22767: (Hermantin) Miami-Herald-Latortue gets U.S. warning on holding Aristide allies (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Posted on Sat, Jul. 17, 2004





Latortue gets U.S. warning on holding Aristide allies

A top U.S. diplomat expresses concern over arrests in Haiti but says there
has been improvement otherwise since President Aristide left.

BY MICHAEL A.W. OTTEY

mottey@herald.com


JUSTICE IN HAITI

The State Department's top diplomat for Latin America says he is
''concerned'' about the arrests in Haiti of supporters of former President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide and cautioned the interim government to observe the
rule of law.

Roger Noriega, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs,
said that while the situation in Haiti has improved dramatically since
Aristide left the country on Feb. 29, political, socioeconomic and security
problems remain.

''I think the human rights climate overall has improved immensely since
Aristide left,'' he told The Herald in a telephone interview from
Washington.

Still, Noriega added, recent arrests by the interim Haitian government, such
as that of Aristide's former prime minister, Yvon Neptune, trouble the Bush
administration. Noriega's criticism of the interim government was
remarkable, given the strong U.S. support for Aristide's successors.

''I don't think I've seen information as to why Neptune was detained that is
very specific or compelling, and that, frankly, is a source of some concern
which we've raised with the government of Haiti,'' Noriega said.

''What we've said to them is they have to back up accusations . . . and he
has to have his rights to contest those,'' he added. Haiti's current
judicial system is ``not a perfect situation, but sooner rather than later
the authorities in Haiti are going to have to give Neptune an opportunity to
defend himself before an independent judge.''

Neptune is one of several members of Aristide's Lavalas Family party jailed
by the interim government. Some have been detained for months without going
before a judge.

''Unfortunately, it's not . . . a perfect judicial system in place,''
Noriega said. ``As a matter of fact, that will probably be one of the
hardest tasks that we're going to be confronted with. . . . I think they
understand that the international community will expect that these cases be
handled in a transparent and responsible way.''

Haitian Prime Minister Gerard Latortue will be in Washington on Monday and
Tuesday to participate in a meeting of international donors who will
consider a request for $924 million to help Haiti restore basic services and
move the country toward elections next year.

A recent report from the World Bank said a minimum of $1.3 billion will be
needed to rebuild Haiti after the revolt in February that helped force
Aristide from power. Latortue's government already has some of that money.

Noriega said the U.S. government has no plans to link its aid to Haiti to
the complaints that the interim government is unfairly hunting down Aristide
supporters.

''The money will be going toward programs that strengthen the rule of law
and will be provided under the expectation that the rule of law will be
respected,'' he said. ``But certainly we do not intend to be tolerant of a
situation where the rights of individuals are violated systematically.''

The United States has already given millions of dollars to Haiti, so the
rest of the international community must play its part, Noriega said.

''Haiti needs our assistance, and the United States will be a key donor,''
Noriega said, adding quickly, ``We think that it's important that other
donors contribute.''

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