25279: Holmstead: FWD (HNW) BBC misrepresents conclusions of Haiti report (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: John Holmstead <cyberkismet5@yahoo.com>



Haiti News Watch

June 1, 2005


BBC misrepresents conclusions in a new report
by Brussels-based think tank International Crisis
Group (ICG)

Analysis:

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
misrepresented the conclusions of a comprehensive
report issued by the ICG entitled, "Spoiling Security
in Haiti Crisis Group Latin America/Caribbean Report
N?13, 31 May 2005."

The BBC, for unknown reasons, ignored important key
observations of the report and provided readers with a
condensed "interpretation" that blamed Haiti's
violence solely on politically motivated "warring
gangs." The BBC utterly ignores the report's
assessment of the role of politically non-aligned
groups such as drug traffickers and the violence of
the Haitian police.

Article Title:

Haiti faces 'explosive' situation Haiti is caught in a
"deep political, social and economic crisis", says a
new report by Brussels-based think tank International
Crisis Group (ICG).

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Published:
2005/06/01 URL:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4599369.stm

Quotation:

"It [ICG report] blames warring gangs - supporters or
opponents of ousted President Jean Bertrand Aristide -
for the bloodshed."

Infraction:

false generalization, false conclusion of the overall
facts contained in ICG report.

Omitted Information:

Source: Spoiling Security in Haiti Crisis Group Latin
America/Caribbean Report N?13, 31 May 2005.

pg. 4

Groups linked to criminal activities, particularly
drugtrafficking and contraband (in Haiti and abroad),
are behind much of the current wave of violence. It is
plausible that they will attempt to establish (or
indeed have already established) ties to political
parties, and will offer financing or other kinds of
support. While the extreme weakness of the
transitional government and state institutions might
suit them, they can be expected to follow politics
closely so as to be able to adapt to any conceivable
post-election scenario and to quickly establish a
modus vivendi with the new government, as they have
done in the past.

Editor's note: From this passage we conclude this
particular group cited in the ICG report has no
political affiliation in relation to the question of
Aristide but is parasitic in nature

pg. 11

In the capital's poor neighborhoods, the police not
only have failed to regain public trust, but they are
increasingly perceived as an aggressive force. The HNP
seems to be criminalising many of the urban poor
through indiscriminate declarations by senior officers
and indiscriminate repressive operations in the slums.
This same pattern appears in the media, which
systematically associates residents of poor
neighborhoods with "chimeres" or, more commonly,
"chimeres Lavalas". Members of the business elite have
fuelled this campaign, demanding a tougher stance
towards "chimeres Lavalas", ignoring the fact that
many other gangs also are engaged in criminal, violent
and destabilising acts. Repeated killings during
pro-Lavalas demonstrations have been a consequence.
Unfortunately, most Haitian human rights NGOs have not
been spoken out about these abuses.

pg. 11

B. ALLEGED EXECUTIONS

There have been several allegations serious human
rights abuse by HNP officers over the last few months
in Port-au-Prince:

    * At least five persons were confirmed killed and
five wounded after police shot at demonstrators in the
Nazon area, near the UN headquarters, on 27 April.
According to local residents, officers from one of two
HNP vehicles shot indiscriminately, killing at least
five demonstrators.58

That vehicle then left while officers from the other
vehicle shot in the air, dispersing the crowd. The
bodies were subsequently removed.59

    * On 28 February 2005, during a peaceful
demonstration to commemorate the first anniversary of
Aristide's departure, police allegedly opened fire
without reason, killing at least two demonstrators.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General
(SRSG) said publicly a few days later police brutality
was hindering stabilisation, and the UN would not
tolerate it. He warned that UN soldiers would use
force if needed whenever the HNP fired on unarmed
civilians.60 The Minister of Justice angrily accused
MINUSTAH of protecting "chimeres".61 Relations were
soon patched up, however, and MINUSTAH failed to
insist on a thorough investigation into the shootings.
    * Six young men were allegedly killed on 25
February when police entered alleys in Rue St Martin
and Rue Tiremasse, Bel Air, shooting widely. Victims
allegedly included a homeless man, a football trainer
for poor children in the neighborhood and a street
vendor.62

Full ICG report available at: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?l=1&id=3485

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