POLITICAL LEADER DENOUNCES US PLAN TO ARREST ARISTIDE AND GUY PHILIPPE
(Defend Haiti) -
PORT-AU-PRINCE - The leader of the Unity of Democratic Convention (KID) political party, Evans Paul, denounced on Saturday, March 24th, a plan by foreign countries including the United States, to arrest and extradite former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and former rebel leader Guy Philippe.
Speaking at a rally to mark the 26th anniversary of his party, Evans Paul stated that former President Rene Preval signed an agreement on October 17th 1997 with the U.S. Secretary of State at the time, Madeleine Albright, allowing Washington to intervene directly into Haiti to track down drug traffickers.
"I solemnly call upon the parliament to denounce this agreement, giving the US the right to arrest people in Haiti," uttered Evans Paul, who addressed hundreds of supporters and KID sympathizers gathered at a nightclub in Port-au-Prince.
"I'm not for impunity, but I find it inconceivable that the United States can come and arrest a Haitian citizen in Haiti while there is no reciprocity," noted Vans Paul.
The former mayor of Port-au-Prince and candidate for president added that, it "is not for foreigners, but the Haitian institutions, to restore order in the country."
Several former employees of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, or senior officials of his administration, in recent years have been extradited, tried, and convicted in the United States for drug trafficking.
The former Lavalas President, who returned to Port-au-Prince a year ago, after seven years of exile in South Africa, lives in the strictest confidence and is regularly the subject of rumors of lawsuits.
As for the former rebel leader, Guy Philippe, who had contributed to his overthrow in 2004, he escaped several joint operations of the U.S. Agency Drug (DEA) and the Haitian police, and practically lives in hiding.
During the celebration of the anniversary of KID, Evans Paul, also emphasized the key role of the parties in strengthening democracy, and stressed the importance for the population to favor good policy choices.
Several political figures, including the leader of the Rally of Progressive National Democrats (RDNP), Mirlande Manigat, a defeated candidate in last presidential elec tions, former Prime Minister Rosny Smarth of the Organization of Struggling People (OPL), and Professor Victor Benoit of Fusion of Social Democrats, welcomed the continued presence in the struggle for democracy by the activist Evans Paul, who was repeatedly jailed and tortured under the dictatorship of Jean-Claude Duvalier and the military.
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