public Health Service at Krome, where
his attorney is not allowed to visit him. The attorney insists that
his son Maxo be called in to give a sense of his medical history.
According to Maxo, Dantica is briefly brought in, but then is made to
leave by the deportation officer who says, "he is useless here. He’s
not able to make him speak." Maxo tries to communicate with his
father, but his father only seems to have enough energy to "shrug".
His repeated requests to stay with his father are refused. Medics
suggest to both Attorney John Pratt and Maxo that Dantica is faking
his illness.
* 4:00PM. Maxo is notified at Krome that his father was taken to
Jackson Memorial Hospital. No efforts are made to obtain medical
information or history from Maxo, the closet relative and next of
kin. Dantica’s attorney is notified that he will remain overnight at
Jackson Memorial Hospital for "observation". Requests for family
visits are denied
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2004
* 3:00PM: Requests for the lawyer or family members to see Dantica at
Jackson Memorial Hospital are again denied. No details are given
either to his son, niece, or lawyer about his condition. His niece
calls Ward D—the detention ward of the hospital where he is being
held-- to seek some information and is told that she can only get
information from the Department of Homeland Security as "he is their
prisoner."
* 8:45PM: Joseph Dantica dies.
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