a1256: US canceling visas for Haitian officials (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JD Lemieux <lxhaiti@yahoo.com>

Diplomats say United States canceling travel visas for several
Haitian officials
Tue Mar 5, 4:26 AM ET
By MICHAEL NORTON, Associated Press Writer

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - The United States has canceled the
travel visas of several Haitian government officials suspected
of involvement in corruption and drug trafficking, diplomats and
a local newspaper said Monday.


The diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that
U.S. visas for about six Haitian officials had been canceled.
Their comments confirmed a report Monday in the Haitian
newspaper Le Matin, which said the United States is in the
process of annulling visas of some Haitian officials.

The U.S. Embassy declined comment, saying it was illegal to
divulge such personal information. "The United States
periodically conducts reviews of outstanding visas," was all
embassy spokeswoman Judith Trunzo would say.

But the action follows months of statements supporting such a
review.

Earlier this year, U.S. Ambassador Brian Dean Curran criticized
Haitian authorities for releasing 26 people arrested in a drug
clampdown last year and freeing two alleged Colombian drug
traffickers this year.

"The corruption that is occurring within government and the
police is endemic and unconscionable," U.S. Rep. John Conyers, a
Michigan Democrat, said during a visit last month.

In a Dec. 20 letter to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell,
Republicans Sen. Mike DeWine of Ohio and Rep. Porter Goss of
Florida requested a list of Haitian citizens possessing U.S.
immigration documents. They also urged scrutiny of officials in
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's government.

"Given the growing evidence of the hostile and antidemocratic
nature of Haiti's Aristide regime, we believe that the
Department of State needs to make a clear determination as to
whether Haitian government officials should benefit from having
access to U.S. territory," the letter said.

DeWine and Goss singled out Aristide party Sen. Dany Toussaint
and Sen. Medard Joseph, saying they "have been credibly linked
by a number of U.S. government agencies to narcotics trafficking
in Haiti."

Joseph and Toussaint have denied the accusations.

Haitian judicial authorities have identified Toussaint as the
chief suspect in the assassination of prominent journalist Jean
Dominique in 2000, but Toussaint has denied involvement and the
Senate has refused to remove his parliamentary immunity.

Officials in both countries say Haiti is a major transshipment
point for U.S.-bound cocaine coming from Colombia.

But Communications Minister Guy Paul said Monday that "There is
no systematic corruption in Haiti, and the government has been
cooperating fully in the struggle against the illegal drug
trade."

Last week, U.S. President George W. Bush took steps to ensure
that Haiti would be entitled to the full range of U.S.
assistance despite its failure to meet international drug
control standards.

U.S. aid to Haiti is down to about dlrs 55 million, all
channeled through non-government agencies. The United States has
vetoed the disbursement of dlrs 145 million in Inter-American
Development Bank loans until the government and opposition reach
an agreement on new elections following flawed local and
legislative races in 2000.



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