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<font face="arial" size=3><b>Friends - this in response to yesterday's
AFP story:<br><br>
Claude - You've been sending out great stuff about Haiti, but this piece
is quite inaccurate. It blames Aristide for the failure to hold
elections, when the opposition has simply refused to participate.
It quotes the opposition extensively without balance. It highlights
a "distinction" between the peaceful opposition and the armed
gangs - led by ex-FRAPH leaders and other paramilitaries -- which simply
does not exist. One uses the other which uses the other. It
attempts to equalize the blame for the violence in Haiti in the midst of
a series of armed attacks on government supporters. The article neglects
to mention the outpouring of support for Aristide in Port-au-Prince and
in St. Marc. The police are actually outgunned in many situations
and have only beaten back attacks with popular support. Haiti right now
is defending itself from a coup -- pure and simple. Too much
disinformation is already in the air. Robert<br><br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
</font><h5><b>An official of the Foundation to Echo the Voice of
Dominique comments on what he termed an imposing demonstration organized
Saturday by supporters of Fanmi Lavalas <br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
</b></h5><font face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><b>Port-au-Prince,
February 9, 2004 -(AHP)</b>- Patrick Elie, an official from the Fondation
Echo Voix Jean Dominique (Foundation to Echo the Voice of Jean Dominique)
declared Monday that he was impressed by the large demonstration
organized Saturday by supporters of Fanmi Lavalas. <br><br>
Hundreds of thousands of supporters of Fanmi Lavalas demonstrated
Saturday in Port-au-Prince to reaffirm their attachment to President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide and to plead in favor of respect for the
president's serving out his full term in office.<br><br>
Patrick Elie said that the impressive crowd that he saw marching Saturday
in the streets of Port-au-Prince gave him renewed hope for better days
for Haiti despite the difficulties facing the country. <br><br>
He felt that this massive participation by the population in the streets
of the capital should persuade those who wish to drag the country into a
civil war to reconsider carefully. <br><br>
"Those who wish at any cost to propel the country into a civil war
should know that this is not the best way out of the crisis",
declared Mr. Elie. He urged those who are in a rush to war to follow
instead the road of dialogue and concerted action.<br><br>
<br><br>
</font><h5><b>AHP February 9, 2004 12:20 PM <br><br>
<br><br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------</b></h5><font face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><b>The
police announce that they have regained control of the police stations of
Saint-Marc and Grand-Goâve, and are studying strategies for liberating
the population of Gonaïves</b> <br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br><br>
<b>St-Marc, February 9, 2004 -(AHP)- </b>Government authorities affirmed
Monday that the police have largely reasserted control of the
situation in St-Marc, where armed partisans from the opposition set fire
Saturday to the city's police station and forced the police to flee to
safety. <br><br>
The violence was committed by an opposition organization named RAMICOS,
that was responsible last month for setting on fire and looting two radio
stations and the homes of some Lavalas partisans. <br><br>
The Director General of the Interior Ministry, Bell Angelot, commented
that the government refuses to respond to the lethal acts of the
opposition by committing violence itself. <br><br>
He asked the population to carry out non-violent resistance in response
to the climate of terror put in place through violence. <br><br>
Mr. Bell downplayed rumors that the police had fired directly at members
of the population. He asked those who are spreading these rumors how many
people were killed by the police.<br><br>
However the senior Interior Ministry official explained that the police
must utilize appropriate means in liberating the population from the
control of the armed partisans of the opposition. <br><br>
According to Biron Odigé, who leads a populist organization close to the
government, the members of the Platform of the 184 have caused
considerable damage to the St-Marc police station. <br><br>
The attackers have also looted containers and set fire to police
vehicles.<br><br>
Mr. Odigé said the authorities are in the process of taking steps to free
the population from the grip of the bandits and to make possible the
resumption of normal activities in the city, notably business activity
and school classes. <br><br>
The police also took control of the situation in Grand-Goâve where armed
men claiming to be from the opposition, led by Ti Nènè, set fire to the
police station. <br><br>
The fugitive said Sunday that he was working for the opposition. He also
indicated that his men have set fire to several government vehicles and
were preparing to commit acts of violence in Petit-Goâve and Léogane.
<br><br>
The police are currently examining strategies for ensuring that the armed
partisans of the opposition sowing terror in the city of Independence and
led by fugitive Jean Tatoune, can do no harm.<br><br>
<br><br>
</font><h5><b>AHP February 9, 2004 11:25 AM
</b></h5><font face="Trebuchet MS" size=2>------------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>
<br>
</font><h5><b>Armed supporters of the opposition commit acts of vandalism
in the township of Saint-Raphaël <br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
</b></h5><font face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><b>St-Raphaël, February
9, 2004 -(AHP)</b>- Armed partisans of the opposition set fire this
Monday to city hall, the mayor's home and the police station for the
community of St-Raphaël (in the North of Haiti). <br><br>
St-Raphaël's mayor, Sévère Adonija, denounced this escalation in brute
violence being committed, he said, by members of the Platform of the 184,
in order to take power. <br><br>
Mayor Adonija, who had to go into hiding to escape the fury of the
opposition supporters, asked the population to continue to go about daily
activities normally and not to yield, he said, to the violence of those
who seek power without taking part in elections. <br><br>
The mayor also called on the population to remain mobilized to defend the
five year term in office for President Jean- Bertrand Aristide.<br><br>
<br><br>
</font><h5><b>AHP February 9, 2004 2:25 PM <br><br>
<br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
The president condemns the acts of terrorism committed by opposition
supporters in Gonaïves and once again appeals for dialogue<br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
</b></h5><font face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><b>Port-au-Prince,
February 9, 2004 -(AHP)- </b>President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in remarks
Saturday, condemned the acts of terrorism he said were committed by
opposition partisans in Gonaïves. <br><br>
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, speaking at the inaugural ceremony for two public
spaces at the airport crossroads, stated that democracy has a need for a
political opposition and not a terrorist opposition that kills people and
burns down police stations. <br><br>
The Chief of State declared it is unacceptable that on the 18th
anniversary of the fall of the Duvalier dictatorship, certain sectors
believe they can solve their political problems through violence.
<br><br>
President Aristide asked the police to take all appropriate steps to
re-establish order and security in Gonaïves and in other regions where
armed opposition groups operate. <br><br>
The president, celebrating the third anniversary of his inauguration for
his second term in office, reiterated that he will serve the full five
year term provided for under the Constitution. <br><br>
He criticized those who, he said, are utilizing violence and lies as the
means to take power. <br><br>
"Elections are the only democratic path for taking office"
declared the Chief of State. He urged the opposition to move forward
along the path of dialogue to resolve the crisis. <br><br>
Mr. Aristide also denounced "a campaign of disinformation" led,
he said, by one sector to try to manipulate public opinion. <br><br>
Jean Bertrand Aristide contends that this is the same sector that tried
to gain control of the body of the young activist Lyonel Victor for
political purposes. <br><br>
The Chief of State asked this sector to come to its senses so as not to
be condemned by history. <br><br>
<br>
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