9876: Aristide Using Tactics of Former Regimes - Evans Paul (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Stanley Lucas <slucas@iri.org>

December 1, 2001 
Evans Paul
Aristide Using Tactics of Former Regimes 
Suppressing peaceful demonstrations. "Since the repression is without limits, then the mobilization should also be without limits." 
1.   Haiti: Opposition calls for mobilization against government to continue 
 
Haiti: Opposition calls for mobilization against government to continue 
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Dec 1, 2001



Text of report by Haitian Metropole radio on 30 November

The Convergence leaders claim to be indignant following the murder of one of their partisans in Saint-Marc. The opposition leaders have encouraged the continuation of the mobilization throughout the country in order to obtain the departure of the Lavalas regime. Evans Paul of the Democratic Convergence said the following:

[Paul - recording, in Creole] The people of the country cannot accept it when Lavalas uses communiques that resemble the ones used by former regimes to prevent peaceful demonstrations from taking place. It is a flagrant violation of the constitution, which gives people the right to express their opinions.

We are taking this opportunity to call the public's attention to a lot of other acts that the Lavalas regime has committed in the country. Since the repression is without limits, then the mobilization should also be without limits. Since 2001 is a disappointment for everybody, then everybody should stand up to make sure that 2002 is favourable for everyone.

[Unidentified journalist] So, for the Convergence, what will your strategy be after what has happened in Saint-Marc?

[Paul] Well, we think that in a system that does not guarantee security and justice, the mobilization should be reinforced to pursue all those who are killing people, especially the chief killer, [President] Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

[Journalist] What comparison can you make with what is going on today and what used to happen in past decades?

[Paul] What we have noticed is that Lavalas does not spare anybody. Lavalas threatens everybody, even Lavalas members who perhaps disagree or have some divergence from them. For instance, what they are doing to [Prime Minister Jean-Marie] Cherestal and what they did to former Mayor Marie Yves P. Duperval recently are two signs of this.

We just have to see how they are using Paul Raymond and Rene Civil, getting them to commit all kinds of evil acts. Those men will eventually have to go to prison. So, it is clear that Lavalas is imitating what happened before but they want to go further than that, that is, they want to proceed without limits.

Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 30 Nov 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC. 

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