#4687: Fwd: July 24 Haiti News Summary (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: radman <resist@best.com>


>From: HaitiNewsSummary@aol.com
>Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2000 00:25:40 EDT
>Subject: July 24 News Summary
>
>Haiti News Summary - July 24, 2000
>
>The Following is a brief weekly summary of news from Haiti.  Individual
>sources, mostly from within Haiti, are cited at the end of each item.  If you
>do not wish to continue to receive this news summary please e-mail us at
>HaitiNewsSummary@AOL.com and we will remove you from the distribution list.
>Also feel free to send the addresses of anyone else you know who would like
>to be added to this list.
>
>Executive Branch Meets with CEP
>President Rene Preval and Prime Minister Alexis met with the CEP on Friday
>July 21 to discuss the need to organize a second round of elections in the
>Grandanse area.  The first round of elections in the Grandanse took place on
>June 11.  The second round has not yet taken place there.  They also
>discussed the crisis in Anse d'Hainault between two opposition parties, which
>has resulted in the death of one person, the wounding of a dozen other and
>the burning of 20 houses.  The violence erupted after the election results
>published in the Monitor gave the mayor's post to the Espace candidate while
>the partial results announced earlier had given the same post to an
>Eskamp/Corega candidate.
>
>Prime Minister Announces He Will Resign
>On Thursday, July 20 Prime Minister Jacques Edward Alexis announced that he
>will resign his post when the final election results are published in order
>to facilitate the selection of a new government.  According to the Haitian
>constitution the Prime Minister, who is is selected by the President in
>consultation with the Parliament, must come from within the party holding a
>majority in parliament.  In making this announcement Alexis reiterated the
>determination of his government to see the elections process through and to
>take all steps necessary for the new parliament to take their offices as soon
>as possible.
>
>
>Opposition Groups hold Demonstrations
>Opposition groups, calling for the resignation of President Preval, the
>appointment of an interim government and the holding of new elections held
>two demonstrations in Haiti this week.  The first was in the town of Petit
>Goave on Saturday July 15.  Ernst Colon of MOCHRENA characterized the
>demonstration as a success and said there were 2000 participants.  Haiti
>Progress reported that about 300 people attended the demonstration.     Colon
>said the demonstration was an answer to comments by the Prime Minister that
>opposition parties cannot mobilize the population. (AHP, Haiti Progress)
>
>The evening before the demonstration violence broke out when popular
>organizations blocked the road to Petit Goave in a counter pro-Lavalas
>demonstration.   Fanmi Lavalas leaders on the scene told journalists that a
>member of a popular organization was wounded when shots were fired from the
>car of the Espace de Concertation candidate for deputy who lost the May 21
>election. After the shots were fired the crowd of demonstrators attacked the
>car.    (AHP)
>
>Violence also proceeded a similar demonstration in Gonaives on July 20.  On
>the evening of Wednesday, July 19 Carl-Henri Emilar, the Secretary/Treasurer
>of the Electoral Bureau of the Artibonit was shot three times by unidentified
>gunmen.  Emilcar, who was reported to be close to Fanmi Lavalas, was taken to
>Port-au-Prince for treatment and in serious condition.  The attack did not
>halt the "anti-Lavalas" demonstration the next day, which was attended by
>about 300 people according to local corespondents (AHP).  The demonstrations
>were organized by the Groupe de Convergence, a new grouping of more than ten
>political parties including OPL, MOCHRENA, MPSM and the Espace de
>Concertation.  (AHP)
>
>Speaking for family Lavalas, Senator Yvon Neptune reiterated the willingness
>of his party to dialogue with the international community and the opposition
>about the current electoral crisis.  But, he said Fanmi Lavalas will continue
>to defend the choice of the Haitian people at the polls on May 21st .   He
>also indicated that the newly elected Senators and deputies are actively
>preparing to begin their work in parliament.  (AHP)
>
>On July 14, at the Bastille Day celebration at the French embassy the French
>Ambassador said that he wished that conditions would be fulfilled to favor
>the reinforcement of cooperation (development aid) between the European Union
>and Haiti.  He did not refer directly to the current conflict over the
>elections; the EU has taken a strong stand against Haiti and has threatened
>to cut off aid.  Haiti's minister of planning who was present at the event
>spoke directly about the election situation in his remarks, reminding those
>present that the Haitian CEP remained the final authority over Haiti's
>elections, he also saluted the healthy state of Haiti's democracy.    (CHRD)
>
>AIDS Vaccine Trials to Go Forward in Haiti
>Haiti's Minister of Health, Dr. Michaelle Amedee Gedeon announced that Haiti
>will be one of three countries in the Western Hemisphere to participate in
>trials of a vaccine against the AIDS virus.  Forty Haitian who are not
>infected with the HIV virus have volunteered to participate in the study.
>Similar test will be carried out in Brazil and in Trinidad.  The tests will
>be carried out in three phases.  The Minister noted that if the tests are
>successful Haitian will eventually benefit from vaccines developed in the US
>or in countries with a similar strain of HIV.  According to Haitian
>researchers 110 people die of AIDS each day in Haiti. (AHP)