a1707: BBC: Lavalas people's organizations, OP, oppose the upcoming OAS technical mission in Haiti. (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

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

Haiti: Highlights of Radio Metropole news 1145 gmt 17 Apr 02
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Apr 18, 2002


2. Lavalas people's organizations, OP, oppose the upcoming OAS technical
mission in Haiti. The Saint Jean Bosco Grassroots Church Communities, TKL,
and Youth for People's Power, JPP, warn that a new form of occupation is
under way. (3 min)
3. The foreign minister announces that the government will do its best to
welcome the upcoming OAS technical mission. Joseph Philippe Antonio said
that the government has assigned police officers to ensure the security of
the mission members. He points out that the government wants to respect its
commitments regarding the compensation for the victims of the 17 December
violence. He explains that the deployment of the OAS mission is not
synonymous with putting the country under foreign supervision. (3 min)
4. The Democratic Convergence denounces the attacks by Lavalas OP's against
the OAS technical mission. Opposition leaders reiterate their full support
for the deployment of the OAS mission. The Convergence invites the
international community to take note of the double talk used by the Lavalas
Family, FL, regarding the mission. (3 min)
5. General Prosper Avril was returned to the National Penitentiary following
his arrest on Monday, 15 April, under the accusation of involvement in the
Piatre massacre. His lawyers reject the accusations brought against him, and
urge the office of the examining judge of Saint-Marc to have him released.
They specify that Avril was on his way into exile the very day the massacre
took place. His lawyers argue that the statute of limitations for the
massacre has expired. (3 min)
6. Two of the La Toussaint prisoners, Marino Etienne et Jean Auguste
Mesyeux, condemn the court of appeals decision to release General Avril.
According to them, the ruling proves the unfairness of Haitian justice. They
do not want to give up the fight for justice. (3 min)
8. There was a stormy debate in the Senate of the Republic yesterday on the
bill to create free trade zones throughout the country. Those stormy
discussions took place following the signing of the agreement between the
Haitian and Dominican presidents for the creation of an industrial free
trade zone in Ouanaminthe. The Haitian Government is planning to create 14
free trade zones throughout the country. No decision was made during
yesterday's session, Jean Wilkens Melronne reports. (4 min)
9. The new director general of the Autonomous Metropolitan Centre for
Potable Water, CAMEP, Patrice Baptiste, took office yesterday. The
inauguration took place under the protection of the Intervention and
Maintenance of Order Company, CIMO. (3 min)
10. The leader of the Liberte network is in the country as part of a
programme to support the Haitian press. Real Barnabe, a Radio Canada
journalist, asks the corporation of Haitian journalists to regulate itself.
Barnabe calls for the creation of a court of honour or a press court as a
resource for journalists. (4 min)
15. Special Guest of the Day: Paul Denis of the Democratic Convergence
reacting to the statement made by Rene Civil and Paul Raymond warning
against the deployment of the OAS technical mission. Denis said that the
Democratic Convergence does not believe that Aristide's intention is to
physically attack the members of the mission, but that he wants to put
pressure on them not to come. (12 min)
Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 17 Apr 02
/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.