This week in HaitiHaïti Progrès
January 3 - 9 , 2001
Another Coup in the Making?
The Haitian opposition is trying to topple the government of President-elect Jean-Bertrand Aristide before he even takes office, just as Duvalierists tried to do a decade ago.
That is the assessment outgoing Haitian Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis made on the eve of a Jan. 3 "forum" called by the opposition's Democratic Convergence (CD), a coalition of neo-Duvalierist and social-democratic political parties. The "forum" is billed as a preliminary step in the formation of a "provisional government" to supplant that of Aristide, who takes office Feb. 7.
«This forum will take place on Jan. 3 starting at 8:30 a.m. and will last all day," said Gérard Pierre-Charles of the Organization of People in Struggle (OPL), a CD member. "We plan to organize forums to touch on certain fundamental questions linked, let's say, to what form of government we will have.»
Meanwhile, one of the OPL's neo-Duvalierist allies, Hubert Deronceray made it clear that the opposition's government might very well not be "parallel," as previously billed. He spelled out a vision that could occur only through a coup d'état. «We cannot say that our government will not be installed in the National Palace [Haiti's presidential residence], because we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow,' De Ronceray said ominously. "There is a strong possibility that it will be installed in the National Palace, just as at any other address in Port-au-Prince».
"It shows that the opposition is dreaming in technicolor," Alexis said of the CD's threats. "I think it is a bunch of crazies. They have a delusional project which has no chance of being carried out."
On Jan. 7, 1991, Roger Lafontant, the former head of Duvalier's militia, the Tonton Macoutes, led a small band of confederates in a short-lived takeover of the Palace. Tens of thousands of people poured into the streets, forcing the vacillating Army to arrest the mutineers.
"We remember the people's reaction to [Lafontant's coup]," Alexis said, pointing out that once again large crowds of Haitians have been milling about the Champ de Mars, the large square in front of the Palace. "These guys [in the opposition] are now filling in for Lafontant in trying to also make a coup d'état."
Alexis chastised the Convergence leaders for "taking foreign aid to deploy security at their homes." He did not reveal which foreign government was paying for the opposition's "protection."
"I want to take this opportunity to say something to the opposition and the people financing them," Alexis said. "As Prime Minister and Interior Minister, I am not going to tolerate this thing, and since the people are already mobilized, it is behind and together with the people that we are going to foil the coup attempt they want to make."
President René Préval stood by Alexis during the remarks. When questioned, Préval called the CD initiative "political madness, but we are taking it very seriously." He added sarcastically that the CD is "in a bigger hurry than Lafontant who at least waited until Jan. 7, while they are starting on Jan. 3."
Meanwhile, the U.S. Consulate in Haiti has issued warnings to U.S. citizens to avoid the area of Pétionville around the swank Montana Hotel, where the conference will be taking place, saying that there was a likelihood of violence.
Arcahaie: Deadly Christmas Bridge Collapse in Montrouis
Built in 1941, the old bridge at Montrouis collapsed on Christmas afternoon with more than 300 people on it. At least seven people were killed, and more than 50 injured. The bridge had been used as a market since it was condemned over two decades ago.
Many merchants were set up on the bridge when it collapsed, dumping them and thousands of dollars worth of merchandise into the ravine and stream below.
A team of doctors and three ambulances were dispatched to the town to take people to hospitals in Port-au-Prince and St. Marc, according to Health Minister Michaële Amédée Gédéon.
There had been several accidents on the old bridge before the Haitian government was forced to close it and construct a new one 22 years ago.
After the old bridge was closed, it was
used as a market place and for foot traffic, much like its counterpart
in Pont Sondé, a few kilometers north of St. Marc.
Four people were wounded when a carload of men opened fire on a crowd along the sidewalk around EDH on Rue Pavée on Dec. 26.
"We had just finished work and were gathering, and while we were standing there a little red car pulled up and started firing at us," said one of the witnesses to the shooting.
"It was a red Honda," another witness added.
Of those wounded, one was a car washer, who was hit as he ran away, and another a Haitian lottery salesman, who was shot in the back as he was riding by on a bicycle.
Violence broke out between rival gangs
in the capital's sprawling slum of Cité Soleil on Dec. 27, leaving
two dead, six wounded, and four houses burned. The trouble occurred between
individuals from the neighborhoods of Ray and Boston. Partisans of the
Lavalas Family party (FL) were pitted against those of Barbara Guillaume,
a progressive artist who was a candidate in recent elections. On some Port-au-Prince
radio stations, the FL partisans complained that the police did nothing
to calm the other group. Until Dec. 30, the situation remained very tense
in Cité Soleil, during which time many people abandoned their homes.
La Tortue: Anthrax Killing Livestock and Humans
In the last three months, anthrax, known in Haiti as the "charcoal disease" (maladi chàbon), has ravaged the rocky island of La Tortue, off Haiti's northwest coast. In addition to 60 animals, at least three people have died, and 21 others are sick with the disease, according to Haiti's Agriculture Ministry.
Haitians call anthrax the "charcoal disease" because it often causes a blackened tongue on infected animals and black-scabbed boils on human victims. Humans contract anthrax by eating the undercooked meat of infected animals or by inhaling the anthrax spores given off their hides. The disease can also be transmitted through the skin when humans handle infected animal products. The disease can effect cattle, pigs, goats, and dogs.
In recent days, the Agriculture ministry has sent three veterinarians to La Tortue to begin a vaccination campaign in January.
People in the northwestern towns of Port de Paix, St. Louis du Nord and Anse-à-Fouleur purchase meat from La Torture and also risk contracting the disease.
Although the Agriculture Ministry is alarmed by the outbreak, Health Minister Michaële Amédée Gédéon attempted to minimize it. "Anthrax is cured very easily," she said. "Someone with anthrax should go to a dispensary or a health center and with a quick antibiotic, they will be correctly cared for."
A few years ago, anthrax struck Haiti's northwest hard, leaving four people and 30 animals dead. Six people were ill.
"As an expert in epidemiology, at this time I cannot call this an epidemic, since I haven't yet had any report of more than one or two cases more than the last time," Gédéon said. "I don't know when was the last time there was an anthrax epidemic. Anthrax is an endemic disease."
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