18284: Leon calling for your collective wisdom about state dept. travel warning (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: jeff leon <jeffreybleon@hotmail.com>

Dear friends of Haiti -

I have been traveling to Haiti since 1991 (was there for the coup).  I have
been back several times, usually taking students on service learning trips
(often while there's been  state dept. travel advisories and/or warnings).

Currently I have a group of students scheduled to travel to Haiti with me in
June, but I just received word from the college that I will not be able to
take students as part of an official college trip, while the State Dept. has
an official Travel Warning issued.  I am not worried about my safty or that
of my students, or I wouldn't take them.  My friends in Haiti would advise
me to not come if there was indeed serious danger for us.

  No matter how I tried to explain this to the powers that be at the
college, they wouldn't budge.  I guess they don't know that there is
political demonstrations in Washington DC every day, and that there is a
murder there every week too.  Our students travel there.

  I feel stuck, because I don't want to plan on going, if I will not be able
to -- not to mention that the airfare money that I would forfeit.

  President Aristide said in January that he would have elections "in six
months", though I have not heard of an exact date.

  My questions for the group (especially if any of you have any idea how the
state dept. make these types of decisions):  Is there any REAL chance that
this warning will be lifted by May, or June?  What would have to happen for
that to take place?  What are the chances that there will be elections by
June?  What are the chances that elections will even decrease tensions in
the country?  What other questions am I (as a blanc from Ohio) not asking,
that I should be.

Waiting for your help.  Thanks in advance.

Jeff

jeffreybleon@hotmail.com

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