14467: Chamberlain on report of demonstration (14402) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

> Washington-backed Convergence Attempts to Co-opt Popular Discontent Over
End to Fuel Subsidies

> By Kevin Pina
> Posted January 10, 2003

> Port au Prince- A demonstration called today in Haiti’s capital, by a
coalition of 11 transportation unions to protest the ending of government
gas subsidies...

(snip)


>  Reports just coming in from sources in front of Haiti's national palace
(...)
>  Witnesses allege that Himmler Rebu  (...) shot at the Lavalas
counter-demonstrators. There are reports of several casualties including a
radio journalist with Magic Stereo FM, based in Port au Prince, having been
fatally wounded in the head.


Neither of these "reports" is true.   If a journalist is killed in a clash
in front of the national palace, it is easily verifiable.  So no need to
write that "there are reports of (X) having been fatally wounded in the
head."  But perhaps our reporter was simply not at the demonstration
("reports just coming in from sources...").  And if he was, how could he
have got it so wrong?


        Greg Chamberlain