27256: Du Tuyau: Preval and Aristide and Fanmi Lavalas

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

Submitted by Du Tuyau

And for all the people who say today that Titid and Preval are/were Kókót ak
Figaro, Romeo et Juliette, Tristan et Iseult, here's some news in the not too
long time again, from New York Times archives (no ... this is not from
Archives Nationales; you'd find nothing there or almost). So here's something
from the past for digestive understanding better. read below.

FOREIGN DESK
Aristide Is Forming New Party in Haiti, Undermining Leader

 ( AP ) 299 words
Published: January 10, 1997

Former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide of Haiti is forming a new political
party, a move that would complete the rupture with his successor and split the
country's popular coalition.
Founding members of Mr. Aristide's organization, known as the Lavalas Family,
have applied to register the movement as a political party, Francois Severin,
a top aide to President Rene Preval and a former Agriculture Minister in Mr.
Aristide's administration, said today.
The application was filed earlier this week by Mr. Severin and three of Mr.
Preval's Cabinet ministers, an indication of how the new party could split the
ranks of Haiti's leadership in the months before key elections for the Senate
and local government councils.
If the Justice Ministry approves the new party, the person most likely to be
hurt is Mr. Preval, who succeeded Mr. Aristide as President a year ago.
Once the closest of friends and political allies, the two fell out when Mr.
Preval refused to support Mr. Aristide's bid to stay in power to make up for
the three years of his five-year term that he spent in exile after his ouster
in a military coup on Sept. 30, 1991.
Their differences have crystallized with Mr. Preval's support for an
internationally backed plan to privatize nine inefficient state companies.
On March 16, voters are to elect one-third of the 27-seat Senate and members
of more than 500 local councils. The councils are to elect a nine-member group
that is to help appoint judges and form a permanent electoral council.
A party organized by Mr. Aristide could also give him a vehicle for running
for President in 2000. He already appears to be taking advantage of discontent
with the Government's failure to generate new jobs and reduce inflation.