a894: Haiti: Civil Society Initiative Group reminds Black Caucus of aid conditions (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

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

Haiti: Civil Society Initiative Group reminds Black Caucus of aid conditions
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Feb 22, 2002


The Civil Society Initiative Group [GISC] hopes that the [US Congressional]
Black Caucus congressmen will reconsider their strategy for the resumption
of international assistance to Haiti. GISC leaders point out that the
financial organizations impose conditions on the country for the resumption
of international aid. The GISC encourages the Black Caucus to play a
positive role in the search for a solution to the crisis.
Rosny Desroches said the following:
[Desroches - recording] I believe that Haiti needs its funds to be unblocked
and there is no doubt about that. But what the Black Caucus must understand
is that there are conditions that should be met in order for those funds to
be unblocked. The conditions relating to respect for human rights, respect
for democratic rules, the corrections that should take place and the
agreement that should be signed. I believe that all this is extremely
important in order for the funds to be unblocked.
I think that the Black Caucus will remind the Haitian authorities of what
they must do for the funds to be released, because I believe that that will
not happen as long as what is necessary is not being done as far as
democracy, human rights and good governance are concerned. We are waiting to
see what message they are going to bring.
And I hope that they will take advantage of their friendship with President
Aristide to counsel him, to tell him that the normalization of the situation
must pass entail an agreement, concessions on the part of the Lavalas Family
[FL] and also the rectification of the irregularities in the 2000 elections.
If they wish to meet the GISC then we shall be very pleased to meet with
them. And if they should not decide to do so then it will not be a problem,
because I think they have enough interlocutors in Haiti.
[Journalist Rotchild Francois Jr] And in case they were to decide to meet
the GISC, what will be your message to them?
[Desroches] Our message will always be the same. I believe that people
everywhere have come to understand that there is no real progress without
democracy. They understand that we cannot do without democracy, that we
cannot do without good governance and that more money without good
management, more money without control means more waste, more frustration
and more instability.
Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 21 Feb 02
/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.