9977: BBC: The main news this morning is the US Government's decision to continue to freeze international aid to Haiti due to the political crisis. (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Robert Benodin <r.benodin@worldnet.att.net>

Haiti: Highlights of Radio Metropole news 1145 gmt 13 Dec 01
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Dec 14, 2001


2. [06] The main news this morning is the US Government's decision to
continue to freeze international aid to Haiti due to the political crisis.
Yesterday, the United States declared that it has informed the Haitian
officials of its discontent over the failure by President Aristide to
implement a series of crucial reforms. The senior State Department officials
told the Haitian foreign affairs and finance ministers, who are on mission
in Washington, that due to the fact, that President Aristide has not made
any progress with his eight-point plan, the United States will continue to
oppose international financial aid to Haiti.
3. [08] The OAS assistant secretary-general concluded the regional
organization's 17th mission to Haiti yesterday without the signing of an
agreement between the Lavalas Family [FL] and the Convergence. Nevertheless,
Luigi Einaudi claims to be optimistic and says a compromise is not far.
Einaudi mentions some ideas proposed to the Haitian protagonists.
4. [12] The Democratic Convergence has reacted to the proposal by the OAS
assistant secretary general for the resumption of the negotiations. The
Convergence leaders made counterproposals to the OAS. While they do not want
to reveal the contents of this document, the Convergence leaders think that
the ideas put forward by the OAS representative are positive and capable of
facilitating the resumption of the dialogue.
5. [14] The French newspaper Le Monde has published an overview of the
political situation in Haiti since Aristide's return to power. It is an
exhaustive assessment of the Lavalas regime.
7. [23] The International Confederation of Free Unions [CISL] wrote to
President Aristide to express its concern about the deterioration of human
rights in Haiti. The CISL cites the assassination of journalist Brignol
Lindor by Lavalas OP [People's Organizations] members and the death threats
against journalists and human rights defenders. It affirms that these abuses
only contribute to the deterioration of the Haitian authorities' image with
regard to the population and the international community. It urges President
Aristide to punish those responsible for these crimes.
8. [24] The Haitian press made public a preliminary report of the
investigation into the assassination of Brignol Lindor. The press federation
condemns the foul murder of the journalist and denounces the members of the
Lavalas organization Sleep in the Woods.
9. [27] Examining Judge Claudy Gassant heard testimony from OP leaders Rene
Civil and Paul Raymond yesterday. The hearing lasted three hours. Lawyer
Jean Renel Fransen said that the efforts by the judicial authorities will be
in vain.
10. [29] Jean Emmanuel Desroches has been nominated as the new
director-general of the DGI [General Directorate of Taxes]. He did not have
an official inauguration. Only policemen accompanied him as he took office.
The DGI employees did not know about the inauguration beforehand. They only
learned of it through OP members within the institution.
Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 13 Dec 01
/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.