21737: White: Rep. Waters Declares Gerard Latortue's Capitol Hill Meetings to be Complete Failures (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Randall White <raw@haitiaction.org>


PRESS RELEASE


For Immediate Release
Contact: Betty Edwards
May 6, 2004
(202) 225-2201


CONGRESSWOMAN WATERS DECLARES GERARD LATORTUE'S

CAPITOL HILL MEETINGS TO BE COMPLETE FAILURES


         Washington, D.C. -- On Capitol Hill today, Rep. Maxine Waters
(D-CA), declared that the Bush Administration's attempts to organize
meetings yesterday between Gerard Latortue, the illegally appointed
prime minister of Haiti, and Members of Congress were failures.

         "There were two attempts to arrange meetings yesterday
between Gerard Latortue, the illegitimate Prime Minister of Haiti,
and Members of Congress," said Congresswoman Waters.  "Both of these
attempts by the Bush Administration and a few misguided Members of
Congress were complete failures."

         The first meeting was supposed to occur yesterday at 10:30
a.m. between Gerard Latortue and members of the Congressional Black
Caucus (CBC).  This meeting was boycotted by Congresswoman Waters and
a majority of the members of the CBC.  Only about six members of the
39-member CBC actually attended the meeting.

         "Members of the CBC support the Caribbean Community (Caricom)
and their refusal to recognize Gerard Latortue as a legitimate
representative of Haiti," said Congresswoman Waters.

         The second meeting was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. between Gerard
Latortue and members of the House International Relations Committee.
However, only six of the 49 members of this committee actually showed
up for this meeting.

         At a separate meeting yesterday between Secretary of State
Colin Powell and CBC members, Congresswoman Waters and other CBC
members expressed their views that Gerard Latortue is presiding over
a violent and crumbling country, and he has done nothing to contain
the violence or provide security to the Haitian people.

         "Gerard Latortue embraced the thugs and killers who are
terrorizing the Haitian people," explained Congresswoman Waters.

         Gerard Latortue held a rally in the Haitian city of Gonaives,
at which he declared Guy Philippe, Louis-Jodel Chamblain, and Jean
Tatoune to be "freedom fighters."  Guy Philippe is a known drug
dealer who returned from exile, occupied Gonaives, spearheaded
burnings and killings and threatened to kill President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide.  Louis-Jodel Chamblain and Jean Tatoune are both former
death squad leaders who were convicted in abstentia for the killing
of thousands of Haitians in the 1994 Raboteau massacre.

         "Gerard Latortue is presiding over widespread human rights
violations since the removal of the elected government of President
Aristide on February 29, 2004," said the Congresswoman.

         There have been over 1,000 killings in Haiti since Gerard
Latortue took office.  Members of Lavalas, President Aristide's
political party, have been found shot in the head with their hands
tied behind their backs.  There are reports of Lavalas members being
placed in a container and drowned at sea.  Delegations from Amnesty
International, the National Lawyers Guild and Let Haiti Live have
documented the repression and killing of Lavalas party members.  Many
of President Aristide's supporters are now in hiding in Haiti.
Others have tried to flee Haiti as refugees and have been forcibly
repatriated to the island, where they continue to fear for their
lives.

         "Gerard Latortue has done nothing to obtain the support and
trust of the people of Haiti," said Congresswoman Waters.  "He has
not denounced the on-going killings of Lavalas party members, and he
has not opposed the forced repatriation of refugees.  He has not
provided a credible road map for Haiti's future, and he does not
deserve to be called prime minister."

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