17103: (Arthur) Group says it has weapons, seeks "civil war" to overthrow Aristide (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Tttnhm@aol.com

Group says it has weapons, seeks "civil war" to overthrow Aristide
1 November 2003
Source : Signal FM Radio, Port-au-Prince

Civil war is not far off in the country, because the Youth Front To Save
Haiti [French : Front des Jeunes pour Sauver Haiti - Frojesha], a people’s
organization [OP] close to the opposition in Carrefour, has decided to respond very
soon to the attack by members of Operation Stranglehold and Shield that was
announced by Lavalas OPs.

David Cocy, the coordinator of this organization, says he is going to launch
a counter-attack next week aimed at thwarting the brutality of the Lavalas
OPs. He therefore demands the support of the former armed forces and the
understanding of the people of this commune, whom he invites to help. Let us unite to
thwart the violence of the Lavalas partisans [he says]. Jean-Claudy Saint-Cyr
was at the scene. His report follows :

[Saint-Cyr - recording] This organization is based in Carrefour. Frojesha, an
OP close to the opposition, says enough is enough, because peaceful
demonstrations and marches cannot do anything against President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
They think that only civil war can cause the president to be overthrown. To
put an end to everything, they have decided that there must be bloodshed. In
spite of all the ammunition these OP members say they have, they have asked for
the support of the former armed forces.

[Cocy] We have already mobilized all our grassroots and everything we have.
We are telling Aristide that civil war has been declared. We say that on 1
January 2004, whether it be through our blood, whether it ( ?costs us our lives),
Aristide must go. Therefore, we call on all former servicemen, all former
soldiers. If you have galils [rifles], keep your galils. If you have heavy
weapons, start loading your cartridges so we can revolt against Aristide. [words
indistinct] we are calling on mothers and fathers of families to stay at home :
there will be no school in Carrefour. We in Frojesha say the mobilization has
begun.

[Saint-Cyr] As you just heard, Frojesha says it has decided not to celebrate
2004 with President Aristide in power. The OPs close to the opposition say
they are ready to walk through blood to put an end to the Lavalas regime.

[Cocy] We already have all our materiel. We call on Aristide to come with his
own ambulance. We already have our own ambulance to pick up scoundrels and
zenglendos like him. I do not care if you wonder whether Carrefour will be like
Raboteau. As for us, we shall start shooting. We shall start shooting at
everything that exists [as heard], so that we can overthrow Aristide.

[Saint-Cyr] These OPs explain that they are not afraid of being arrested by
the police. They challenge the heads of OPs close to the current government,
such as Rene Civil and Paul Raymond, who launched Operation Stranglehold and
Shield, to come to Carrefour. We are recalling that for some time now the OPs
close to the current government have always disrupted any and all demonstrations
by members of the opposition. Will the members of the opposition be able to
resist the pressure of [Operation] Stranglehold and Shield this time ?

______________________________________________


This email is forwarded as a service of the Haiti Support Group.

See the Haiti Support Group web site:
www.haitisupport.gn.apc.org

Solidarity with the Haitian people's struggle for justice, participatory
democracy and equitable development, since 1992.
____________________________________________