12019: President Aristide on connection btwn refugees & embargo, appealing for peace (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com

Comments by President Jean-Bertrand Aristide upon returning to Haiti from UN Special Session on Children, May 11, 2002:

Text from BBC service:

[Aristide - recording] //Nobody would choose to take that risk when he knows that other boat people have died and were either eaten by sharks or had their dead bodies transported back to Haiti, if there was not an economic condition that was difficult for him to accept. Haitian people like Haiti, and they like living in Haiti. When they have to leave the country and risk their lives on small boats like that then it is a desperate situation. Therefore, I think it is now time for all Haitians to go beyond their political differences and beyond the political parties. It is more then ever the time for all Haitians without distinction to look each other in the eye. If we are not able to shake hands yet we could at least be willing to shake hands for the sake of the country. For the economic sanctions do not affect the Lavalas party or the government alone without affecting Haiti also, and all Haitians in some way. If for instance there is a compatriot who agrees with the economic sanctions, because he feels that they will be good for his political tactics, then I invite him to think twice. We are all Haitians. The Haitian people have a lot of understanding. What they did not understand yesterday they will understand tomorrow. What they do not understand well today they can understand very well the day after tomorrow. And you will not like it when they know who caused the economic sanctions to be imposed and maintained on the country. So, every understanding person and everybody who is used to suffering when they see boat people still risking their lives in 2002 because of his responsibility in the current economic sanctions, it would be really awful for him to see the irresponsibility of a citizen, a civic irresponsibility.// I call on the consciences of my dear compatriots. It is not the call of a head of state who is pleading for his political party or political family. It is the call of a Haitian. It is the call of a compatriot who goes beyond political parties and who goes forward with a painful heart thi!
nking of
 his brothers who were undoubtedly eaten by sharks. Who knows? I imagine my mother or my brother being in that situation, and how I would feel. Haitians are my brothers and your brothers. Their suffering is our suffering. //I have no doubt that while thinking about that tragedy my brothers who are in the opposition would take me at my word, if they want, so that if they want we would not consider the political aspect of the situation, but that we would see the country first and foremost. As the international community says that the crisis is between Haitians themselves, then let us show them that what they say is incorrect, by showing them we have good relations so that they would remove the economic sanctions.// [End of recording]