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Congresswoman Maxine Waters Condemns Violence in Haiti; Calls for State
Department to Support the Democratically-elected government of Haiti and
denounce Andre Apaid<br><br>
PRESS RELEASE<br><br>
For Immediate Release<br>
Contact: Nancy Stevens (202) 225-2201<br>
February 11, 2004<br><br>
CONGRESSWOMAN WATERS CONDEMNS VIOLENCE IN HAITI;CALLS FOR STATE
DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT THE DEMOCRATICALLY-ELECTED GOVERNMENT OF HAITI AND
DENOUNCE ANDRE APAID<br><br>
Washington, D.C. -- Today, at a
press conference on Capitol Hill, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) called for
the State Department to support the democratically-elected government of
Haiti and denounce Andre Apaid. She made the following
statement:<br><br>
Yesterday, I returned from a trip to
Haiti, where I observed the escalation of political violence that
occurred over the weekend. This was my second trip to Haiti so far
this year. I am deeply concerned about the growing violence
organized by the so-called opposition and what now appears to be gangs in
the northern part of the country being supported in their violent
activities by this so-called opposition.<br><br>
Unfortunately, the opposition, led by Andre Apaid, under the
banner of the Group of 184, is not simply a peaceful group trying to
correct the problems of the government. Andre Apaid is a
Duvalier-supporter, who allegedly holds an American passport and obtained
permanent resident status in Haiti through deceptive means. Andre
Apaid is ferociously adamant about forcing Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the
first democratically-elected President in the history of Haiti, out of
office.<br><br>
Andre Apaid is the owner of fifteen factories in Haiti. He has been
accused of tax evasion, operating sweatshops and being a President
Aristide-hater. <br>
The so-called peaceful protests led by Andre Apaid and his Group of 184
are responsible for defying the rule of law as it relates to parade
routes, notification of protest actions, and other laws that are normally
respected in any democratic society. The protests he organizes have
become increasingly violent. Police officers are confronted,
property is damaged, and roads are blocked. It is my belief that
Andre Apaid is attempting to instigate a bloodbath in Haiti and then
blame the government for the resulting disaster in the belief that the
United States will aid the so-called protestors against President
Aristide and his government.<br><br>
Andre Apaid refuses to negotiate despite the fact that the State
Department, the Organization of American States and many other
organizations are now supporting a proposal put forth by CARICOM.
Andre Apaid continues to use inflammatory language, denounce President
Aristide, refuse to negotiate and demand that President Aristide leave
his democratically-elected presidency. <br>
His so-called opposition group has accused President Aristide of
everything from corruption and drug trafficking to support for
paramilitary activity. <br>
When asked for documentation, they have not been able to produce anything
more than rumors, innuendos and allegations.<br><br>
President Aristide disbanded the military when he returned to
office and has a police force of only 5,000 for a country of 8 million
people. The United States aborted its efforts to support and train
the new police force and currently has a ban on selling guns and
equipment to Haiti. This policy effectively denies Haitian law
enforcement officers the essential equipment that they so desperately
need to maintain order and enforce the rule of law.<br><br>
President Aristide has given the United States special authority to
assist with drug interdiction efforts by allowing the United States to
interdict drugs in Haitian waters. The government of Haiti does not
have the resources needed to wage a tough and consistent war against
drugs, and the President of Haiti is begging the United States for
assistance to eliminate drug trafficking.<br><br>
President Aristide is pursuing a progressive economic agenda in
Haiti. <br>
Under his leadership, the Haitian government has made major investments
in agriculture, public transportation and infrastructure. On
February 7, 2003, the government doubled the minimum wage from 36 to 70
gourdes per day, despite strong opposition from the business
community. There have also been a number of reforms to prohibit
trafficking in persons and protect the estimated 400,000 children from
rural villages who work as domestic servants in households in the
cities.<br><br>
President Aristide has also made health care and education national
priorities. More schools were built in Haiti between 1994 and 2000
than between 1804 and 1994. The government expanded school lunch
and school bus programs and provides a 70% subsidy for schoolbooks and
uniforms. The maternity wards of eight public hospitals have been
renovated, and hundreds of Haitians are being trained as
physicians. Twenty new HIV testing centers will open around the
country during the next two years. All of this is being
accomplished despite a continuing embargo by the IMF and the World
Bank.<br><br>
The so-called opposition is supported by many of the same people
who were content with the brutal dictators of Haiti's past. These
are the same people who enriched themselves on the backs of the poor in
Haiti for so many years with the support of the United States
government. These people do not want a strong president like
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who will force them to pay their taxes and
provide decent wages to their workers.<br><br>
Last Thursday, armed gangs took control of the Gonaives police
station during a five-hour gunfight and set the mayor's house on
fire. Since then, these gangs have set fire to the police stations
of Gonaives, St. Marc and Trou du Nord. In St. Marc, they sealed
off the city by dragging tires, debris and logs across the main roads and
setting them on fire. The armed gangs have seized nearly a dozen
towns in the past week, and at least 40 people have been
killed.<br><br>
Unfortunately, these gangs appear to be obtaining support from the
so-called opposition in the hope that their attacks will help to fuel
other attacks in other parts of the country and eventually a coup d'etat
in Port-au Prince. This is clearly an attempt at a
power-grab. Unfortunately, the same forces that fashion themselves
as the opposition also have control over the broadcast media in
Haiti. They have used the power of the press to discredit President
Aristide and disseminate false information to the international press
about the situation in Haiti.<br><br>
The nations of CARICOM are trying to assist the people of Haiti to
end the violence and resolve this crisis peacefully. The CARICOM
proposal includes an outright rejection of a coup d'etat in any form and
requires that any change in Haiti must be done in accordance with the
Constitution of Haiti. <br>
CARICOM calls upon the opposition in Haiti to ensure representation on
the Provisional Electoral Council so that the Council can begin to
prepare for the holding of elections. CARICOM also calls upon the
international community to provide economic support to Haiti.
Economic assistance, including assistance from the United States, is
essential to alleviate the suffering of the people of Haiti and build a
foundation for political stability and economic growth.<br><br>
The State Department must denounce Andre Apaid and the Group of 184
and must answer this question: How can the State Department remain
silent while Andre Apaid, who allegedly holds an American passport,
creates so much dissension, disruption and violence in this small,
impoverished country?<br><br>
The State Department must use its influence to help stabilize
Haiti, provide assistance for health, education and infrastructure
development, and discourage Haitians from building boats and rafts to get
to American shores.<br><br>
Finally, the international press must discontinue the practice of
repeating rumors and innuendos and begin to spend quality time learning
the truth and writing the truth about what is really going on in
Haiti.<br><br>
<br><br>
_________________________________________________________________<br><br>
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