a1501: BBC: The OAS emphasizes that it is important to shed light on the 17 December events (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

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

Haiti: Radio Metropole highlights 1145 gmt 27 Mar 02
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Mar 28, 2002

2. The OAS technical assistance mission will not be deployed in Haiti before
31 March. The international team that will investigate the 17 December 2001
violence will not be in Haiti when the OAS secretary general presents his
report on the implementation of the 15 January resolution. The OAS
emphasizes that it is important to shed light on the 17 December events,
with a view towards the resumption of the negotiations. (2 min)
3. The agreement on the deployment of the OAS technical assistance mission
has been commented on by the political class in Haiti. A mission of support
for democracy in Haiti, putting the country under foreign supervision are
ways that politicians have tried to interpret the presence of this mission
in Haiti. Wendell Theodore explains that MRN [National Reconstruction
Movement] leader Rene Theodore, who intervened in the Metropolis programme
of 2 March, said that that agreement signed by Port-au-Prince and the OAS
consecrates putting the Lavalas government under foreign supervision.
According to Theodore, the experience of Luigi Einaudi shows that
Port-au-Prince is suffering from a strong deficit in governance, justice,
and security. Theodore said: "The experience they had during those few
months in Haiti caused them to soon realize that Haiti has no government, no
power, and that there is an institutional void. It is just the absence of
political competence. Those sanctions they are imposing with the agreement
of Jean-Bertrand Aristide mean that they will put the government, Aristide's
power, under foreign supervision." About a month after the signing of that
agreement, and just before the deployment of the mission, the National
Progressive Democratic Party of Haiti [PNDPH] decided to express its opinion
also and was in full agreement with the MRN. In a document that was made
public, the party of Turneb Delpe thinks that the resolution adopted by the
OAS on Haiti on 15 January and the signing of the 1 March agreement is
nothing but putting Haiti under foreign supervision and the shelving of its
Constitution. The PNDPH further said that it is an error to make believe
that putting a country under supervision is the only way to help Haiti
resolve its crisis. (4 min)
4. The Civil Society Initiative Group [GISC] calls for a favourable climate
for the resumption of negotiations on the crisis. In this way, the GISC
supports the stand of the president of the Episcopal Conference, who urged
the regime to adopt certain measures to facilitate the resumption of the
dialogue. (4 min)
5. The Democratic Convergence denounces the campaign of repression against
its members in the Department of the South following the murder of a young
man in the Saint-Louis area by Deputy Jean Candio's bodyguards. According to
the Convergence, the deputy convinced police officers in Aquin and
Saint-Louis to settle his accounts with his political opponents. They have
pressured the parents of the victim to remain silent. The Convergence
condemns the Lavalas' repression campaign and wants the persecution to stop.
It also asks for the release of the its members who were arrested unjustly.
(2 min)
6. Ads. (5 min)
7. Supporters of OP [People's Organizations] leader Ronald Camille occupied
the area surrounding the Port-au-Prince civil court yesterday when Camille's
hearing was supposed to take place. Sympathizers of the alleged murderer of
Fritzner Jean prevented the hearing from taking place. They called for the
release of their leader. The demonstrators brought the wife and daughter of
Jean, who was assassinated on 10 November, and forced them to ask for
Camille's release. The hearing was postponed to a later date. (3 min)
8. The Haitian National Police [PNH] calls on the population of La Saline to
remain calm. The PNH spokesman confirms that OP leader Ronald Cadavre was
indeed arrested within the framework of the assassination of Fritzner Jean.
Jean Dady Simeon affirms that the police will be mobilized to restore order
in La Saline. (3 min)
9. The human rights situation in Haiti is the theme of a working session
that was held at the Montana hotel yesterday. The seminar was sponsored by
the Superior Institute for Political Training (Institut Superieur de
Formation Politique et Sociale, ISFPOS) Human rights defence organizations
participated in the discussion of human rights in Haiti. The participants
hope that the seminar's resolution will be taken into account by the
concerned institutions. (4 min)
10. The international Committee to Protect Journalists, which is based in
New York, is very concerned about the situation of the press in Haiti,
according to a report on the situation of the world press. The committee
expresses its solidarity with Haitian journalists and calls for justice for
Jean Dominique and Brignol Lindor. The committee's (Mary Lynn Smith) gave an
interview to VOA's Creole service. (3 min)
11. Ads, followed by international news. (10 min)
12. News summary, followed by ads. (3 min)
13. Economic Segment by Kesner Pharel on the Argentine economy. (4 min)
14. Special Guest of the Day: Senator Pierre Sancon Prince discusses a bill
on environment protection. (14 min)
Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 27 Mar 02
/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.