6616: Press Release Haitian Media (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Stanley Lucas <slucas@iri.org>

Press Release from Haitian Media Outlets

The Initiative Committee for the formation of a national association of Haitian media outlets expresses its indignation at the threats directed during a January 9, 2001, press conference led by Mr. Paul Raymond, coordinator of the TKL of St. Jean Bosco, at personalities in civil society, the political sector, the Church, and the press in particular.  

The Committee calls on competent authorities, President Rene Preval, Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis, Minister of Justice Camille Leblanc, Commissioner of Government Josue Pierre-Louis, and National Police Director General Pierre Denize to assume their responsibilities vis-a-vis the nation according to the constitution and the law.

The Committee calls upon Mr. Jean Bertrand Aristide, head of the Fanmi Lavalas party, which the TKL of St. Jean Bosco claim membership, to take a public position against the threats.

The Committee expresses its fears for this type of practice, repeating threats directed at society by individuals clearly identified as benefitting from total impunity.  

The Committee is justifiably alarmed by the threats against freedom of expression and freedom of the press, obtained through the Haitian people's struggles and consecrated by the 1987 Haitian constitution.  

The Committee reaffirms its solidarity with its brothers Lithane Pierre Paul from Radio Kiskeya, Max Chauvel from the Nouvelliste, directly affected by the aforementioned threats.  It assures its full support to its brothers in Radio Vision 2000, Radio Galaxie, Radio Caraibes, Rotation FM, previously threatened, and RTC of Cayes, threatened and aggrieved.  The Committee equally denounces the attempt to burn down Radio Kiskeya the evening of January 9, 2001. 

It also requests precise details on the state of the investigations into the death of Jean Dominique, Director of Radio Haiti Inter, Jean-Claude Louissaint, guard at the same station, and Gerard Denoze, a sports journalist at Radio Plus.

The Committee expresses its determination to continue to fight to defend freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and respect for democratic norms.  
 Signal Fm

Radio Kiskeya

Radio Caraibes

radio Vision 2000

Radio Galaxie

Journal Le Nouvelliste

Radio Sans Souci FM

Telemax

Radio Metropole

Radio Ibo

Magic Stereo

Le Matin

Radio Lumiere