Clinton says actions of detained Americans in Haiti were ‘unfortunate’

Clinton regrets actions of Americans held in Haiti

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday that the attempt to bring undocumented children out of Haiti by 10 American missionaries now detained in the country was “unfortunate” and that they should have followed proper procedures.

Clinton told reporters at the State Department that the Americans should not have taken matters into their own hands by bringing children from earthquake-ravaged Haiti to the Dominican Republic and should have followed proper adoption procedures. She said U.S. officials were in discussions with Haitian authorities about how to resolve the case.

“The Haitian nation acted to protect children who were being removed from their country without appropriate documentation,” she said. “We have worked with the Haitian governent over the last two-and-a-half, three weeks to help facilitate and transport children who are properly documented as having an adoptive family or guardianship waiting.”

“We know how to do this in the right way,” Clinton said. “It was unfortunate, whatever the motivation that this group of Americans took matters into their own hands. As you know, they have been charged with breaking the laws of Haiti and we are engaged in discussions with the Haitian government about the appoproiate disposition of their cases.”

The 10 Baptist missionaries are currently being held in a Port-au-Prince jail pending a judge’s decision on how to proceed. Haitian Prime Minister Max Bellerive has suggested the Americans could be prosecuted in the United States because Haiti’s shattered court system may not be able to cope with a trial.

“We will be working through the questions that the Haitian government has,” she said, “and looking for the best way forward on this.”