a1592: Haiti-OAS (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By GEORGE GEDDA

   WASHINGTON, April 5 (AP) -- Canadian diplomat David Lee was appointed
Friday to head a special Organization of American States mission to
strengthen democracy in Haiti.
   The mission will establish working relationships with Haitian
institutions to deal with problems related to security, justice, human
rights and good governance.
   It also has a mandate to solve the country's 2-year-old political
crisis.
   After the 2000 elections, won decisively by the ruling party, other
countries blocked hundreds of millions of dollars in aid on grounds the
elections were flawed.
   Aid remains suspended until rulers and opposition forces in Haiti agree
on new elections.
   The U.S. ambassador to the OAS, Roger Noriega, said numerous outside
efforts to resolve the impasse have failed.
   In a statement to the OAS permanent council, Noriega said, "Haiti cannot
afford to squander any more opportunities. We join with others in urging
Haiti's leaders to make the most of the important, latest opportunity."
   The special mission will begin work this month.
   Lee is Canada's former special coordinator for Haiti. Ambassador Denneth
Modeste, an adviser to OAS Assistant Secretary General Luigi Einaudi, will
be deputy chief.
   Meanwhile, OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria designated a commission
of inquiry to examine the circumstances surrounding the violence in Haiti
on Dec. 17, 2001. The commission will travel to Haiti on Monday.
   On Dec. 17, about two dozen gunmen stormed the national palace and took
control for about seven hours before police drove them out. President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide was not in the palace.
   At least 10 people were killed and nine wounded in the attack and
subsequent violence. Five of those killed were attackers and two were
police officers.
   The government said the incident was a coup attempt. The opposition has
accused the government of staging the assault as a pretext to crack down on
dissenters.