21762: Simidor Re: 21749: Donoviel: Re: Herb Gold article (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Daniel Simidor <karioka9@mail.arczip.com>


I enjoyed Brett Donoviel’s intelligent comments.  Here’s somebody who’s not paid by the word to voice outrage.  Still, I take issue with some of his points.

Herbert Gold relied on hearsay as evidence of repression by Aristide because the people who documented such outrages are generally beneath him.  Yet, there is evidence of Lavalas repression available out there.  On the web.  As for more recent cases of repression by the so-called Rebel Army, the London-based Haiti Support Group makes a strong argument that entire regions (Hinche, Gonaives, Cap Haitien, Cayes) are under their control.  But I think too much is being made of the “overpopulated morgues” in Port-au-Prince.  Mr. Latortue can be taken to task for his inaction and slowness (!), but not for the kind of proto-fascist violence that Aristide had unleashed against the country.  I will in fact go out on a limb to say that justice minister Bernard Gousse is still doing a credible job...

As for the Jean Dominique killing, there may not be evidence that Aristide ordered it, but there is plenty of evidence of his implication in the cover-up that followed.  What does that tell you?

Daniel Simidor