7846: Highlights of Radio Galaxie news (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Max Blanchet <maxblanchet@worldnet.att.net>

Haiti: Highlights of Radio Galaxie news 1800 gmt 10 May 01

Haiti: Highlights of Radio Galaxie news 1800 gmt 10 May 01
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; May 11, 2001

>From "The World at the 1300 Thermometer" news programme; figures in brackets
indicate times in minutes elapsed since start of programme; passages within
double oblique strokes in Creole

A joint OAS/Caricom (Caribbean Community) mission has arrived in the country
led by OAS Assistant Secretary-General Luigi Einaudi. A representative from
the Carter Centre has also joined the mission. Luigi Einaudi, speaking at
the airport in Port-au-Prince, stated that he is pleased with the joint
OAS/Caricom effort to help resolve Haiti's crisis. He expressed confidence
that the mission will find a genuine willingness among the protagonists to
reach a solution to the crisis. The delegation will have a meeting this
afternoon with President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Afterwards, they will meet
the Democratic Convergence and civil society.

Evans Paul, a Convergence spokesman, said that Convergence leaders are ready
to sit down to a dialogue with Lavalas Family (FL) leaders if the
OAS/Caricom mission sets up a meeting. He explained, //"...It is not a
meeting for the sake of meeting. It is not a meeting for division. It is a
meeting for a solution. And we also observe, parallel to the negotiations,
that Lavalas has practised persecution. They persecuted Paul Denis at the
examining judge's office. Many militants have been put in jail. So we still
have reservations about the genuine will of Lavalas to find a solution..."//

Gerard Blot, a leader of the Alternative for Change (AC), told Radio Galaxie
that he hopes that the OAS/Caricom mission will open the negotiations to
sectors that are not part of the Convergence. He explained that negotiations
cannot focus on "two extremist sectors, the Convergence and FL."

Culture Minister Guy Paul asked the European Union to lift its sanctions
against Haiti. He spoke during the Europe Day celebration in the capital.
Minister Paul explained that President Aristide has increased his efforts to
find a solution to the crisis, and that the ACP (African, Caribbean and
Pacific) countries have also asked for the sanctions to be lifted.

Justice Minister Gary Lissade, at his meeting yesterday with the Justice and
Security Committee of the lower chamber, announced that the findings of the
investigation into the murder of Jean Dominique could be announced as early
as 15 May. He also explained that he has instructed that security for
Examining Judge Claudy Gassant be reinforced. Meanwhile, Claudy Gassant
deplores the fact that Minister Lissade has publicized the date that his
findings will be released. He explained that the announcement is premature,
since summonses have gone out to others whose testimony could change the
final report. He also denied that he need not worry about his security,
saying that the security that the Justice Ministry has provided leaves much
to be desired. He said further that requests he made last month for
bullet-proof vests, better equipment for his bodyguards, and a vehicle, have
not been filled.

Senators have not yet passed the resolution introduced by Dany Toussaint
yesterday to create an anti-terrorist brigade within the police to fight
crimes such as kidnapping. They are divided on the issue. Senators Clones
Lans and Louis Gerald Gilles, for example, acknowledge the merits of the
resolution, but say it has weaknesses. They explain that kidnapping targets
people with money, but meanwhile, steps should be taken to combat common
crime.

Source: Radio Galaxie, Port-au-Prince, in French 1800 gmt 10 May 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.