14151: Karshan: Haiti news-2 pm - Dec 16-Lavalas comes out in thousands for Aristide (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com

December 16th, 12th anniversary of the 1990 elections in which Aristide was
elected president for his first term.

2 pm - News that may not get reported from today's radio coverage (Radio
Galaxy, Plus, National, Timoun, Antilles, Solidarity, Vision 2000, Caribe FM,
reporters on the ground so far:

Lavalas gathered in the streets of the capital and the provinces to support
the government/Aristide according to several radio stations.

Radio Galaxy and Radio Plus reported that several thousand came out in Jacmel
to  show support to the government and said "no to a coup d'etat and yes to
elections".

Early in the morning thousands came out around the capital with church
services at St. Jean Bosco and Notre Dame of the Sisters of Perpetual Help in
Belaire.

Word got around that President Aristide would be going to Belaire but instead
the crowds started flowing to the Palace and at present the National Palace
is   surrounded by thousands of government supporters who can be heard
chanting "We're not  going to negotiate the five years!" and "We won't hide
again!" The first being a reference to Aristide being elected to a five year
term and the other referring to the three years of the coup d'etat where
approx. 300,000 persons became internally displaced when they fled the
military and hid in different areas of the country.

Because the crowds are so large surrounding the Palace, word is that the
President will not be going to Belaire but will remain at the Palace.

Am waiting for radio stations to give their estimates of the size of the
crowds at the Palace and other locations.

Guy Delva of AJH (Association of Haitian Journalists) was heard on Radio
Galaxy in an interview putting press liberties in perspective in comparison
with conditions for press before December 16, 1990.  Delva said there was no
comparison and that today journalists can be heard criticizing the government
and government officials.

Friday a group identifying themselves as Christians held a sit-in in front of
the US Embassy appealing to the US to "Let Haiti Live" and asking for the
lifting of the embargo which is causing suffering.

On Caribe FM a representative of a popular organization was asking, "What
happened in Lascolabas (town where police station was attacked last week
killing four people, two who were Lavalas, and freeing those who were under
arrest for allegedly killing a judge the week before) and in Belledere (town
where Lavalas judge was killed two weeks ago).  He said, "We ask for peace
and they ask for war."

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