[News] Haiti - Opposition demo is blocked

[News at freedomarchives.org]

AHP News February 12 2004



Supporters of the opposition political platform are accused of wanting to
take over police stations in Port-au-Prince’s metropolitan area


Port-au-Prince, February 12 2004 -(AHP)- The demonstration that the
opposition political platform had planned to organize this Thursday in
Port-au-Prince to demand the overthrow of constitutional authorities was
frustrated.

Many members of the population had put up flamed tires barricades earlier in
the morning at the Canapé-Vert park, where the demonstration was supposed to
start off. They claimed they had information that supporters of the platform
were getting ready to invade the police station of this area. " We have
information from safe sources about the plan of the coalition lead by André
Apaid to invade Canapé-Vert’s police station and other police stations from
Port-au-Prince’s metropolitan area, leaders of the movement declared.

Young men and young women interviewed on their sense of mobilization pointed
out that the violent acts perpetrated by opposition supporters in Gonaïves
will not be reproduced in Port-au-Prince.
" We will stay up day and night to stop them from setting fire and
plundering police stations and private houses, they claimed.

The leader of the organization Popular Youth Power (JPP), René Civil,
declared that the population has good reasons to believe that supporters of
the platform of 184 were ready to take action after burning down and
plundering Gonaïves, Saint-Marc, Dondon and Saint-Raphaël, René Civil
declared. " Who can still pretend that the opposition political platform is
a peaceful organization? ", M. Civil declared, reminding that members of the
184 don’t even respect diplomatic missions.

Members of this organization recently took over premises of the OAS mission
and the Mexican Embassy in Haiti in order to make political demands. In both
cases, they were forced to leave.

Leader of Saint-Jean Bosco church communities Paul Raymond, confirmed that
he also had safe information on the bad intentions of the platform leaders
and members. “Our goal is not to keep the opposition from demonstrating but
to protect the State institutions and the population from the opposition’s
violence, he said.  He declared that the consequences of the traffic jam
caused by the barricades erected by members of the population could be a lot
less than the damage the opposition was getting ready to cause.
Since the beginning of the week, platform leaders in Port-au-Prince have
been participating in a complete operation aiming to make people believe
they have nothing to do with the deadly violence committed by their
supporters in Gonaïves. However, they have never condemned this violence.
In Parallel, opposition spokespersons did the same in the City of
Independence. However, a member of the Métayer family pointed out Wednesday
to the AHP, anonymously, that his colleagues and himself had been put under
great pressure to deny their membership. However, he underlined that all
their actions are decided together with the platform leaders in
Port-au-Prince.



The opposition platform keeps saying that it is a peaceful organization and
accuses the population of frustrating its demonstration


Port-au-Prince, February 12 2004 -(AHP)-Leaders of the opposition platform
accused Tuesday members of the population of frustrating their demonstration
with provocation.

KID leader Evans Paul declared that the platform leaders had to cancel the
demonstration to avoid being victims of violence from OP Lavalas members.

The platform of 184 is presently greatly criticized by national and
international sectors who accuse it of being behind the deadly violence
committed by its supporters in Gonaïves and in other areas of the country.
However, Evans Paul held governmental authorities responsible of the violent
climate maintained by armed bands who claim to be from the opposition.

According to Mr. Paul, the cancelled demonstration will take place on Sunday
February 15th in order to continue to demand the resignation of the Head of
State. "The violence will not stop until President Aristide decides to give
the power over to the opposition", Evans Paul declared. He once again
rejected dialogue, negotiation and elections as a path to come out of the
crisis.

Coordinator of Group of 184, André Apaid Junior, also declared that the
platform was against any form of violence against the population. He
declared that his political coalition is leading what he calls a peaceful
struggle against constitutional authorities. He asked the international
community to help him reach his goal.

The platform of 184 cancelled its demonstration this Thursday because of
barricades put up by members of the population who claimed they had
information that supporters of the platform were getting ready to invade and
set in fire Canapé-Vert’s police station.

AHP February 12 2004 10:15 AM


The CEH president calls the parties in conflict to go back to the table of
dialogue in order to avoid a civil war in the country


Port-au-Prince, February 12 2004 -(AHP)- The president of the Episcopal
Conference of Haiti, Mgr. Hubert Constant, reiterated Thursday that the CEH
did not cancel the proposition to come out of the crisis made in November
2003.

Cap-Haïtien’s bishop, who declared he was worried about the rising of
violence in the country, pointed out that the CEH is presently working on a
new proposition. He welcomes the CARICOM’s initiative, trying to bring the
two parties back to the table of negotiations in order to get the country
out of the dead-end.

He underlined that the Church could not produce a new document while CARICOM
had a proposition on the table. Accepted by Haitian authorities, this
proposition has been rejected by the opposition political platform who
claims not to be interested by any dialogue with the Head of State.

And since then, its supporters have been using violent means in many regions
of the country in their anti-governmental struggle. They have killed many
members of the population, set in fire and plunder police stations and
private homes.

Mgr. Hubert Constant calls all actors to sacrifice to avoid a civil war in
the country.

During a march that ended in front of the Port-au-Prince’s cathedral
Wednesday, hundreds of women dressed in white called the Catholic church to
assume its responsibilities in regards to the violent climate created by the
opposition’s refusal to dialogue. Only violent and radical people against
negotiation, they pointed out, denouncing at the same time the Church
dignitaries who encouraged the violent demonstrations organized in Gonaïves
by ex-prisoner Jean Tatoune.
They also demanded the respect of the constitution.
AHP February 12 2004 11:35 AM



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