7198: Events in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

(from Caribbean Insight newsletter)

(2 March 01)


Sen Dany Toussaint, who is suspected of being involved in last April's
murder of radio journalist Jean Dominique, failed again on February 23 to
answer a summons to appear before Judge Claudy Gassant, who is
investigating the killing.  Two days earlier, Toussaint, insisting he was a
strong defender of human rights and democracy, had announced his temporary
withdrawal from parliament to be able to cooperate with the enquiry.   
        He acted after a heated session of the senate the same day, during
which three FL senators protested against threats made by two pro-Toussaint
"grassroots" leaders, René Civil and Paul Raymond, against FL Sen. Prince
Sonson Pierre, who had said on February 20 that Toussaint should obey Judge
Gassant. 
        Jean-Marie Chérestal's nomination as prime minister was unaimously
approved by parliament on March 1.
        US President George Bush told President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in a
curt letter on February 13 that Haiti needed "your steadfast leadership"
but he delivered a sharp warning to him to solve the political crisis "that
impedes Haiti's progress," using "as a good starting point" the eight
reform pledges he made to US envoys last  December.  "I encourage your
personal attention to these important matters," Bush wrote.