[R-G] AHP Haiti News, April 15th

[afenton at riseup.net]

Agence Haitienne Presse - English translation (unofficial), www.ahphaiti.org

Meeting between the Security Council, political parties and the civil
society: there is no real threat against the organization of the next
elections, according to the UN mission

 Port-au-Prince,  April 15, 2005 (AHP)- Members of the United Nations
Security Council met this Friday at the Montana Hotel representatives of
political parties and of the civil society, about the political situation
in Haiti.

 At the end of the meeting, Head of the mission, Brazilian Ronaldo Motta
Sardenberg, declared that a cordial dialogue had started especially about
the question of the organization of elections planned for this year.

Reaffirming that there was no real threat for these elections, Mr.
Sardenberg however recalled that this question was a government’s
prerogative. He also underlined that meetings between all sectors must
take place in order to create the conditions needed for these elections.

For his part, Special Representative of the UN General Secretary Juan
Gabriel Valdès declared that he was aware of the existence of divergences
between political parties.

 "A true dialogue is essential to find lasting solutions to the country’s
multiple problems", Mr. Valdès declared, adding that this agreement which
is wished for so much between the different parties involved in the
Haitian crisis is possible even before the organization of the next
elections.

Priest of Sainte Claire Parish, Father Gérard Jean Juste and former
Senator Louis Gérald Gilles, who represented the party Fanmi Lavalas at
this meeting, declared they were unsatisfied with the fact that
representatives of political parties did not have enough time to present
their point of view to the Security Council.

 They called anti-Lavalas sectors that fear, they said, the party’s
strength, to put an end to their demonization. The cause defended by
Lavalas is a fair and constitutional cause, the two men pointed out.

 Louis Gérald Gilles also considered that the Latortue government is a
repressive government that did nothing to help national reconciliation.

Two representatives of the parties Tèt Ansanm and the Democratic Movement
to Reform Haiti (MODEREH), respectively Gérard Blot and Prince Pierre
Sonson, considered that a true dialogue should be organized to discuss the
country’s bitter problems, before the organization of elections.

 According to MM. Blot and Sonson, there is still along way to go before
thinking of organizing elections in a country where problems have
aggravated since the advent of the interim government.

"We must start again on new bases to rebuild the country", they declared.
They do not exclude Latortue’s departure.

 A Philippine Blue Helmet is killed at Cité Soleil: the commandant of the
UN force reaffirms his mission’s determination to continue its work of
stabilization and peace in  Haiti

Port-au-Prince,  April 15, 2005 (AHP)- Brazilian Commandant of the UN
force Augusto Heleino Ribeiro condemned Friday the death of a Philippine
Blue Helmet killed in the shantytown of Cité Soleil.

The soldier was killed when a series of containers were put in the Cité,
to stop, he said, armed gangs from get fresh supplies in arms and
ammunitions.

"We were about to seal off the roadblock when armed individuals opened
fire on the UN soldiers », Augusto Heleno Ribeiro declared adding that the
UN mission is determined to continue its work of stabilization and peace
in  Haiti.

 At the end of March, two other blue helmets from the 6000 deployed in 
Haiti, a Sri-Lankan and a Nepalese, were killed during operations to
regain control of police stations occupied by former militaries. The UN
deployed over 6000 blue helmets in Haiti among who are 150 Philippines.

The UN peacekeeping force lead several operations to make the population
more secure these last few days at Cité Soleil where there are fights and
clashed daily between pro and anti Aristide gangs.

 A gang leader known to be close to the former opposition to Aristide,
Thomas Robenson called Labanyè was killed last month in this shantytown.
The police are actively looking for another gang leader, Dread Wilmer.
There was information stating that he was injured last week during a
MINUSTHA/national police operation.

AHP April 15, 2005 11:10 AM

Members of the Security Council denounce the abusive detention of a group
of Haitian citizens and announce that the UN could extend its peace
mission in  Haiti

Port-au-Prince,  April 15, 2005 (AHP)- Members of the United Nations
Security Council criticized the abusive detention by the interim
government of a series of Haitian citizens including former Prime Minister
Yvon Neptune and former Minister of Interior Jocelerme Privert.

The interim authorities pointed out to the Security Council that this was
the job of the judicial apparatus. This explanation was rejected by the
United States Representative at the Council, Anne Wood Patterson who
answered that it was unacceptable that people are kept in prison for 8
months and over without being heard by a judge.

 Several foreign organizations including Amnesty International recently
declared that the MINUSTAH hasn’t contributed to the improvement of the
human rights situation in  Haiti where policemen are accused of
corruption, brutalities and summary executions of political opponents.

 And yet, this work is part of the mission that was given to it by the
Security Council, a member of Amnesty declared.

Members of the United Nations Security Council announced Thursday that the
UN could extend its peace mission in Haiti, recruit more policemen and
hire international observers in the perspective of the next elections.

 AHP 15 avril 2005 11:33 AM

Thousands of Fanmi Lavalas supporters demonstrate in the district of
Bel-Air to demand better living conditions and the return to
constitutional order in  Haiti

Port-au-Prince,  April 15, 2005 (AHP)- Thousands of Fanmi Lavalas
supporters demonstrated once again this Friday in the populist district of
Bel-Air to demand better living conditions and the return to
constitutional order in Haiti.

 The demonstrators declared they wanted to take advantage of the presence
of members of the United Nations Security Council in the country and
pleaded for the release of all political prisoners and the end of
political persecutions.

They once again declared they were determined to remain mobilized until
their demands were satisfied.

 Political prisoners’ wives who participated to this peaceful march
demanded the release of their husbands who have been rotting in prison
because of their opinions for several months, they said, without even
being heard by their natural judge.

Several tens of thousands of Fanmi Lavalas supporters had demonstrated
peacefully Thursday in many streets of the capital and all the way to
Bourdon near the United Nations office.

 AHP 15 avril 2005 2:45 PM

Reopening of the renovated office of the CCIH: Réginald Boulos promises
that the institution will commit actively in social actions aiming to
improve the population’s quality of life

 Port-au-Prince,  April 15, 2005 (AHP)- The Chamber of Commerce and
Industry of Haiti (CCIH) resumed its services this Friday in its new
renovated office, after several months of inactivity for restructuring.

On the occasion of the reopening ceremony, President of the Chamber of
Commerce and Industry Réginald Boulos, promised to help the economic
growth and success and to commit actively in social actions aiming to
improve the population’s quality of life.

 Mr. Boulos declared that the CCIH must have a philosophy based on
morality, credibility and co-activity. It must defend the interests of
the business community and fight poverty, exclusion and ignorance.

The CCIH, who wants to be apolitical, must also work, he said, at the
promotion of a State of Law in the country which involves the respect of
private property and free enterprise, Mr. Boulos pointed out.

Interim Prime Minister Gérard Latortue acknowledged that social
inequalities and unemployment are the main causes of insecurity.

 Mr. Latortue invited the private sector to play fully its participation
to try to solve the problem of insecurity by helping to release the
population’s sufferings.

AHP 15 avril 2005 3:15 PM

American authorities repatriate 59 ex-prisoners in Haiti

Port-au-Prince,  April 15, 2005 (AHP)- American authorities repatriated 59
Haitians this week.

 From this group of repatriated who had the permanent resident status in
the  United States, 38 were guilty of involvement in armed robberies,
sexual abuses and drugs.

 The American immigration service took the occasion to bring to people’s
attention that all foreigners living in the United States are liable to
deportation, except when they have the American citizenship.

 AHP April 15, 2005 11:55 AM