Thursday, March 10, 2011
The United States campaign to keep Mr Aristide in South Africa.
If diplomacy is a form of lying, then the United States’ efforts to delay indefinitely the return to Haiti of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, is a triumph of the most foul diplomacy. Aristide has a passport, but no permission to land in Haiti and, it appears, no permission to take off from South Africa, where he has lived in exile since his overthrow in a U.S.-backed coup in 2004. The outgoing government of Aristide’s onetime ally, President Rene Préval, provided the passport.
A ‘distraction’
But the U.S. – which really runs the country in a troika with France and Canada – is unalterably opposed to an Aristide comeback. After last year’s devastating earthquake, the Americans said Aristide would be a distraction from the job of national reconstruction. Very little in the way of reconstruction has gotten done since then, but the Americans now claim that Aristide would distract from the runoff elections scheduled for March 20.
Three out of four Haitians were already distracted from taking part in the first round of elections in November, without Aristide’s presence. That was undoubtedly because Aristide’s party, Fanmi Lavalas, by far the most popular political grouping in the country, was prohibited from participating – also at the insistence of the Americans and the tiny Haitian elite with which they are allied.
Brazil silent
Brazil acts as rent-a-cop for the United Nations mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH, but WikiLeaks documents show the United States has pressured Brazil to use its influence with South Africa to keep Aristide’s feet planted firmly on African soil.
Brazil dearly wants to get a seat on the United Nations Security Council, and feels it cannot afford to make the Yankees angry.
South Africa claims it’s under no pressure from anybody, but then claims it has an obligation to consult "all the role-players to work out the ideal conditions for him to go back." Clearly, those "role-players" are the Americans and their French and Canadian co-conspirators.
Aristide’s lawyer says he will not attempt to leave South Africa without permission. Of course, if South Africa gave its blessing to an Aristide flight to Haiti, the U.S. would be forced to abandon the charade and give Aristide a yes or a no, in its own voice – which would expose Washington as the occupying power in Haiti. Gone would be all pretensions that the Americans favor Haitian democracy.
In hopes of putting the U.S. on the spot, a group of social activists, including Rev. Jesse Jackson, Danny Glover, Randall Robinson, Dick Gregory, and 11 others sent a letter to South African President Jacob Zuma.
No obstacles
The letter expressed hope that President Zuma "can assist the Aristides in making their transition as soon as possible." It said, "All the last remaining obstacles to the Aristides’ return have been removed," and expectations have been raised among Haitians that Aristide will soon arrive. But even Aristide’s lawyer, Ira Kurzban – who was wildly optimistic only a few weeks ago – seems resigned that Aristide won’t be going home any time soon.
So all the Haitian people have to look forward to is this month’s elections that they didn’t want anyway, for candidates that were essentially forced on them by the United States – an exercise that nobody but Americans believes has anything to do with democracy.
Glen Ford is executive editor of BlackAgendaReport.com. E-mail him at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com .
Breaking News
Sunny Bay ColaWHILE THE EX PRESIDENT LESLIE MANIGAT WAS ABUSIVE TO HIS FIRST WIFE “MARIE LUCIE CHANCY” BEATING HER AND PUSHING HER OUT FROM A SECOND FLOOR HOUSE SHE BECAME HANDICAPPED ON THIS INCIDENT
AT THE SAME TIME MADAME MIRLANDE MANIGAT WAS HAVING AN... AFFAIR WITH EX PRESIDENT LESLIE MANIGAT WHILE SHE WAS A STUDENT OF PROFESSOR LESLIE MANIGAT MARRIED WITH 5 KIDS
IS THAT BEING " IMMORAL " OR " OPPORTUNIST "
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MARIE LUCIE CHANCY
PROFESSEUR MARIE LUCIE CHANCY A 70 YEARS IN WHITE LESLIE MANIGAT 'S FIRST WIF...E.
PROFESSEUR MARIE LUCIE CHANCY A 70 ANS EN BLANC LESLIE MANIGAT PREMIERE FEMME.See More
Miley Cyrus hepls the death in Haiti
Teen superstar Miley Cyrus was humbled during a recent charity trip to Haiti after visiting children suffering from hearing disabilities.
