14264: Pina adds another view for Simidor (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: kevin pina <kpinbox@hotmail.com>


Simidor asks:

"Those two questions are: who commandeered the “Christmas event,” and why?"


As long we are allowing speculation on the motives behind the attack on
Madame Montas, why not re-read this extraordinary statement made by her in
what is one of her most high profile interviews to date. There is
speculation here, and I emphasize that is all it is, that this interview may
have been what prompted the "message" sent to her.




EXCERPTS FROM:

JIM DEFEDE: Columnist
Is U.S. policy subverting Haiti?
Sun, Dec. 15, 2002

''A lot of people who supported Aristide are disappointed with him,'' Montas
said. ``He promised a lot. And it's obvious that Aristide has failed.
But he is the democratically elected president of Haiti, and it's important
for this country that he finish his term. And I think he will. Although his
popularity is not what it was, a majority of the people are still with
him.''

Aristide will survive, Montas said, because there is no sane alternative.
The opposition -- known as Democratic Convergence -- has only one issue to
unite it, a hatred of Aristide.

''This is a patchwork of people and groups who have very little in
common,''Montas explained. ``There are people in Convergence who are from
the far right and are former members of the Duvalier dictatorships, and you
have people on the far left, former Marxists and communists.''

If the opposition were to force Aristide out, Montas reasoned, Convergence
would splinter apart, leaving no one group with enough power to lead. The
result would be a revolving-door presidency, with a new group seizing power
every six months.

''I don't believe the solution is chaos, and that is what we would have if
Aristide is forced to resign,'' Montas said. ``The people know this,
and if they have to chose between Aristide and chaos, they will chose
Aristide.''


_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail