16001: Sanba: Less than objective, more than suggestive (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: sanba@juno.com


Michael Norton wrote, not from Reuters this time, but for AP: Brawl at elite American school leads to Haitian fugitive's arrest. A reference to Jacques Ketant's arrest.
I received it from R. Benodin on behalf of RNDP news. (See attached text)

At a point it is said:

"The public appearances remained steady even after his (Ketant) face flashed across U.S. television screens in 2001 during a segment on America's Most Wanted.

Last year, Ketant, now 40, helped build a grandstand in front of the presidential National Palace for carnival and took part in the festivities.

It's unclear why, given his ostentatious lifestyle, U.S. officials did not capture him before. Both Dates, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency spokesman Joe Kilmer in Miami, declined to comment."

This sentence would normally lead to serious investigation on the delay from US officials to capture Ketant (whether right or wrong, normal or arrogant, from other point of view, is irellevant here) who apparently was already indicted in the US. Instead, our reporter continues as follows:

"But relations between the United States and Haiti have been turbulent since President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's party swept 2000 legislative elections that observers said were flawed.

Since then, some U.S. legislators have accused senior Haitian government officials and police officers of involvement in drug trafficking."

Can the turbulence between US government and that of Haiti, on the basis of the sweeping of a legislative election, that observers said were flawed,
can the accusation of senior Haitian officials (let's assume it's founded)
can they explain the delay? or Dates, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency spokesman Joe Kilmer in Miami, declining to comment?"

Maybe we should wait to read what Norton reported on Judith Trunzo, the spokeswoman for the American Embassy to see the link or the reporter's intent and pursuit:

"We had arrest warrants on Ketant before the (school) incident, Trunzo said, but also would not say why he was not arrested before.

Trunzo said there has been no letup in the flow of drugs through Haiti. Some 8 percent of cocaine and 15 percent of all drugs transported to the United States last year come through Haiti, she said.

In February, charging Aristide's government had not cooperated in the fight against drugs, the United States canceled at least 12 tourist visas of lawmakers and top police officials."

Deceptively enough, the warrants did not explain much either, except that it sends us back to our thirst to understand why Ketant had not been arrested before.

Maybe the stats that follow are clear indication that the reporter was interested of emphasizing that the United States are powerless against the drugs transiting Haiti: 8% of cocaine and 15% of all drugs entering the world hyperpower. It's not enough; it has to be the government, and through it, Aristide who failed to fight the drug. Then, a fine line is there to jump: Why? The lead comes right after to make sure you get it right: the cancellation of 12 tourist visas (be prepared) of "lawmakers and top police officials."

Nothing about the radars from the US coast guards policing the Haitian sea, according to the bilateral agreement between the US and Aristide's government. Nothing about the DEA tight collaboration with the APN. After all, that should be the link to the reporter's expectation about U.S. officials capturing Ketant long before, at the third paragraph of my first quote, shouldn't it?

N.B. the full text is attached in case you need it for an answer


Please note: forwarded message attached