a110: PPN leader Dupuy questions report on attempted coup (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Tttnhm@aol.com

PPN leader Dupuy questions report on attempted coup, dismisses new talks 
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Dec 21, 2001
Text of report by Haitian Signal FM radio on 20 December

There is no question of resuming the negotiations, according to the leader of the National People's Party [PPN], Benjamin Dupuy, who has taken a stand against the attempted coup d'etat. Furthermore, Dupuy indicated that he had many reservations about the report drawn up by the Haitian National Police [PNH] and the Lavalas officials about the coup d'etat or the attempted coup d'etat, against the Aristide regime. Kenson Jean-Louis filed the following report:

[Jean-Louis - recording] PPN leader Dupuy points an accusing finger at the opposition political groups gathered within the Democratic Convergence as the main accomplices of what the Lavalas government describes as an aborted coup d'etat that turned the country upside down on 17 December. Many observers and individuals hostile to the current regime label this aborted coup d'etat as a masquerade, an unfounded scenario or the second part of the coup d'etat movie, after the [first] act on 28 July.

PPN leader Dupuy explains that the Dominican government shares some of the responsibility for this aborted coup d'etat because, according to him, the Convergence holds meetings with the former Haitian army in the Dominican Republic. This army still exists under the constitution but it is absent from the fields or the barracks. PPN spokesman Dupuy made the following comments:

[Dupuy] We believe that the following scenario is developing. The Democratic Convergence is a group of stateless persons who have joined the macoutes and foreign forces. They have no base in society and are organizing themselves in the Dominican Republic. We know that the Dominican Republic is a den of tonton macoutes, former members of the army, armed civilians working for the army and members of the police who have changed sides. They enjoy the complicity of the Dominican government.

Not long ago, an international conference by those called social democrats, the Socialist International, was held in the Dominican Republic. All the Convergence people were there. They continue to hatch the plot.

[Jean-Louis] However, the PPN leader says he is very confused by the explanations given by the National Palace officials about the number of people who died. For example, regarding the two policemen who were in front of the Haitian National Pantheon Museum [Mupanah; which is across the street from the National Palace] and who died, even though they had nothing to do with the so-called coup d'etat. Furthermore, the time during which the attackers occupied the presidential building is one of Dupuy's concerns, because the USGPN [National Palace General Security Unit], which is supposed to be responsible for the general surveillance of the National Palace, did not do anything to announce its presence and so on.

[Dupuy] The attackers entered the palace as early as 0100 and left it at 0700 [all times local]. They withdrew in good order. We think that there is something wrong about this because, for six hours, the men managed to enter the building and then break things and do whatever they wanted and there was no retaliation.

We have been told that it was a strategic withdrawal, but we wonder how this could have been a strategic withdrawal because, with such a force, there should have been, should they not - [pauses] they should have brought the men under control. At least, they should have surrounded the palace and prevented them from leaving. We believe that there is something wrong.

We have been told that two policemen died. We must point out that they were two members of the administrative police who were on patrol. They were killed near Mupanah. So, it was not as a result of a confrontation between those who were supposed to defend the palace and the attackers.

[Jean-Louis] In conclusion, Dupuy says there is no reason for the resumption of dialogue, meetings or negotiations between the two political protagonists. It would be a waste of time, according to Dupuy, who asked the OAS to question the Bush administration about the latest US elections instead.

Source: Signal FM Radio, Port-au-Prince, in Creole 1230 gmt 20 Dec 01