17805: Labrom: re 17792 Travel in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

>From Jacqui Labrom : voyageslumiere@haitelonline.com

I have had people in since 20th of December and in fact with a couple of
crazy Swiss journalists in my car we were surrounded by the marchers of 184
group. I actually knew a few of them!! But it was a bit hairy, until we
realised that they were all busy marching and we didn't have to worry.

Since then I have had groups in - from the Diaspora and a group of
Trinidadians who were determined to come and support Haiti on her 200th
Anniversary. We were in a downtown hotel and they walked around at any time
of the day and nite - over to the Palace, Champ de Mars and thoroughly
revelled in the celebratory atmosphere. In fact on the 1st of January some
of them even managed to get right near the podium with the speakers at the
Palace - people kept on sending them forward and telling people to make way
for them!!!  They loved it. BUT they were furious when they heard the media
reports such as 'Aristide spoke to a small but enthusiastic crowd'!! They
said where were the journalists who reported that. There were in their
opinon, hundreds of thousands of people there and they were extremely cross
that such lies were going out around the world about Haiti. Anything to
belittle Haiti.  They had a wonderful time. The Trinidadians went home
memorising 'Ayiti se Manman libete!! They all loved it!!!

Since then I've got people in from England and from Argentina and the only
nuisance is the strike has kept the banks and shops shut, but apart from
that life has been going on like normal!!!

Jacqui Labrom

VOYAGES LUMIERE

email: voyageslumiere@haitelonline.com

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