a1674: Haitian journalists still negotiating (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JD Lemieux <lxhaiti@yahoo.com>

St Vincent Herald, Sat 13 Apr 2002


PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti - The Association of Haitian
Journalists on Thursday was continuing negotiations with
foreign embassies with a view to helping journalists facing
death threats leave the country, President Guy Delva said.

Delva told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that some
of the journalists have American visas.

He said the group included the leading and more senior
journalists in Haiti.

The threats against the journalists, in the aftermath of a
coup attempt against President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, were
reportedly made by persons aligned with the ruling party.

Delva said Haitian journalists were facing a very difficult
and frightening situation. "Many journalists feel very
afraid, they don't go to their radio stations to work
because they are afraid. They have been receiving threats
from groups and since Monday there are at least two radio
stations which stopped broadcasting news," Delva told CMC.
"Those two radio stations continue to play music and no
news at all on those radio stations and several journalists
of the two radio stations and of some other radio stations,
have gone undercover and it's a difficult situation for
many journalists here now," he added.

On December 3, journalist Brignol Lindor was hacked to
death with a machete by a group of people in the town of
Petite Gouve. He was buried last week Tuesday.

It is believed that his murder and the recent attacks on
journalists were led by supporters of President
Jean-Bertrand Arisitide's ruling Lavalas family party.

President Aristide has strongly condemned the ongoing acts
of violence but a very tense situation remains in the
capital, Delva reported. "... He asked the population to
work with the Press and to support the Press, to respect
the right of journalists to work freely and so on and he
called on all his followers to respect the press freedom
but in reality, it's not quite that," Delva said.

Tensions have been running high since the failed coup
attempt on Monday when armed gunmen attacked the National
Palace but were repelled by security forces.

A group of 30 armed men attacked the palace in downtown
Port-au-Prince before dawn on Monday.

Many of the gunmen, who according to police wore military
uniforms similar to those of the disbanded Haitian army,
escaped after killing two police officers at the scene.

Nine people were killed in the palace assault which
resulted in mob violence in the streets of the capital and
other cities, officials said.

Police said one gunman died in a shootout with security
forces who fought off the attackers.

Press reports said that a former police officer accused of
planning the assault, Guy Philippe, was detained in Ecuador
by the authorities on Wednesday.

© 2002 St Vincent and Grenadines Herald


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