28068: Sprague (comment): Haiti Democracy Project? (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Jeb Sprague



In numerous recent articles in the U.S. mainstream press,  former and
current officials of the Haiti Democracy Project (HDP) have been
sourced without their involvement in the aforementioned organization
being cited.  LA Times corespondent Carol J. Williams', in
particular, has made some of the most egregious errors in this respect.

In her recent article "Aristide's Former Ally May be Turning Away",
she cites one current and one former member of the HDP and mentions
the brother of the HDP's largest financier, without a single mention
of the HDP.  See:  http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-
fg-haiti20feb20,0,2879275.story?coll=la-headlines-world

She quotes Timothy Carney without mentioning he stepped down as a
board member of the HDP, only to become the interim U.S. ambassador
to Haiti.  She also quotes Lionel Delatour without mentioning he is a
member of the HDP board of Directors. She also fails to mention that
Delatour's organization, the Center for Free Enterprise and Democracy
(CLED) is a longtime recipient of NED and CIPE funding and support.
All of these grants, once again, originating from the U.S. Department
of State.  Why does Williams not state that Lionel Delatour heads up
an organization receiving State Department originated funding though
the NED and CIPE?

Carol J. Williams also mentions Haitian Chamber of Commerce President
Reginald Boulos.  His brother, Rudolph, is a founder of the HDP and
its largest funder.  Rudolph Boulos stepped down as a Board Member
last year in order to run for Senate for the FUSION party, which has
been supported through USAID grants, and supported by the
International Republican Institute (IRI) in advance of the recent
Presidential and Legislative elections in Haiti.

Also why has USA Today quoted John Merrill (a recent "election
observer" with the HDP) without mentioning he is the chief of Western
Hemisphere programs for the United States Defense Department? (See
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-02-07-haiti_x.htm?
POE=NEWISVA)   USA Today claims ironically that he is with "the Haiti
Democracy Project, an independent research group based in Washington
that promotes a stable government in Haiti."

Will Carol J. Williams ever mention the HDP's Ewidge Lalane's recent
statement, referring to the "popular base" in Haiti, in which he
stated that, "5%, at least, must be physically eliminated".   Will
Carol J. Williams ever mention the massive financing and support that
the U.S. State Department and its grantee organizations have provided
to overwhelmingly elite based "civil society" organizations in Haiti?


I have pasted Lalane's statement below.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -



"Monsieur Préval, à partir de ses déclarations, épouse la même
idéologie, le même comportement de la Minustah, et je le comprends
très bien, parce que sa base populaire se trouve dans ces régions là,
il ne peut dire autrement. Mais nous autres de la société civile, de
la société nationale, qui avons subi les mauvais traitements, les
actes de kidnapping, d?assassinats, de viols, qui venaient
particulièrement à partir de .., qui venaient de ces régions, nous
nous prononçons autrement. C?est à dire, je pense, dans ces régions,
qu?il y a vraiment de la misère, qu?il faut améliorer la condition du
euh euh, des gens qui vivent dans ces régions, mais il y a aussi des
bandits qui sont irréductibles, irrécupérables. Il y en a parmi eux
qui doivent être naturellement, je le dis sincèrement et je prends ma
responsabilité, physiquement éliminés. Il y en a d?autres qui sont
récupérables, vous voyez. C?est le point de vue d?un président élu,
je comprends sa position, mais je vous dis, moi, en tant que citoyen
Haïtien, j?ai une autre lecture de la
situation parce que si, maintenant, on est en train de tergiverser
sur la situation, cette situation dépassera même la gouvernance de M.
Préval. Ça je vous en donne la garantie. Parce que il y a des bandits
irréductibles dans la région, je ne vous parle même pas de la
justice, je pense que 5%, au moins, doivent être physiquement éliminés"


Here is a rough translation in English:

"Mr Préval, starting from his declarations, marries the same
ideology, the same behavior of Minustah, and I include/understand it
very well, because its popular base is in these areas there, it
cannot say differently.  But us others of company civil, of company
national, which underwent the ill treatments, acts of kidnapping, of
assassinations, of rapes, which particularly had suddenly left of.,
which came from these areas, we decide differently.  I.e., I think,
in these areas, that there is really misery, that it is necessary to
improve the condition of the euh euh, of people who live in these
areas, but there are also gangsters who are irreducible,
irremediable.  There is among them which must be naturally, I say it
sincerely and I take my responsability, physically eliminated.  There
are of them others which are recoverable, you see.  It is the point
of view of an elected president, I include/understand his position,
but I say to you, me, as a citizen Haïtien, I have another reading of
the situation because if, now, one is tergiversating on the
situation, this situation will exceed even the gouvernance of Mr.
Préval.  That I give you the guarantee of it.  Because there are
irreducible gangsters in the area, I do not even speak to you about
justice, I think that 5%, at least, must be physically eliminated "



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