The singer/actress travelled to the city of Port-Au-Prince in late February (11) with her mother, Tish, to see the relief efforts made by workers at her Get Ur Good On organisation, which she set up to encourage young people to get involved in philanthropy.
Volunteers have teamed up with aid workers at the Starkey Hearing Foundation to deliver hearing aids to survivors of the devastating earthquake which hit the region in January 2010, and Cyrus admits it was a real eye-opening experience to witness the progress first hand.
She tells People magazine, "It was an amazing experience to watch kids hear for the first time in their lives."
Right to contactmusic.com
Vickie Duval an Haitian hope
(CNN) -- Vickie Duval has been tipped to be the next Venus Williams, but tennis was the last thing on the teenager's mind when the devastating earthquake struck her native Haiti in 2010.
Duval's father, Jean-Maurice, had stayed home to run a medical practice while his daughter chased her dream of grand slam glory by living and training in the United States.
In the trail of devastation left by earthquake on January 12 last year, Jean-Maurice was trapped under the rubble of his home and business and feared that without urgent medical attention he would die.
"One morning we got a call from him and he was (trapped) under the house," his 15-year-old daughter recalled in an interview with CNN's Open Court.
"He was sort of giving us his last words and said to my mum, 'Tell the kids I love them.' Mum just collapsed on the floor, but she said, 'No, no, no, you are going to make it.' "
Within 10 years hopefully I will win a couple of grand slams -- 10 or so would be nice!
--Vickie Duval
--Vickie Duval
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Duval's father managed to escape from the ruins of his property, but was left with a shattered left arm, fractured vertebrae, five broken ribs and a punctured lung.
In the post-earthquake chaos, the medical attention he needed so urgently was just not available, and he knew his chances of survival were slim.
But some Good Samaritans came to the rescue.
Vickie had moved from the famous Nick Bollettieri academy in Florida to train in Atlanta for a spell.
Practicing in Georgia's capital, she had made friends with Ashley and Natalie Kitchen, whose family rallied around to mount a miracle rescue along with the help of their Norcross tennis club's officials.
Harry Kitchen, a real estate developer, paid $18,000 to charter a private plane to fly to Haiti and bring back Jean-Maurice.
While he has made a good recovery from his horrific injuries, he will be unable to work as a doctor again.
But acknowledging the family's financial plight, friends and colleagues of tennis guru Bollettieri have stepped forward to provide the funding necessary for Vickie to continue training at his academy.
Bollettieri, who helped greats such as Andre Agassi reach the top, has every confidence Duval can fulfil her vast potential.
"It looks like she will grow to between 6ft and 6ft 1in, built the same as Venus Williams. We are teaching her the total game," he told CNN.
Duval has always been one of the leading players in her respective age groups in the United States, but recently took her first tentative steps into senior ranks.
Playing at a WTA Challenger event in Michigan, she beat former top-50 player Mashona Washington in straight sets in the first round.
It earned her a few ranking points, but Duval is aiming much bigger and higher than that.
"Nick tells me a lot that I play like Venus, but I really idolize Kim Clijsters," she said of the three-time U.S. Open champion. "Within 10 years hopefully I will win a couple of grand slams -- 10 or so would be nice!"
No player from Haiti has ever reached that level, but former men's top-20 star Ronald Agenor put the poor Caribbean country on the tennis map with his exploits until he retired from the ATP Tour in 2002.
Bollettieri believes Duval has the inner steel required to compete against the best, despite her gentle personality.
"She's unusual because she's very humble out there, but underneath she's getting meaner," he said.
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40 wounded during the Haitian carnival this year
| Mercredi, 9 mars 2011 14:50 | ||
40 blessés lors du carnaval de cette année
Selon Monsieur leurbours, les agents de la PNH ont également procédé à l'arrestation de 8 individus pour des raisons diverses, lors de cette grand événement culturel, où la participation populaire a été diminuée considérablement, cette année. Par ailleurs, le porte-parole de l'institution policière a indiqué que deux policiers ont trouvé la mort durant la période carnavalesque, un à Martissant et l'autre à Saint Raphael, une commune du département du nord. Il précise, que la mort de ces policiers n'a rien à voir avec le carnaval, ils ont été tout simplement assassinés, par des bandits. Interrogé sur le dossier de l'assassinat de 3 jeunes qui collaient des photos de la Candidate du RDNP, Mirlande Manigat, le porte parole de la PNH confirme qu'ils ont été effectivement arrêtés par la Police Nationale, mais ils ont été par la suite relâchés, puis retrouvés morts. Il a fait remarquer que la Police vient d'ouvrir une enquête afin de déterminer l'implication ou non des agents de la PNH dans l'assassinat de ces trois jeunes. EJ/Radio Métropole Haïti | ||
Manigat, Martelly kept to script in rare debate for for Haiti presidency
PETIONVILLE, Haiti -- He reinforced his image as a political outsider ready to go to battle with the status-quo. She resisted his repeated attempts to paint her as part of the problem and not the solution.
