=?x-unknown?q?a1079=3A__On_Pina_&_Paul_Raymond_and_=5Biso?==?x-unknown?q?-8859-1=5D_Ren=E9_Civil=3A_Slavin_=28fwd=29?=

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: PSlavin@unicefusa.org

Kevin,

Sure, I will respect Paul Raymond and René Civil's right of speech and
assembly as I do in the United States for the Klan, the American Nazi
Party, and others. As Voltaire said, I may detest your views but I will die
for your right to defend them. However, when someone yells fire in a
crowded theater, a thug has to be called a thug.

As someone wrote on the list recently, so many of the retorts on Corbett
spin endlessly with no resolution, and of course this is the case here.
Further, I think you do fine a job through your own postings in making your
positions quite clear.

You mention that the foreign press has been mute on the disciplinary
charges following the St. Jean Bosco declarations.  That's a weak
criticism. I haven't heard much either in the foreign press about Delva's
court case against Raymond and Civil.

On any day of the week you can arrange a meeting with Raymond and Civil.
Your descriptions of them are reminiscent of the way Lynn Garrison used to
speak about FRAPH. "Come over and meet the guys." Roger Lafontant was one
of the most charming and interesting people I've met in Haiti. Let's say he
was like that in some of my interviews with him. That did not stop
journalists from calling him a killer and a torturer, even though, of
course, many reporters, myself included, never saw him commit a crime
except brandishing shotguns.

Raymond and Civil are more Comedians, not even Graham Greene's Concasseur,
than killers but I think the list should know about two of their recent
acts. I know you will disagree with this Kevin and although some of the
press reports on the list have mentioned  Civil and Raymond, I'm writing
about this because I don't think there's been much commentary from list
members about who Raymond and Civil are. The first one has been well
discussed:  their FRAPH-like appearance at a press conference led by Guy
Delva and Robert Menard, Secretary-General  of  Reporters sans frontiéres.
When people have their shirts untucked to hide the firearms they're
carrying, that is not speech or assembly. That is thuggery. Later in
January a man was sighted at the PauP airport who looked a lot like Menard
(the foreigner also arrived at the airport in a diplomatic vehicle). It
wasn't Menard, although Raymond and Civil thought it might be. Raymond and
Civil then arrived at the airport with their men and searched the airport
for the guy who looked like Menard (the traveler was safe in the diplomatic
lounge). Raymond and Civil's crowd even got into the departure lounges
looking for Menard -- a prominent member of the so-called Convergence was
in the departure lounge and fled. My goodness, Graham Greene would supply
you with cases of gin for material this good. All that is missing is a
stolen coffin! Then on a bizarre note, I read in the Nouvelliste when I was
in Haiti that Raymond and Civil have charged Delva and Menard (either the
RSF official or a Government Minister, Interior  I believe ( the story was
not clear (they have the same names, Robert Menard))) with distributing $76
million of guns to anti-Aristide forces. You give this report some
credence, Kevin. All I can say is, "Je suis le drapeau Haitien, Uni et
Indivisible."


Patrick

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