23804: (pub) Chamberlain: Canada PM says Haiti election must include Lavalas (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     By Joseph Guyler Delva

     PORT-AU-PRINCE, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin
told Haitian leaders on Sunday that deposed President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide's political party must take part in new elections.
     A brief visit by the Canadian leader brought together the largest
assembly of Haiti's interim government officials, political parties and
members of Aristide's Lavalas Family party since Aristide was exiled in
February by a bloody rebellion and pressure from the United States and
France.
     Lavalas leaders have accused the U.S.-backed interim government of
hunting down and jailing Aristide supporters in the eight months since the
former Roman Catholic priest, a hero to Haiti's poor masses who was accused
by opponents of corruption and human rights violations, fled to South
Africa.
     Martin met with interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue, who has called
for Aristide's arrest, President Boniface Alexandre, and leaders of 14
political parties including Aristide's Lavalas at the National Palace in
downtown Port-au-Prince. Elections are expected to be held late next year.
     "I think it is absolutely necessary that the opposition party Lavalas
participate in the election," Martin said at a news conference. "You cannot
have democratic elections if, really, a substantial portion of the
population boycotts it."
     Martin has recently called on foreign nations to pay more attention to
Haiti. Canada has earmarked about $150 million to help the poorest country
in the Americas and has about 100 police officers here as part of the
United Nations peacekeeping force authorized following Aristide's ouster on
Feb. 29.
     Aristide became Haiti's first freely elected president in 1991 but was
quickly ousted in a military coup. He was returned to office by a U.S.-led
intervention force in 1994 and was again elected president in 2000.
     In February , a ragtag rebel force of armed gangs and former soldiers
took over large parts of the country and pushed Aristide from office. Later
in the year, Floods killed some 6,000 people, sparking a huge international
relief effort that has been hampered by violence.
     Haiti's new government has targeted Lavalas supporters, said Louis
Gerald Gilles, a representative of Lavalas Family. He said he had agreed to
attend the palace talks to tell Martin that about 2,000 Lavalas members
have been jailed on trumped-up charges.
     Gilles said Lavalas wanted to take part in national elections but it
was impossible for the party to hold meetings or demonstrations.
     Accompanied by a group of Canadian lawmakers, Martin said donor
nations would be reluctant to continue sending aid if Haiti fails to hold
free elections on time and said security and national reconciliation were
critical to that mission.