7937: Métropole -- Aristide tells elected representatives to complete their terms in office (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

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

Those on the Corbett list interested in getting the BBC transcripts

daily for Métropole, Galaxie or Signal FM should go to the website

of the Financial Times at www.FT.com and search for Haiti.

Max Blanchet
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 1.   Haiti: Aristide tells elected representatives to complete their terms
in office

Haiti: Aristide tells elected representatives to complete their terms in
office
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; May 17, 2001

Text of report by Haitian Metropole radio on 17 May

The president of the republic has taken a tougher stance just a few days
before the first anniversary of the contested 21 May elections. In
distancing himself from negotiations for a way out of the crisis, Aristide
affirmed that from now on all elected representatives should complete their
terms. Journalist Wendel Theodore explains the following:

[Theodore - recording] Nobody can try to act against the will of the people.
That was the message of the president of the republic - a message which was
well understood by the local representatives who were at the National
Palace. The president spoke and his message produced loud applause. It is a
new position, which was expressed only a few hours before 18 May [Haiti's
Flag Day], a date that provoked a debate between the prime minister and the
coordinator of the presidential press service about Aristide's commitment
and wishes to resolve the crisis no later than that date. The president was
firm and specific this time, saying that the mandate that the people gave
their representatives will not be modified. Aristide asked all the members
of the territorial collectivities to remain in their positions until their
mandates expire. That is the requirement of democracy. Aristide spoke as
follows:

[Aristide] Since we are in a democratic system, and I myself am an elected
representative and you also are elected representatives, everybody should
bear that in mind so that they never dare to alter the decision of the
masses.

[Theodore] This is a position that had already been expressed by the interim
leader of Aristide's party. Yvon Neptune said a few days ago that the
elections were not negotiable. With this declaration, Aristide has closed
the doors to negotiations. In other words, there is no longer an electoral
crisis. President Aristide, by so doing, chose his own zero option and has
turned his back on the promises made to the US administration [of President
Bill Clinton] in his eight-point proposal. He has also turned his back on
the OAS, to which the foreign minister had promised to reduce the mandate of
some of the elected representatives, as well as on the promises that
Aristide himself made at the Summit of the Americas, where the issue was
discussed.

With this new stance adopted by the head of state, Aristide has not only put
an end to all new attempts to negotiate the crisis of the 21 May elections
but has also reassured the children of the Lavalas Family party who were
doubtful about their political futures. The head of state's declaration
opens the doors of parliament to the five Lavalas senators who had chosen to
step down in order to facilitate the negotiations. One might as well say
that the new CEP [Provisional Electoral Council] of Alix Lamarque is now
authorized to start the election process which should lead to the formation
of the permanent council.

Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 17 May 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.