3 novembre 2000
The national committee of the OPL energetically condemns the assassination attempt in Hinche on November 2 against Chavanne Jean Baptiste, leader of the Peasant Movement of Papaye and a member of the national committee of our organization. Although he survived this attempt, his brother, Dieugrand Jean Baptiste, was gravely wounded. In this armed attack on the participants of a peaceful meeting a number of people were wounded. The home of Hébert Chéristin, the director of the Democratic Concertation party (Espace de Concertation) in the Central Plateau, was burnt as were many cars of the MPP.
These acts of violence by heavily armed bandits are part of the escalation of violence launched by the Fanmi Lavalas with the aim of opening the way to the imposed presidency of Jean Bertrand Aristide. These attacks reflect the intolerance of the Lavalas power and its intent to impose its will by terror. At the same time as the Haitian people await a negotiated end to the crisis, the Lavalas power, panicked by the blocking of their forcible electoral coup by the OPL and the other forces of the Democratic Convergence, is threatening all democrats, all those who do not approve of its methods including certain of its own supporters.
Time to say no to the dictatorship and reign of violence.