20967: (Ives) U.S. ACCUSED OF TRAINING HAITIAN REBELS IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: K. M. Ives <kives@toast.net>

Media Advisory

International Action Center
39 W. 14th St. #206
NY NY 10011
212-633-6646
www.iacenter.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Media Contact: Sara Flounders, Dustin Langley 212-633-6646

Conference attracts record press turn-out and prominent leaders of the
Dominican liberation struggle
The United States Government armed and trained the "rebels" that ousted
Haiti's democratically elected President, according to reports issued in the
Dominican Republic on Monday to a packed room of close to 100 journalists
gathered in the Renaissance Jaragua Hotel in Santo Domingo, Dominican
Republic.

The preliminary findings came from the Haiti Commission of Inquiry, which
was formed in 1991, after the first coup against President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide in Haiti, by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark. The report
states "two hundred U.S. Special Forces soldiers came to the Dominican
Republic as part of 'Operation Jaded Task,' with special authorization from
President Hipólito Mejia. We have received many reports that this operation
was used to train Haitian rebels. We have received many consistent reports
of Haitian rebel training centers at or near Dominican military facilities.
We have received many consistent reports of guns transported from the
Dominican Republic to Haiti, some across the land border, and others shipped
by sea."

Father Luis Barrios, attorney Brian Concannon, Teresa Gutierrez of the
International Action Center, journalist Kim Ives of Haiti Progrés and the
Haiti Support Network, and former Special Forces soldier Stan Goff,
presented the preliminary findings of their investigation. Their report
contradicted the claims of the U.S. and Dominican Republic's governments.
Teresa Gutierrez said, "The purpose of this particular delegation has been
to investigate when, where, why, and how the leaders of the so-called rebel
forces were able to train and arm themselves in the Dominican Republic.We
also want to understand how the rebel forces were shielded from arrest,
despite being convicted in Haiti and other countries."
Rev. Barrios said at a press conference Monday that the commission had a
"numerous reports" proving that U.S. Special Forces trained Haitian rebels
in the Dominican Republic.

Kim Ives reported on the devastation caused by the coup, saying, "In the
course of our investigation here, we met with many Haitians who were forced
to flee Haiti following the coup d'état of February 29. Their testimony gave
very concrete names and faces to the stories of violence which we have heard
that the so-called rebels, trained and assembled in the Dominican Republic,
have carried out in Haiti over the past month. We were also touched by the
tears of refugees who told us of how they are apprehensive over the fate of
their loved ones left behind in Haiti."

Stan Goff concluded, "the latest coup d'etat in Haiti was a particularly
shameless exercise of U.S. imperial impunity. It is important to remember
that this was also an attack on the sovereignty of every nation in the
region, and especially that of the Dominican Republic." He went on to
explain that the U.S. exercises "control of the direction of Dominican
political and economic development," citing as evidence recent restructuring
forced on the Dominican Republic by the U.S.-dominated International
Monetary Fund.

Some members of the Commission had previously interviewed President Aristide
in the Central African Republic, where they were able to confirm that he had
not resigned, but had been kidnapped by the U.S. Government. The findings of
the delegation to the Central African Republic and the Dominican Republic
will be presented at a public meeting on April 7, at Whitman Hall at
Brooklyn College. Congress members Maxine Waters and Major Owens, former
Attorney General Ramsey Clark, Haitian Labor Organizer Ray Laforest, and
others will also speak at the meeting, which will feature a recorded message
from President Aristide.

The press conference and the visit of the Haiti Commission to the Dominican
Republic sparked intense debate in the Dominican press on the role of the
Dominican government in the Feb. 29th coup and ignited interest for an
independent investigation.

Prominent leaders of the Dominican liberation struggle such as Father
Rogelio Cruz attended the Commission's press conference and expressed strong
support for the Commission's work.

To arrange for interviews with the Commission, call 212-633-6646.

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