12992: Radio Metropole - #2 (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Felix Edouard <loveayiti@hotmail.com>

Copyright 2002 British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC Monitoring Latin America - Political
Supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring


August 29, 2002, Thursday

LENGTH: 287 words

HEADLINE: Haiti: Presidency disavows threats made against PM by pro-Aristide
groups

SOURCE: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 29 Aug 02

BODY:


Text of report by Haitian Metropole radio on 29 August

The presidential press service has reacted to statements made by OP people's
organization leaders. They say that they have taken note of the statements
made by OP members against Prime Minister Yvon Neptune. The presidential
press service explains that the head of state President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide heard the statements made by these citizens. The National Palace
stresses however that these declarations do not have any official character
and do not mean that there will be a possible change of government. Dr
Hendel Carre, spokesman of the presidency, speaks as follows:

Carre - recording We have heard the declarations made by some members of the
population, the declarations made by some Haitian subjects, some citizens of
the population who are exercising their constitutional rights. The
constitution says that every citizen has the right to express his opinion,
his philosophy and his ideas the way he wants. When an OP member makes a
declaration, he is exercising that right. People's organization's are an
integral part of the population. It was just an opinion. We think that there
was no particular reason to think that the statement came from a state
authority. That was not the case.

Journalist - Rotchild Francois Jr However, it does remind us of the
Cherestal scenario. He was forced to resign following declarations by an OP
movement which was supported by some parliamentarians.

Carre Cherestal left because the socio-political conditions did not require
his presence at the head of the government anymore. But to say that
Cherestal left because of declarations made by OP members, there was no such
thing.







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