Michèle Montas
Encyclopedia
Michèle Montas is an award-winning journalist
from Haiti
and the former Spokesperson under UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
(January 1, 2007 - January 1, 2010). Prior to her appointment, Montas headed the French unit of UN Radio. From 2003 to 2004, she served as the Spokesperson for UN General Assembly
President Julian Robert Hunte soon after she fled to New York
from Haiti
.
Montas began her journalism career in Haiti in the early 1970s with her husband, Jean Dominique
, a prominent Haitian journalist. Dominique's station, Radio Haiti-Inter
, was attacked several times in the 1980s and 1990s, and the couple was forced to flee the country twice to briefly live in exile. Dominique was assassinated in April 2000 after broadcasting increasingly strident criticisms of Jean-Bertrand Aristide
's party on his program. (Aristide was not in power at the time.) Montas took over the radio station, but shut it down in February 2003 and fled to New York after her bodyguard was gunned down in an attack on her home and she received several death threats. Montas returned to Haiti as of recently due to career-affiliated roles with MINUSTAH and joint co-operation with her superior, UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
from Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
and the former Spokesperson under UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
(January 1, 2007 - January 1, 2010). Prior to her appointment, Montas headed the French unit of UN Radio. From 2003 to 2004, she served as the Spokesperson for UN General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
President Julian Robert Hunte soon after she fled to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
.
Montas began her journalism career in Haiti in the early 1970s with her husband, Jean Dominique
Jean Dominique
Jean Léopold Dominique was a noted Haïtian journalist who spoke out against successive dictatorships. He was one of the first people in Haïti to broadcast in Kreyòl, the language spoken by most of the populace...
, a prominent Haitian journalist. Dominique's station, Radio Haiti-Inter
Radio Haiti-Inter
Radio Haiti-Inter was the first independent radio station in Haiti. The station was notable for its use of the Kreyòl language, spoken by most Haitians, while most other media broadcast in French, and also for its broadcasting of international and local news....
, was attacked several times in the 1980s and 1990s, and the couple was forced to flee the country twice to briefly live in exile. Dominique was assassinated in April 2000 after broadcasting increasingly strident criticisms of Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Catholic priest and politician who served as Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies...
's party on his program. (Aristide was not in power at the time.) Montas took over the radio station, but shut it down in February 2003 and fled to New York after her bodyguard was gunned down in an attack on her home and she received several death threats. Montas returned to Haiti as of recently due to career-affiliated roles with MINUSTAH and joint co-operation with her superior, UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.