18204: White: [Fwd: AHP News - Jan. 30, 2004 - English translation] (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Randall White <raw@haitiaction.org>

AHP News - January 30, 2004 - English translation (Unofficial)

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President Aristide receives the wife of Lyonel
Victor: Islande Gelin confirms that leaders of
the group of 184 wanted to carry off the body of
her husband
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Port-au-Prince, January 30, 2004 -(AHP)-
President Jean Bertrand Aristide met Friday with
the family of Lavalas activist Lionel Victor who
was killed Wednesday after being struck by a tear
gas canister during an anti-government
demonstration.

The Chief of State denounced the behavior of
members of the opposition political platform who
wished, he said, to kill  Lionel Victor a second
time by trying to make off with his body, seeking
to portray the deceased as a student.

Jean Bertrand Aristide praised the courage of
Islande Gelin,  the spouse of Lionel Victor, who
did not yield to the intimidation and threats she
was subject to by opposition supporters who
wished to spirit away the corpse of her husband
at the Canapé-Vert Hospital to attain political
objectives.

" The determination of the wife of Lionel Victor
enabled the truth to be established in this case"
the Chief of State pointed out.

According to Mr. Aristide, leaders of the
opposition political coalition are looking
everywhere for bodies in order to assuage their
thirst for power.

"This is a trilogy of corpses, death and power", said  Jean Bertrand Aristide.

In addition, President Aristide drew attention to
what he called the phenomenon of  the all-purpose
students.

Unfortunately, some genuine students have let
themselves be dragged along by pseudo-students
working for the opposition coalition who are
seeking to rise to power through any means
whatsoever.

For her part, the spouse of Lionel Victor
confirmed that leaders of the opposition
coalition had made threats against her to prevent
her from revealing the true political sympathies
of her husband.

"I had to leave the hospital for a period of time
because I was afraid of being beaten by those who
wished to carry off the body of my husband", she
said.

The head of the opposition, André Apaid, was
among the first to rush to the hospital to claim
the body.

Several other members of the opposition
coalition, such as students and officials from
human rights organizations reputed to be close to
the opposition, were also at the hospital, trying
to obtain the body of Lionel Victor.

At the same time, members of the Group of 184 had
set up flaming barricades outside the hospital
and thrown stones onto the courtyard of the
hospital center in an apparent effort to create
conditions that would make it easier for them to
accomplish what they were hoping to do.

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The authorities responsible for Haiti's security
reach agreement on the need to respond to the
challenge of the armed groups, according to Dany
Fabien
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Port-au-Prince, January 30, 2004 -(AHP)- Dany
Fabien, who is the director of the office of the
Secretary of State for Public Security, stated
Friday that the authorities who are responsible
for order and security in Haiti are in agreement
that a response must be made to the challenge
posed by the armed groups operating in several
parts of the country.

Mr. Fabien highlighted the Gonaïves area, where
officials of the political coalition have
proclaimed some of their representatives as
virtual chiefs.

Mr. Fabien said that the opposition coalition
named the fugitive Jean Tatoune as virtual
Director of the Artibonite department, Butter
Métayer as inspector, and Ti Will as
commissioner. And the opposition Platform also
named Winter Etienne the virtual mayor of the
city.

All these individuals are involved in the killing
of tens of people, as well as the burning of
government offices, police station and private
homes in the City of Independence.

Dany Fabien expressed his hope that all sectors
will participate in the government's efforts to
disarm the armed groups that are terrorizing the
public.

On February 7th, 2001, the Democratic Convergence
named attorney Gérard Gourgue as virtual
president of the parallel opposition in an
inaugural ceremony as the inauguration of
President Aristide was being held at the National
Palace.

AHP January 30, 2004  11:05 AM


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President Jean Bertrand Aristide condemns the
incidents that took place Friday in front of the
Faculty of Law
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Port-au-Prince, January 30, 2004 -(AHP)-
President Jean Bertrand Aristide condemned Friday
the incidents that took place January 28 during
which students and members of Populist
organizations close to the Lavalas Party
exchanged volleys of stones near the law school.

"I condemn all types of acts of violence wherever
they come from", declared President Aristide, who
said he recognizes the right of the students to
demonstrate.

The president said however that no matter which
group demonstrates, it has a duty to respect the
law to prevent the situation from degenerating.

Jean Bertrand Aristide encouraged the students to
return to class and asked them to be wary of
politicians who manipulate them for political
purposes.

The Chief of State also announced the opening of
an investigation to identify the police officer
responsible for firing the tear gas canister that
caused the death of Lionel Victor.

According to Mr. Aristide, there are imposters
walking the streets impersonating  uniformed
police officers.

The results of this investigation will determine
whether Lionel Victor was struck deliberately or
by mistake.

AHP January 30, 2004  1:45 PM


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The CEEC and FECAP call for compassion for the
students and say they are distressed at the
situation of injustice prevailing in the country.
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Port-au-Prince, January 30, 2004 -(AHP)- The CEEC
(the Bishops' Council for Catholic Education) and
the FECAP ( Federation of Private Catholic
Schools) asked Thursday that all parties to the
conflict in Haiti recognize and respect the
sacred character of schools and use them as an
instrument for achieving political objectives but
instead to allow them to operate in complete
tranquility to prepare the future of the nation.

In a press release signed by Mr. Antoine Delille,
the CEEC and the CECAP asked for mercy to be
shown toward school children as well as their
parents in this bicentennial year of independence
and demand the right to live in peace and freedom
in order that the schools may be able to open
their doors and function normally in a secure
climate throughout the country.

The CEEC and FECAP also expressed their distress
at the alarming situation of injustice,
systematic lying, and generalized corruption .
contempt for human rights and unbridled and
extreme violence that, they say, is prevalent in
Haiti.

"Have we prepared our young people or should we
continue to prepare them for a future without
hope", the officials of these organizations asked.

The two organizations appealed to the consciences
of all who are active in the life of the nation
and recommend that on Monday February 12, 2004,
all Catholic schools and all those who wish to
associate themselves with this initiative, on the
day honoring the presentation of of Jesus to the
temple, take part in reading the beatitudes of
Mathew 5, verses 1 to 12 beginning at 11 o'clock
in the morning.

AHP January 30, 2004  11:45 AM


**The directors of FELUH (Federation of Students
for the Liberation of the Haitian University)
denounced Thursday a group of politicians who
they say have only one dream, that is to take
power by force.

They asked the office of the Rector of the State
University of Haiti to adopt measures designed to
cause the politicians to release the university's
space, particularly the Faculty of Social
Sciences, so that the resumption of classes may
be facilitated.
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