From: hrcoord@igc.apc.org (Human Rights Coordinator)
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Subject: HAITI: INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE URG
Date: 12 Nov 92 17:26:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700795:000:4454
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Nov 12 09:26:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: HAITI: INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE URG

/* Written 12:10 am  Nov 12, 1992 by newsdesk@igc.apc.org in
igc:ips.englibrary */ Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all
rights reserved.  Permission to re- print within 7 days of
original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: HAITI: INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE URGED FOR CRIPPLED NATION


port-au-prince, nov 9 (ips) -- politicians and trade unionists
from the americas have urged the international community to
''intervene so as to help the haitian people to obtain the return
of president jean-bertrand aristide'' and others who fled the
country in the wake of the 30 sep. 1991 military coup.

the call was contained in the final resolution of an
''international meeting on repression in haiti,'' held here over
the weekend. the resolution was released at a press conference on
monday.

about 100 representatives of haitian political parties, trade
unions and grassroots organizations attended the nov. 6-7 meeting,
held at the initiative of groups close to aristide's national
front for change and democracy (fncd).

the encounter was the first of its kind to be held in haiti since
the 1991 coup.

the resolution denounced ''the hypocritical and macchiavelian
policy of international organizations and powers in the haitian
crisis.''

this was an indirect reference to the united states which,
according to ralph shoenman, president of the u.s. writers'
association, was the ''main instigator of the sep. 30 coup.''

shoenman was one of 15 personalities representing political, trade
union and professional organizations from the caribbean, latin
america and north america who attended the conference.

he charged that former u.s. ambassador to haiti, alvin adams,
recalled from port-au-prince earlier this year, ''controlled the
haitian army'' and ''was regularly consulted by the
commander-in-chief of the haitian army, general raoul cedras,
before taking any decision.''

his accusation echoed a charge often made by pro-aristide groups
in haiti, who have consistently maintained that the united states
was partial to the army and gave lukewarm support to efforts to
return haiti to democracy.

the resolution also called on the representatives of the member
countries of the organization of american states (oas) to
''intercede with their respective governments so that the oas
might work diligently on the haiti issue.'' (more)
----

explaining this call, the resolution added that ''the country
cannot support indefinitely the (oas) embargo which aggravates the
country's already precarious economic and social situation,
increasingly deteriorates its physical environment and only
enriches the supporters of the coup d'etat.''

the oas slapped an economic embargo on haiti on oct. 8, 1991, in
an effort to force the military to accept a return to democracy.
however, political sources close to the fncd told ips that the
embargo had proved ineffective.

they said it was not affecting the military and its supporters,
some of whom have grown rich almost overnight from the contraband
trade which increased with the embargo, whereas it had hit haiti's
poor hard.

the participants in the meeting decided to set up a permanent
consultatory group to carry out ''a vast international campaign of
information on the haitian situation,'' the resolution stated.

they will also create ''an international committee for the defence
of trade unions and the rights of workers,'' which will seek to
''develop the trade union movement in haiti.''

referring to the climate of repression in haiti since the coup,
which has caused some 40,000 people to flee the country, they
highlighted the ''selective nature of the repression, which is
aimed exclusively at the sector which voted for democracy at
elections on 16 dec. 1990.''

the political and labour representatives said they were alarmed
''at the disdain shown by the military authorities for the civil
activities of the country, in particular those tending towards the
return to constitutional order in haiti.''

in their resolution, they also expressed ''concern over the
deterioration of the political, economic and social situation in
haiti.

they also denounced the repression perpetrated by rural policemen
against peasant organizations and called for the ''respect of
individual and public freedoms,'' including the right of
association and freedom of the press.  (end/ips/trd/so/ic-kb/92)
----