13987: Karshan: More than 100,000 welcome President Aristide to Les Cayes (AHP) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com

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More than 100,000 people welcome President Aristide to Les Cayes
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Les Cayes, December 5, 2002- (AHP)- More than 100,000 people came to see
President Aristide Wednesday in Les Cayes (180 km south of the capital) one
of the cities he is to visit as he travels to the country's southern coast.

The Chief of State will be in the region to inaugurate a series of
infrastructure projects including the construction of an airport. He will
also inspect several recently completed projects including the new bridge
spanning the Ravine du Sud as well as construction projects that will link
together several different communities in the region.

The people of the city gave the president a warm welcome. This was one of
the largest crowds to turn out to greet the Chief of State in recent months,
far from the anti- and pro-government demonstrations of the past few weeks
in the capital.

The more than 100,000 supporters of the Chief of State who came to meet him
asked him to hold to his intention of organizing early legislative elections
in 2003. They chanted slogans asking the Convergence not to be afraid of
elections.

At the same time, they asked the president not to increase the 100 million
gourdes amount that was set aside for compensating the political parties
that claim to have suffered serious harm during the violent incidents of
December 17, 2001 after a lethal attack on the National palace.

"The country is in the grip of economic sanctions; the money from taxes
should be used for development projects across the country" opined the crowd
that also asked the Chief of State to comment on the position of one of the
opposition parties that declares its desire to receive more than 50 million
gourdes in compensation.

President Aristide visited several villages in the South, around Port-Salut,
and Les Irois, and was welcomed by thousands of supporters.

The president is expected to return to Port-au-Prince this Thursday
afternoon.

AHP December 5, 2002 2:30 PM