With just 11 days to go before Haiti’s critical presidential elections, candidates Michel Martelly, a musician known as “Sweet Micky’’ and Mirlande Manigat, a professor and constitutional law expert, went head-to-head in a televised debate Wednesday hoping to distinguish themselves from the each other. Both right-leaning, the two are campaigning on similar platforms: education, national production, reestablishment of a Haitian military.
Supporters in each camp, who claimed victory, are hoping the debate will not just lead to a win March 20 but legitimacy after a first-round plagued by widespread fraud and disorganization.
“I thought it was great,’’ Karl Jean-Jeune, a blogger and Martelly supporter said following the debate, which was taped at the upscale Karibe hotel for TV and radio audiences Wednesday. “I think he was too aggressive, but he got his point of his leadership across. He came to reassure people who are with him, and bring along some people who were not on his side.’’
The debate comes on the heels of a poll by Haiti’s private sector showing that Martelly, 50, has moved ahead of Manigat, 70, as the candidate of choice among Haitian voters in what is being described as a tight race. Martelly, according to the poll by a local firm known by its acronym BRIDES, has 50.8 percent of the votes and Manigat, 46.2 percent. Some 3 percent say they are either undecided or will not vote for either candidate. The poll’s margin of error is 1.27 percent.
Manigat, who led in the first round, said she had not yet seen the poll, but said she was pleased with her performance and the debate despite Martelly’s “little attacks.’’
“I refused to respond,’’ she said.
Martelly dismissed the poll, saying that it was done by “a fervent supporter’’ of Manigat and that the real polling is in the streets. He believes his popularity far exceeds the poll’s results.
“There is a fever out there,’’ he said, referring to his candidacy.
Organizers of the debate say they believe it will have a decision-making impact on Haitian voters.
“The mentality in our culture is the people have to see the candidates, touch them, shake their hands,’’ said Robert Denis, one of the organizers. “The debate makes it possible for the people to see the candidate and see them against the person whom they oppose.’’
But for Haiti’s 4.7 million voters, Wednesday’s debate offered little about how the candidates’ policies will be funded, or their plan for dealing with a looming global fuel crisis once elected.
Instead, Martelly, appealing to his populist base, sought to rib Manigat, and at one point inaccurately depicted her as being a member of the U.S.-backed Gerard Latortue interim government that governed Haiti from 2004-2007. He continuously showed himself as a man who knows the true plight of the people, while repeatedly identifying her as part of the “system.’’
Manigat, a member of the opposition for 30 years, asked for civility. She also decried “the assassination’’ of three young people who mounted posters for her campaign. Their bullet-riddled bodies were found in the morgue, wearing her campaign T-shirt.
By Jacqueline Charles
jcharles@MiamiHerald.com
Source: Miami Herald
Haiti - i-Vote : Results fifth week second round
The office of i-Vote of HaitiLibre.com allows you to i-Vote today for the candidate of your choice. The i-Vote record a trend of Internet users. The results of this second week covers the period from Thursday, March 3 to Wednesday, March 9, 2011.
The i-Vote results of the third week for the second round of elections gives winning the candidateMichel Martelly.
Results for the week of March 3 to March 9, 2011:
Number of votes : 5,402
Michel Joseph Martelly "Repons peyizan" : 56.77% (3,067 votes)
Mirlande Hyppolite Manigat"Rassemblement des Démocrates Nationaux Progressistes (RDNP)" : 41.69% (2,252 votes)
White votes :1.54% (83 votes) .
sources: Haitilibre.com
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