12991: Radio Metropole - #1 (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: 529 words

HEADLINE: Haiti: Senator asks police to explain what is happening in
Gonaives

SOURCE: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 28 Aug 02

BODY:


Text of report by Haitian Metropole radio on 28 August

Senator Dany Toussaint is back in parliament after an absence of several
months. In a statement made in the Senate, Toussaint expressed reservations
about the Lavalas government's handling of certain critical cases. Toussaint
was able to get his colleagues to send an invitation to the High Council of
the Haitian National Police CSPNH to come to the Senate next week to explain
how the Haitian National Police operates. Toussaint was referring to the
Amiot Metayer case in Gonaives as well as that of journalist Israel Jacky
Cantave. Senator Toussaint speaks as follows:

Toussaint - recording, in Creole There are so many critical cases which have
been in the news and while listening to them I wondered why the Senate of
the Republic never discusses them. I think, now that I am back, that I will
bring up these issues. We would like to invite the CSPNH to come and help us
shed some light on some things, such as the Gonaives case. For instance,
people announced that they were going to storm the prison in Gonaives,
everybody heard that but nothing was done to prevent it. Unidentified
journalist About the Cantave case, Director Jeannot Francois insisted and
claimed that, according to the reports, Cantave was not abducted or
mistreated.

Toussaint I personally asked the president questions about his security
commission because it is not clear to me, or anybody else who was following
the case. I was following the Cantave report. It is a question of a
telephone number that he is trying to find unsuccessfully. There are people
who have telephones but their phone numbers are not listed anywhere. So that
issue is not clear to me at all. He Francois left a lot of doubts. I
personally hope that the CSPNH will be accompanied by the DCPJ Central
Management of the Judicial Police so they can clarify this situation for the
population.

Journalist So those arguments do not stand at the moment?

Toussaint No, as far as I am concerned they do not stand.

Journalist Regarding the Gonaives case, as you know people talked a lot
about that dossier. You are one of the persons whose names were cited, as
well as the name of Senator Medard Joseph. Leaflets were distributed about
you and you were aware of that, I am sure. What can you say about that now?

Toussaint I will not react to what was said in those leaflets. I spoke to
Senator Joseph, who wanted to react because he is from the Artibonite but I
will not react to that. I know that there are many cowards around. They are
acting secretly. If I have to react then the snake will have to come out of
its hole and face me directly. For we are not afraid. Somebody who attacks
people in secret is not a man. They should reveal themselves and say why
they are doing this or that.

Journalist And you have no idea what sector they belong to?

Toussaint We do have information about that. You must not forget that I am
an army officer trained in intelligence work. When such things take place I
will know who is doing them and where they come from. We do not need to go
any further. It is in the past.








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