by Pamela Williams

I don’t want to forget about the courageous and amazing Monica Peterson who was the Assistant Director at the Human Trafficking Center in Colorado.  She died in November of 2016 while doing research on child trafficking in Haiti.  Back on November 13th, 2016 the Center on Human Rights Education posted a message on Facebook informing people about her death.

The director of the organization, Professor Claude d’Estree, wrote:  “I am heartbroken to report that Monica Peterson died today in Haiti.  She was a recent graduate of the Korbel School, a Research Fellow and Assistant Director at the Human Trafficking Center, and had moved to Haiti to teach and start an NGO.”

Her death has been reported as a suicide, but her Mother says she does not believe that.  She said the Monica was happy and felt like she was doing good work.  There have been so many different stories online about how Monica died, and exactly what she was working on a the time in Haiti.  I know what I believe, but I want you the reader to understand the range of possibilities, which are being associated with Monica now.  I happen to believe some, but we are looking at what we actually know at this time.

1. Petersen’s work was in relation to uncovering child sex rings and sex trafficking networks in Haiti.
2. At Monica’s memorial her teacher, Professor Claude d’Estrée made the following statement: “(She) decided to take on one of the demagogues in the field of human trafficking. Produced a 110-page analysis of human trafficking in Haiti – 2 years of research. We were looking for someone who was smart enough and maybe brave enough to publish her work. We will continue to seek out and publish it for her. We are in a state of shock. We may never know what exactly happened to her.”
3. The facts are Petersen’s body has not been recovered. The cause of death has not been stated. An autopsy has not been performed. Her family has also not been notified as to the cause of her death or what exactly happened or why her body has not been returned.  This to me is very suspicious, and it should have already been resolved.  
4. Before her death, Monica sent her friend this online message:  “[…] the real significance of this scandal for me, I know you feel me [redacted], is the link to contemporary slavery and trafficking. I can’t say to what extent, but there is human trafficking happening through the Clinton’s Caraol Complex. And mining has always been historically linked to trafficking, slavery, and labor exploitation. I’d like to go see for myself who’s laboring at Morne Bossa, but I would hypothesize that the Dominicans are doing the contractual oversight of the mining, while marginalized Haitians are being exploited for low or no cost labor in dangerous mining conditions.  That’s two huge human trafficking scandals, an environmental degradation scandal, a social displacement scandal, a Presidential election scandal, a scandal with billions in unaccounted for earthquake aid… all leading directly back to the Clintons racist cronyism in Haiti.”
5. http://investmentwatchblog.com/what-really-happened-in-haiti-to-mon...