a1187: Re: Aristide campaigns for peace and unity! (#a1185) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: amedard@gte.net

> But his demagogue’s speeches are also revealing of his shortcomings.
> According to the BBC transcript and translation of Radio Nationale, he said:
> “[Aristide] When you smell of sweat, do they like to get close to you?
> “[Crowd] No.
> “[Aristide] When you are not well dressed, do they like to get close to you?
> “[Crowd] No.”

While this would not surprise me, I still thought it only fair to try to find the
aforementioned transcript and translation.  I never did find any URLs with the
transcript and translation, but while searching, I happened across an interesting
article by Arthur Smith of the BBC (below my message) ... I never knew that Haiti
celebrated its independence in 1791; I thought 1791 was when Boukman gave his
legendary speech:

     "Hidden god in a cloud is there, watching us. He sees all the whites do …
     [and] our god that is so good orders vengeance; he will assist us. Throw
     away the thoughts of the white god who thirsts for our tears; listen to the
     freedom that speaks from our hearts."

and that independence occurred in 1804!


>  BTW, also revealing is the fact that the Aristide PR peoples on the list
> choose to spare their fellow Corbetters this new example of their boss’s
> demagoguery and double-talk.

"New" example?  Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems I've heard this or
something similar in the past???

  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/excessbaggage/factsheets2001/12_haiti.shtml>

Excess Baggage
17 March 2001
Presented by Arthur Smith

Haiti

THE FOREIGN OFFICE ADVISE AGAINST ALL HOLIDAY AND OTHER NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL TO
HAITI. The Foreign Office website is at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/.

History
Haiti became independent in 1791 after the only successful slave rebellion in
history, led by Toussaint l’Ouverture. Haiti is a beautiful Caribbean island, but
while its neighbours cash in on the holiday trade, Haiti struggles below the poverty
line. Though Haiti has in theory been independent for over 200 years, it has, in
fact, been financially dependent on France, America and the international community
since 1791. Its difficult political situation has led recently to foreign aid being
withdrawn. Following the latest election, Jean-Bertrand Aristide was inaugurated as
President on February 7th 2001.

Haiti saw two periods of popularity as a tourist destination; the so-called Belle
Epoque in the 50s which saw visitors like Truman Capote visit the island, and again
in the early 70’s when people like Jacqueline Onassis were attracted to its shores .
Marcus Garvey, the Jamaican nationalist leader used to organise cruises - his Black
Starline cruises had the purpose of linking Black Americans with their Caribbean
ancestors. Since then tourism has been virtually non-existent.

The Foreign Office currently advise against all unnecessary travel to Haiti although
our guests claimed they felt safer in Port-au-Prince at night than they would feel at
night in Kingston, Jamaica or Port of Spain, Trinidad. The FCO warns that all of
these cities can be dangerous at night. Nevertheless, we decided to look at Haiti as
a place of inspiration. Julia Lewellyn-Smith has written about all the places Graham
Greene visited in her book Travels Without My Aunt (ISBN 0718 1425 43, published by
Michael Joseph), She was inspired to write it whilst reading The Comedians in Haiti.

Andy Kershaw (pictured left) first became a print journalist because he was inspired
to write about the troubled island. Ian Thomson wrote the critically acclaimed
Bonjour Blanc now out of print but may be available in your local library. Other
writers inspired by the island include Ian Fleming, Lillian Hellman and Ronald
Fairbank, musicians and artists include Cole Porter, Truman Capote, Charles Addams
(the cartoonist) and Mick Jagger, who supposedly wrote Emotional Rescue while staying
at the Oloffson. The Fugees are probably the most famous Haitian band in recent
years. Many songs written today reflect the difficulties of political and economic
life in a country that is still the poorest in the Caribbean.

Those who have read The Comedians will know that all the action takes place in the
Trianon Hotel - based on the real-life Oloffson Hotel, a bougainvillea - clad
gingerbread house now run by Richard Morse, an American-Haitian musician who claims
he got the hotel by paying a voodoo priest $20 in the back of a cab. Hotel Oloffson,
(tel: 223 4000, 223 4102) is situated of Rue Capois and Ave H Christopher. The
Oloffson is still the centre of Port-au-Prince’s social life. It’s a small place and
many of the same people that Graham Greene wrote about are still there, like ‘Petit
Pierre’ aka Aubelin Jolicoeur, the gossip columnist.

Music
The music used at the end of the programme was the song Ti Chans Pou Ayiti
(translation: A Small Chance for Haiti) by a Haitian rap band called The Masters of
Haiti on the Rav label. It is not commercially available in this country.

Contact Details
British Consulate, PO Box 1302, Hotel Montana, rue Cardozo, Port-au-Prince; (tel:
+509 257 3969 or +509 298 4406).

British Embassy
Edificio Corominas Pepin
Avenue 27 de Febrero 233
Santo Domingo
Dominican Republic
tel: +809 472 7111; fax: +809 472 7574

Embassy of Haiti tel: 202-332-4090, www.haiti.org

Guide Books
Dominican Republic & Haiti, published by Lonely Planet, ISBN 0 86442 647 X,
www.lonelyplanet.com Caribbean Islands Handbook 2001, published by Footprint, ISBN 1
900949 628, www.footprintbooks.com

Links
If you want to find out more about Haiti, some of Andy Kershaw’s previous programmes
are available on the BBC website.

Andy reported on Haiti’s desperate deportees for Radio 4’s Crossing Continents. Use
the index to search for the Crossing Continents page under BBC News or click here:
News

For Radio 3’s World Routes, Andy made two programmes about Haitian music. Go to:
Radio 3 World & New

For more cultural information about Haiti try www.discoverhaiti.com
For more information on vodou culture try www.vodoo.com
For more historical information about Haiti try: www.windowsonhaiti.com

The BBC cannot be held responsible for the content of external sites