7753: Highlights of Radio Signal FM news (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Max Blanchet <maxblanchet@worldnet.att.net>

 1.   Haiti: Highlights of Radio Signal FM news 1230 gmt 2 May 01

 BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; May 3, 2001

"0730 Appointment" news; figures in brackets indicate times in minutes
elapsed since start of programme; passages within double oblique strokes in
French

1. [00] Headlines.

2. [03] The kidnap industry is still serious business in the Haitian
capital. After Mr and Mrs [first name indistinct] Simeon who were abducted
in Petion-Ville on 30 April by a group of armed individuals, yesterday it
was the turn of Jonas Guillaume, president and general manager of Computer
World. Guillaume was abducted by a group of kidnappers who stole his car, a
Mitsubishi. The ransom requested by the bandits is not yet known. It should
be recalled that the kidnappers of the Simeons requested a ransom of 1m
dollars for their release. Both parties agreed on 500,000 dollars. During
the last few weeks, several cases of kidnapping for ransom have been
reported in the country.

3. [05] Report by correspondent Rene Voltaire in Jacmel: The president of
the Haitian Episcopal Conference, CEH, Monsignor Hubert Constant, bishop of
Fort-Liberte, called on the Haitian political players, to reach an agreement
that might bring about the resolution of the political crisis. On 1 May,
which marks Labour and Agriculture Day, as well as the saints days of St
James and St Philip, the prelate said he believes that it is urgent that an
agreement be reached between the ruling Lavalas Family, FL, and the
opposition gathered within the Democratic Convergence. On the occasion, a
religious ceremony conducted by Constant was held at the St James and St
Philip Church. Constant was assisted by CEH Vice President Guire Poulard,
who is the bishop of Jacmel, and Mgr Joseph Lafontant. Constant urged the
protagonists of the Haitian crisis to reach a "reasonable and reliable
political agreement." At the Jacmel City Hall, where other activities took
place, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide said he was ready to receive
opposition members at the National Palace on 3 May so a compromise can be
reached.

His statements follow: "//This morning, the heart of the president of the
CEH, Mgr Constant, has opened. The heart of Mgr Guire Poulard, bishop of the
diocese, has opened. The [word indistinct] voices unite to shout out the cry
of Jacmel, the cry of love, the cry of dialogue, the cry of compromise, the
cry of respect, the cry of consensus. Therefore, I believe that on 3 May,
[words indistinct] will open to receive at the National Palace the sons and
daughters of the opposition, the sons and daughters of civil society, and
the sons and daughters of Haiti, so we can talk around the dialogue table
and respectfully seek the way to compromise to get out of this crisis.//"

4. [10] In a message to the nation delivered at the Convergence headquarters
in Pont-Morin, Port-au-Prince, on Agriculture and Labour Day, 1 May, the
Convergence-proclaimed provisional president, attorney Gourgue, invited all
sectors in the country to set aside their differences in order to save the
country. He criticized the attitude of the Lavalas regime, which is leading
the country to abyss because of its intransigence.

5. [13] Headlines and ads.

6. [14] FL interim national representative Yvon Neptune says he appreciates
the steps taken by the Convergence officials to resume the dialogue.
However, he says the FL has already made several reasonable concessions. He
criticizes the Convergence members for requiring the total nullification of
both the 21 May and 26 November elections. Neptune, who blames the
Convergence for wanting to negotiate directly with Aristide, says: "The
Haitian people, FL, and the international community acknowledge President
Aristide as the country's head of state. The government will represent the
people and the country. Aristide is the president of all Haitians. The
opposition is not the Convergence alone. The FL is always ready to answer
and to resume proper dialogue with the Convergence. The FL is willing to
participate with anybody in any and all meetings to which it is invited by
the head of state, President Aristide, regardless of whether these meetings
have to do with the 21 May 2000 elections or any other issues that President
Aristide may wish to discuss with the FL or in the presence of the FL."

7. [20] The Convergence considers Aristide's invitation to a meeting at the
National Palace a manoeuvre or a trap. Evans Paul, one of the Convergence
leaders, says the Convergence is ready to meet with Aristide anywhere except
at the National Palace or Tabarre. He explains that Aristide does not really
want to negotiate to get the country out of the political, social, and
economic deadlock that it is experiencing now. The following is an excerpt
from Paul's statements: "We say that we are ready to participate in any
meetings held on a neutral field. I already said that we do not invite
people to the Convergence premises in Pont Morin, and we would never invite
people to discuss solutions at the residence of president Gerard Gourgue.
Similarly, we cannot be asked to come to any appointment or to participate
in any meeting that takes place either in Tabarre or at the National Palace.
They know the answer in advance. We are not beating around the bush. Since
they want to hold meetings in those places, it is certain that they are not
looking for solutions. If you want people to attend your funeral, you must
attend other people's funerals. Aristide always tries to look important and
never shows up when they invite him. Now he has decided to invite everybody.
I do not think that it is a meeting aimed at looking for solutions. It is a
meeting that is being held in order to have people waste time, a meeting
used for delaying tactics, (?in spite of) the Haitian people's poverty. I
believe that everybody should clearly see that Lavalas, particularly
Aristide, does not want a solution."

8. [25] One of the representatives of the Civil Society Initiative Group,
GISC, Professor Rosny Desroches, congratulates Aristide's decision to meet
tomorrow sectors of national life within the framework of the search for a
solution to the crisis. Desroches comments follow: "What I can say about
this invitation is that it shows that President Aristide actually wants to
participate in the negotiations personally." Desroches goes on to say: "We
have not yet received the official invitation. We will certainly meet this
week. When we meet, we will make a decision as to whether we will
participate or not. However, we encourage everything that is favourable to
the negotiations."

9. [26] The Alternative for Change, AC, has confirmed its participation in
tomorrow's meeting with Aristide. Simon Jean-Pois, a member of the AC, hails
Aristide's plan to meet with all sectors of the country tomorrow at the
National Palace for the resolution of the crisis. Jean-Pois says the zero
option recommended by the Convergence will not take the country anywhere and
that the solution to the current crisis is through dialogue and agreement
between all sectors.

10. [28] Ads, followed by international news.

11. [33] The leader of the Union of the Patriotic Democrats, UPD, Rockfeller
Guerre says it will participate in the meeting that will be held by Aristide
at the National Palace on 3 May. Guerre wants the Haitian crisis to be
resolved by 18 May, the Haitian National Flag Day.

12. [41] The members of the Convergence have decided to stage a series of
demonstrations in the Haitian capital in order to denounce the Lavalas
government. This series of demonstrations will begin today in the commune of
Petion-Ville. Claire Lydie Parent, former mayor of Petion-Ville and leader
of the Haitian Democratic Party, PADEMH, announces that she will lead a
demonstration that will begin in Place Boyer and will end in front of the
OAS offices.

13 . [43] A group of Provisional Electoral Council, CEP, members visited the
Grand'Anse Department yesterday. CEP member Domingo Theronier said that the
CEP members were going to assess the electoral materials available in this
geographic department.

14. [45] Ads.

15. [48] Yesterday was the final day of the three-day Agriculture and Labour
Fair organized in Champ de Mars by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour
and the Ministry of Agriculture, National Resources, and Rural Development.

16. [53] International news.

17. [56] News summary.

Source: Signal FM Radio, Port-au-Prince, in Creole 1230 gmt 2 May 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC