The Freedom, Identity and Socialism Collective:
“Aristide must go, but we don’t want the return of the Army”
Port-au-Prince, 4 December 2002 [AlterPresse] — The
Freedom, Identity and Socialism Collective (Le Collectif
Socialisme Identité et Liberté – SIL) is taking a position in
favour of the resignation of President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide, but against any possible leader who has
contributed to the establishment of “the structure of
violence” in Haiti.
In its press release sent to AlterPresse, the Collective
states that Aristide has destoyed the country and must
leave. It also condemns “all the violence in the country
created or encouraged by Aristide.”
However, the press release states, “we don’t want
any leader who has contributed to the establishment
of the current structure of violence. We want nothing
to do with the return of the Army.”
The SIL Collective opts for “a government based on
a political accord in order to launch a process to
build the nation.” According to the Collective, this
government should promote partnerships leading to
unity, peace, justice, and progress in regard to the
identity of the Haitian people.
This government should apply a “national emergency
plan to save the national heritage and promote
participatory democracy,” states the Collective, which
hopes for the “solidarity” of the international community.
During a visit to the south of the country on 4 December,
in Aux Cayes President Aristide reconfirmed that he
would not leave power before the end of his mandate.
“Not one day more, not one day less”, he said.
The day after government supporters violently dispersed
anti-government demonstrators in Port-au-Prince, the
Organisation of American States referred to the OAS
Resolution 822 which sees a solution in elections throughout the
country.
The violence on 3 December, during
which a dozen people were injured, was also
condemned by the Haitian human rights organisations
which encouraged the continuation of a mobilisation in
support of justice and respect for human rights..
A strike call launched by the opposition parties and the
private sector to protest against the events of 3 December
was partially respected. Big businesses, banks and schools
stayed closed, but traffic flows were more or less the
same as usual, and small shops and street traders didn’t
stop work.
[gp apr 04/12/02 20:02]
(translated from French by Charles Arthur for the Haiti Support Group)
(Web note: A sentence with an incorrect quote of a statement by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees has been deleted from this translation to avoid confusion.)