19029: Kathleen: Re: Esser: Re: 18974: Esser: Re: 18944: Kathleen: Re: 18927 (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Kathleen <kathleenmb@adelphia.net>

>From May 2000 to June 2002 I lived in the Central Plateau of Haiti, with 2/3
of my time in Port au Prince and traveling around Haiti. When I used the
term "forced elections" I meant the lavalas forces leveling rifles on voters
to force their votes, which I and other residents of areas around Hinche
saw.  Many people, predictably, decided not to vote.  Later, in the next
election, reputable people told me votes were sold for as little as 50gds.
I was living in the home of an economic activist when Dieugrand
Jean-Baptiste was shot, nearly to death, in November 2000, during a dustup
between MPP and Lavalas in Hinche.  I saw the burned out bus go by, and went
down with Bazelais to try to visit Dieugrand in the hospital (Canape Vert).
During this time, there was no internet in the Central Plateau, often no
electricity, cut phone lines.
I spoke with Haitians I had known from the fight to restore Aristide to
power, about people around him suddenly having mansions in Kenscoff and
expensive vehicles.  I asked them why they thought there was no coverage in
the U.S. press, and they told me that they thought that editors just didn't
want to cover the issues.  For whatever reason, there really was no coverage
in the U.S. that the general population could read, until I came back in
June 2002, when there was coverage of the happenings in Gonaives July 2002.
I lived in Haiti, I listened to and talked to people from all groups, I
traveled to different places.  Many people offering opinions on this list,
including the famous and influential, cannot make the same statement.
I appreciate your postings, especially of the NPR Monday Feb 16 program on
Haiti, which I tried to forward to someone less experienced with Haiti who
said "anyone could see" his position.  I applaud Bob for publishing all
views.

Sincerely, Kathleen Burke