Haiti's interim chief praises gang leader

Haiti's interim chief praises gang leader

By PAISLEY DODDS

The Associated Press


GONAIVES, Haiti — Sharing a platform with rebel leaders, Haiti's interim leader Saturday praised the gang leader whose death began the uprising that chased Jean-Bertrand Aristide from power.

About 3,000 people cheered for Prime Minister Gerard Latortue, who held his first rally in his hometown of Gonaives, where Haiti's independence was declared 200 years ago.

“I ask you for a moment of silence for all the people who fell fighting against the dictatorship, and especially for Amiot Metayer,” Latortue said as the crowd went wild. Matayer was the leader of the Cannibal Army street gang, and his death sparked the rebellion.

Rebel leaders who still run Haiti's fourth-largest city sat on a platform alongside Latortue, Organization of American States representative David Lee, recently installed interim Cabinet ministers Bernard Gousse and retired Gen. Herard Abraham, and new Haitian Police Chief Leon Charles.

<snip>

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/8238013.htm?1c

I read the article, and he seems to be referring to Aristide.

(It's late. Maybe I'm misreading something?)

Aristide was a brutal dictator who ran the country with an iron fist through his roving street gangs. The rebels were "Freedom Fighters", never mind those pesky accusations of drug-smuggling and murder. Even when the accusations are accompanied by convictions. Aristide never really won an election, he intimidated the opposition into not voting.

It's all absolute crap of course but it's what the media reports so it must be true. Perhaps 30% of Americans will ever pay enough attention to even register more than a blank look when asked what happened in Haiti, and those 30% will almost uniformly proudly repeat what they heard CNN or Fox say, thinking this makes them informed. Those few who do actually have more information will either know the truth or have a Venezuelan girlfriend who apparently dispenses affection like a Coke machine; you deposit a pro-right-wing corporatist article and on she goes.

The persons mentioned in this post are fictional, any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely incidental.

:evilgrin:

"... especially for Amiot Metayer,” Latortue said as the crowd went wild. Matayer was the leader of the Cannibal Army street gang, and his death sparked the rebellion."

The U.S. installed dictator is praising Amiot Metayer, the leader of the gang Cannibal Army? This is surreal. Wasn't this guy jailed for arson, and then his gang broke him out of jail killing a bunch of policemen? Then he started attacking the government. I wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. was the source of his arms that he used to attack the government offices.

I tell you ... these people that the U.S. has put in power are nothing but criminals, thugs, murderers and convicts.

I think one only has to ask why the U.S. and LaTorture are not arresting Chamblain, a convicted murderer? Why is the U.S. letting this guy roam free? Of course, the U.S. no doubt armed Chamblain, too.

Simply amazing.