7924: Events in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

(17 May 01)


A mediation team led by the assistant secretary-general of the OAS, Luigi
Einaudi, and of Caricom, Albert Ramdin, left Port-au-Prince on 13 May after
failing to break the political deadlock between the government and the
opposition during a three-day visit.  Einaudi said he still detected no
real will to reach an agreement.  
        A group of 18 business organisations called for a re-run of last
year's parliamentary and local elections, as did an opposition grouping,
the Alternative for Change, which also asked for damages to be paid to all
parties and candidates in the elections for more than 7,600 posts.  A
spokesman for the ruling Fanmi Lavalas party rejected the demands and
hinted that some kind of coup d'etat was being prepared.
        The government has signed an agreement with three Dominican firms
to provide Haiti with 50 Mw of electricity.