a907: BBC: Haiti is portrayed as a country where freedom and human rights are violated the most. (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

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

Haiti: Highlights of Signal FM Radio news 1230 gmt 22 Feb 02
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Feb 24, 2002


2. Before the newscast today, Signal made it a point of asking Teleco to
repair several of its telephone lines that are not working. Only one of the
radio station's telephone lines is working. (1 min)
3. Haiti is portrayed as a country where freedom and human rights are
violated the most. This is what the International Press Institute, IPI, says
in a world report on the situation of the Haitian press. The institute's
report mentions the threats against journalists, particular the murder of
Brignol Lindor. The report also mentions the weakness of the Haitian
judicial system, which explains the various investigations that have been
opened and have never been concluded. (2 min)
4. The members of the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, IACHR,
left Haiti yesterday after a 48-hour stay in the country. They met with
several sectors in the country so they could get information on the 17
December 2001 events. They did not make any statements to the press on their
impressions about the human rights situation in Haiti. Before leaving the
country, they met with representatives of the private sector. Pierre Emile
Rouzier, head of the Centre for Free Enterprise and Democracy, CLED,
explains that they talked to the delegation about difficulties the country
is facing and the growing deterioration of the sociopolitical situation. (2
min)
5. The High Council of the Haitian National Police, CSPNH, did not respond
yesterday the invitation from the Chamber of Deputies' Justice and Security
Committee. This behaviour has angered many deputies. Port-au-Prince Deputy
Lyonel Etienne, for example, says he does not understand how the police,
whose mission is to protect and serve, work. Etienne says the absence of the
CSPNH is due to "an administrative problem." Etienne points out that they
wanted to discuss security for the parliamentarians. The deputy says he
believes the two institutions respect each other and that the absence of
police officials was not something deliberate. (3 min)
6. Deputy Phelito Doran, interim president of the Chamber of Deputies, made
the following statement: "I cannot say why they [the CSPNH] did not show up.
I think the time was relatively short, but we cannot say that they did not
come deliberately." He adds that perhaps their absence was due to a problem.
(1 min)
7. PNH Director General Jean Nesly Lucien explains that he did not appear at
the parliament yesterday because he did not receive any formal invitation
from the Chamber of Deputies. However, he says he is available and ready to
answer the parliamentarians' invitation at any time. Asked about the
deputies' concerns about the relations between policemen and
parliamentarians, Lucien says he believes a satisfactory agreement can be
reached through dialogue. He took the opportunity to announce the opening of
an investigation of the murder of Gonaives Deputy Dirogene, who was killed
in his car by armed individuals in the presence of his bodyguards, who did
not react. (2 min)
8. President Aristide, who was commenting on the murder of Deputy Dirogene,
deplores this act and has promised that this crime will not go unpunished.
His statements follows: "I am in solidarity with all the victims, the
relatives, and the colleagues of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, the
members of the Lavalas Family, and all Haitians who are concerned about the
question of peace. I ask them to remain united so these acts do not recur in
the country." (1 min)
9. Ads. (4 min)
10. The Public Prosecutor's Office yesterday released three of the 11
Convention for Democratic Unity, KID, militants who were arrested recently.
Attorney Reynold Georges is not happy, because he wants all those who were
arrested to be released. Georges repeats his criticism of Clifford Larose,
the director of the National Penitentiary Administration, APENA. "It is a
plot by Lavalas partisans against the Democratic Convergence and the Haitian
people," Georges concludes. (2 min)
11. A group of people demonstrated yesterday to demand that rich people pay
taxes. President Aristide received a delegation of these demonstrators at
the National Palace and has promised to follow up on their demands. (1 min)
12. Report by Evelyne Dacilus: The Congressional Black Caucus
representatives met Aristide yesterday at the National Palace. These
congressmen spoke of steps being taken for the resumption of international
aid to Haiti. They say Haiti can count on the Black Caucus and that they are
going to submit a report that favours the resumption of aid to Haiti.
Aristide took the opportunity to say that he was going to form a group that
includes representatives from the opposition and the private sector. (5 min)
13. Ads, followed by international news and ads. (10 min)
14. Philippe Massieux, deputy rector of the Haiti State University, has
reacted to the crisis at the Faculty of Ethnology, where both students and
professors are complaining. Massieux explains that appropriate measures will
be taken soon to solve the problem. Professor Eloi, who is accused of
incorrect administrative practices, has been suspended while a University
Council reviews the matter. (3 min)
15. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry launched yesterday a two-day
seminar for craftsmen, including tailors, shoemakers and craftsmen who work
with wrought iron. Several economic consultants will be talking on how to
develop small enterprises that can contribute to Haiti's economic
development. Commerce and Industry Minister Stanley Theard explains that
this seminar is aimed at prompting more people to become interested in
creating microenterprises and small businesses. (3 min)
16. Dr Antoine Joseph launched the first national congress of the Centre for
Community Development yesterday. The purpose of this centre is to work
against poverty, which is the essential condition to prevent Haitians from
emigrating. Joseph believes that it is necessary to insist on the need for
Haitians to get proper training --all the more so since there is now a
free-zone project that will allow jobs to be created. (3 min)
17. The National Office for Migration, ONM, which was present at the launch
of the congress, congratulates the Centre for Community Development for the
work it has done so far and promises to work jointly with it. Lovinsky
Pierre-Antoine, who represented ONM at this congress, said that the
migratory issue concerns all sectors in the country. //"Rational management
of both internal and external migratory fluxes necessarily go through the
commitment of all sectors of the society, of both public and private
institutions,"// Pierre-Antoine says. (3 min)
18. Again, Signal FM is calling on Teleco to repair its malfunctioning
telephone lines. (1 min)
Source: Signal FM Radio, Port-au-Prince, in Creole 1230 gmt 22 Feb 02
/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.