a1093: BBC: Haiti: Some Lavalas grass-roots groups protest against Neptune as premier (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

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

Haiti: Some Lavalas grass-roots groups protest against Neptune as premier
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Mar 6, 2002


[Announcer Chantal Alcide] We have our colleague Leontes Dorzilme with us at
the studio at this moment. Good afternoon, Leontes.
[Dorzilme] Good afternoon, Chantal. Good afternoon to all listeners.
[Alcide] We have learnt that a tense situation is now developing at the
corner of the Aviation Road. Leontes, you sent reporters to the spot. I know
they have already given you an idea of what is going on. Can you share your
information with our listeners?
[Dorzilme] Indeed, Chantal, tension is developing at Aviation corner of
National Road No 1 in the Boulevard Jean-Jacques Dessalines area, notably in
the block that connects this boulevard to Boulevard La Saline.
This is part of the movement that began early in the morning when various
groups close to the Lavalas Family [FL], what is called FL grass-roots
organizations, started a movement to tell the head of state, Jean-Bertrand
Aristide, that they do not agree with his idea of choosing Yvon Neptune as
the next prime minister.
It should be pointed out that, for the time being, it is very difficult for
public transport vehicles to go through the cross-roads at Aviation, because
these members of people's organizations are throwing stones. In addition,
there are barricades at the corner. The Radio Vision 2000 journalists who
went to the site so that they can tell listeners what is going on have
serious difficulties making their way, as the people are throwing stones and
have even thrown stones at the Radio Vision 2000 vehicle in which the
reporters are travelling.
Anyway, given that the profession of journalist is what we and our reporters
have chosen, the reporters are insisting on seeing whether they can get some
information that is necessary for the listeners to know about the tense
moment and the panic prevailing now at the Aviation corner in the area of
lower Delmas near Boulevard Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Boulevard La Saline.
 Those who are throwing stones claim to be grass-roots members of FL and say
they will carry on with this movement until the head of state changes his
mind about the choice of Neptune as the new prime minister.
It should be recalled that as early as 0430 to 0500 [both times local] this
morning barricades were already burning in some areas such as on the corner
of Nazon and Rue Poupelard where burning tyres and many blocks and bricks
blocked the road. In several other areas such as Fort-National, Bel-Air and
so on, members of people's organizations say they do not agree with
Aristide's choice.
According to their explanations to journalists who had asked them, they do
not agree with Neptune becoming prime minister, because, in their opinion,
quote [no unquote] it would be like jumping from the frying pan into the
fire, which seems to mean, according to them, that Neptune will not be able
to bring the proper solutions to the various problems they had to face when
Cherestal was head of government. Some of them answered the questions of
Radio Vision 2000 journalists this morning during the first movement.
As I told you, it is now not possible at Aviation corner to get explanations
from them on the reasons why they are continuing with the movement during
the day. We shall keep following this situation for you in the Aviation
corner area and will come up with other details later during the news
bulletin.
Source: Radio Vision 2000, Port-au-Prince, in Creole 1700 gmt 4 Mar 02
/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.