a2: RE: 9999: Haiti-Palace Shooting; Dreyfuss responds (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Joel Dreyfuss <joel.dreyfuss@verizon.net>

Some of the new stories cite the opposition as having "no comment" on the
coup effort; that is a huge mistake. The Convergence should condemn the
attack unequivocally and make clear that violence has no part in their
opposition to the Aristide government.

At the same time, the government has got to come out clearly against the
attacks on the media.

Haitians need to be cured once and for all of the idea that violent
overthrow will bring some benefit to the country. Any putsch is likekly to
bring another round of embargos and isolation. There may be many Haitians
who are fed up with the incompetence and seeming inability of the government
to even present a vision of a future; but the idea of "waiting" for the
coup, as I have heard many say on a recent visit, undermines any hope of
real democracy taking root in Haiti.

Maybe this event will spur the government to find new urgency in a solution
to the stalemate.

Joel Dreyfuss