13038: Karshan posts Radio Nationale transcript from BBC Monitoring Sept 3, 2002 (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com

Haiti: Highlights of Radio Nationale news 1500 gmt 3 Sep 02
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 03, 2002
2. President Jean-Bertrand Aristide yesterday presented a report on Haiti's
environmental situation in his speech at the World Summit for Sustainable
Development that is being held in South Africa. He spoke of the degradation
of the Haitian environment and the difficulties experienced by the Haitian
people. He said that most people in the world have no access to drinking
water even though 70 per cent of the planet is composed of water. He pointed
out that only 20 per cent of Haitians have access to potable water. He
recalled that at the 1992 Rio summit he spoke of Haiti's willingness to build
a world with less political pollution. Five years later, the El Nino
phenomenon has caused major damage in human lives and economies. Anyone who
wants to promote lasting development must acknowledge the relationship
between the deterioration of the environment and poverty. Haiti loses 36m
tons of land every year, he points out. He said it is necessary to "struggle
against terrorism and the injustice against the world's first black republic
[Haiti]." He goes on to say in French: "In my country, very soon, in 2004, we
will celebrate the bicentennial of our independence not on our knees but in a
standing position, in a standing position in the shadow of Toussaint
Louverture, Dessalines, Martin Luther King, and in the company of all of you,
dear and true friends of Haiti." (6 min)