U.S. Worried as Caribbean Nations Defer on Haiti Leaders

By CHRISTOPHER MARQUIS

Published: March 30, 2004

WASHINGTON, March 29 — The Bush administration, still seeking more foreign troops to help stabilize Haiti, voiced concern on Monday over a refusal by Caribbean leaders to recognize that country's American-backed interim government.


Richard A. Boucher, the State Department spokesman, said Monday that the administration would continue to press for Caribbean nations to help the interim government establish security and lay the groundwork for elections. "We would prefer that they be more involved, as they have said they want to do," he said.

Asked whether the administration would cooperate with a United Nations inquiry into Mr. Aristide's departure, Mr. Boucher replied: "That's hypothetical at this point. We just don't think it's necessary."

Mr. Latortue struck a discordant note with American policy makers last week when he lauded the rebels as "freedom fighters" during a visit to his hometown of Gonaïves. Among those basking in the praise were Guy Philippe, a former police chief accused of plotting to overthrow Mr. Aristide, and Louis-Jodel Chamblain, convicted in absentia of murdering a Haitian businessman.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/30/international/americas/30HAIT.html



Rebels patrol inside the port of Cap Haitien, the second largest city of Haiti.

Haiti's Troika of Terror

Thugs, a Buffoon and Pirates

By THE BLACK COMMENTATOR

The Thugs

Amiot's brother, Butteur, wore a suit to signify his newfound respectability and to dispel the memory of his followers' mutilations of policemen's bodies after the seizure of Gonaives in early February. Lending further dignity to the occasion was Jean Tatun, the mass murderer who escaped from a life term in prison to join his fellow U.S.-financed "rebels" at their Dominican Republic bases, last August. Guy Philippe, the Green Beret-trained, former police chief who fled to the Dominican Republic in 2000 to avoid drug and coup charges, met the visiting dignitaries at the helicopter landing zone. Philippe is a hit with the New York Times, which called him "personable" and "media-smart," and reported that the "rebel leader" promised to "put his forces under the prime minister's orders."

Tatun, Mateyar and Philippe rubbed elbows with Bernard Gousse, Latortue's new Justice Minister. Literally surrounded by criminals, Gousse is nevertheless intent on building a criminal case against Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Defense Minister and retired General Herard Abraham represented the rapidly reconstituting Haitian Army, whose sole purpose in modern times has been to repress the Haitian people. After a meeting with Abraham last week, Guy Philippe "boasted that Abraham had made no mention of the need for the rebels to disarm, let alone quizzed him about the modalities of any rebel disarmament."
http://www.counterpunch.org/bc03292004.html

It is to be hoped they continue to with-hold recognition from this murderers' crew that has seized the saddle once more in Haiti.

A United Nations investigation, unfortunately, can have no real teeth, but ought to be pursued just the same, if only to establish an authoritative account of the crime.

"Sunlight is the best disinfectant."

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

In a formal declaration following a meeting of eleven regional leaders last week the Caribbean Community, Caricom, decided not to recognize Haiti’s interim government and requested United Nations investigate the ousting of former president Jean Bertrand Aristide.



“For the moment we’re not satisfied”, said Saint Vincent and Grenada Primer Minister Ralph Gonsalvez. “We’ll be keeping track of the evolution of developments”.

In the release Caricom was apprehensive of possible “actions leading to the legitimization of opposition forces”, and regret that the current Primer Minister of Haiti Gerard Latorutue had described rebels as “libertarian fighters”.
Caribbean leaders requested Mr. Kofi Annan the United Nations urgently investigate the circumstances of the ousting of Mr. Aristide who apparently was forced to leave February 29 by United States marine when rebel forces were about to take the capital Port au Prince.

http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=3448

Posted on Thu, Mar. 04, 2004




JIM DEFEDE/COMMENTARY


Rights abusers going free from Haitian prisons


For the past eight years, Brian Concannon has led an office in Haiti known as Bureau des Avocats Internationaux, created by the Haitian government in 1995 to help the victims of human rights abuses during Haiti's dictatorships.

The BAI worked with government prosecutors to gather evidence in some of the country's most notorious killings, including the so-called Raboteau Massacre, in which at least eight people, and possibly as many as 25, were killed. Some of the bodies were dragged off by dogs and never found. Scores more were shot and wounded.

The April 1994 attack in Raboteau, a slum in the northern city of Gonaives, was carried out by soldiers and members of FRAPH, the paramilitary arm of the dictators who toppled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1991.

When Aristide returned to power in October 1994, Haitian prosecutors began investigating the Raboteau case and others. In 2000, 16 former soldiers and FRAPH members stood trial in a six-week court case broadcast live throughout the country. Twelve defendants were found guilty. Another 37 were convicted in absentia because they had fled Haiti.
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/columnists/jim_defede/8100977.htm

Just dropped by to leave this article attached to your thread. Will be back later to read all the information you've posted today.

Thanks so much for your amazing effort. You're helping some of us more than we can say.

Just take the government we gave you and shut up like good little slaves, er, I mean workers in the global economy.

The U.S. State Department says it hopes Caribbean leaders will send security personnel to Haiti and begin taking part in efforts to rebuild the country.

At the meeting, Caricom leaders agreed that no action should be taken to legitimize what they called "rebel forces" in Haiti.

Caribbean leaders have also called for a U.N. investigation into the departure of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who claims he was briefly kidnapped by U.S. forces.

http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=414B399E-0327-481D-81C440A67C3CC165