a977: Aristide meets with rival gangs in search for peace (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com

Haiti's Aristide defends efforts to resolve gang wars at National Palace
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Feb 28, 2002

Text of "Morning Newscast" report by Haitian Metropole radio on 28 February

[Announcer] President Jean-Bertrand Aristide defends the dialogue process initiated with the leaders of rival groups in Cite Soleil to try to restore peace in that area. Yesterday at the National Palace the head of state received representatives of the 34 rival groups in Cite Soleil to discuss the recent violent events and to evoke some views on a solution. During the meeting, Aristide encouraged Cite Soleil residents to choose dialogue within the framework of conflict resolution. The president seized the opportunity to ask the police and judiciary to fully assume their responsibility regarding the issue of violence in Cite Soleil. Aristide speaks as follows:

[Aristide - recording, in Creole] If we see the necessity to start the disarmament process tomorrow together with the police the way that you have suggested it, then we will do so in a civilized manner. We will then do it because we are civilized people. We will do it as honest people. That means that the police will not need to shoot at people, as I said before. I gave orders to the police not to shoot at people and not to let others shoot at people. So, now you should walk hand-in-hand with the police, who have the responsibility to walk hand-in-hand with you too, because the constitution obliges them to protect and to serve. You can sit with the police superintendent, with Inspector Xavier, who collaborates very well with you. You can then say, if I have to hand in my weapons then Jacob will have to hand in his. Jacob will then say, if I have to hand in my weapons then Isabelle will have to hand in her weapons too. [names chosen at random] You should sit together and get along with each other. Now, I know that some people are going to criticize me and say, you see, instead of giving orders to the police to go and disarm them he prefers to do it peacefully. But if I had to do it differently then they would also be the first to criticize me.

Contrary to the criticisms of rumour mongers and unintelligent people who found it strange that the poor have the right to enter his house, which is the National Palace, to talk about his problems. For example yesterday morning I heard some critics saying that I sat with bandits from Raboteau and Descahos. They speak as if the people of Raboteau and Descahos are not worthy for me to sit with them, and that they do not have the right to come and search for peace at the National Palace. [End of recording]

Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 28 Feb 02

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.

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