=?x-unknown?q?16174=3A__Karshan=3A__=5BISO-8859-1=5D_Cit=E9_S?==?x-unknown?q?oleil_residents_speak_about_the=5BISO-8859-1=5D_?==?x-unknown?q?_Group_of_184_=28L'Union=29_HSG_translation_?==?x-unknown?q?=28fwd=29?=

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com

Note from the Haiti Support Group - London:

Haiti: Cité Soleil residents speak about the Group of 184 (Haiti Support
Group)

On 12 July violence flared in the Port-au-Prince slum area of Cité Soleil
when representatives of the new civil society organisation, the Group of 184, led
by businessman, Andre Apaid, were prevented from holding a meeting by
rock-throwing supporters of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Three police officers
were hurt, including one who was shot. Dozens of other people in the crowd
sustained minor injuries.

In the days that followed, the violence was condemned by ambassadors,
diplomats, human rights organisations and opposition political parties. Convergence
leaders said the incidents were futher proof of the impossibility of holding
free and fair elections. These statements dominated the Haitian media for over a
week but only the government newspaper, L'Union, thought to ask residents of
Cité Soleil for their opinion. Two short interviews, translated from French
[translated by the Haiti Support Group], are posted below:

L’UNION- As a resident of Cité Soleil how do you explain the incidents that
occured last Saturday during the visit of the Group of 184?

Resident - We saw that the Group of 184 - they have another name: Caravan of
Hope - came here. Those of us from the area, we are observers. We observed
that they came, and numerous militants gave them a hostile reception. They threw
stones and hurled abuse. That's what we observed.

L’UNION - How do you explain the attitude of these Cité Soleil people towards
these others who say they were bringing a social contract?
RESIDENT - It's clear enough, they don't want these people here.

L’UNION - Why this rejection, this hatred?
RESIDENT - You know very well that the large majority of people who live here
understand the political game. We know very well that these people who are
rich, hate us the people of Cité Soleil. They want to use us to get power, but
we, the people of Cité Soleil, know what is really going on. In spite of the
indifference of some leaders of the current government, we know that nothing
good would come for us if the opposition came to power.

L’UNION - But they say they bring a social contract, shouldn't you listen to
it?
RESIDENT - How can we believe in these people. They always crushed us with
Haitian Army, especially at the time of the coup d'etat of September 30, 1991.
They realise that we are an important constituency. They know how we vote at
election time. That is why they treat us like us like "chimè". According to one
estimate, Cité Soleil has approximately one million inhabitants, so, if you
have Cité Soleil, you can be certain of winning the elections without even
campaigning.

L’UNION - Are you saying that you don't believe in these people who say they
are bringing you hope?
RESIDENT - We don't believe. Who are they, these bourgeois, these mulattoes?
They are the people who root us in misfortune. It is them who killed
Dessalines. They do not work for our benefit, but for their profit and that of the
whites with green eyes. Beaulieu always said that there mulattos and
"mulatrailles". For me these people are "mulatrailles". Why don't they give an opinion on
the terrorist acts committed by their allies in the Central Plateau? They kill
the children of the people like dogs. What do want me to think?...what do want
to make me think? We are not animals, we are human beings.

L’UNION - I don't want you to think anything!
RESIDENT - According to what I have seen on television, these people have an
armed force - the Citizens' Protection Force -  which carries out
assassinations. One of them, his face covered, clearly expressed the intention of this
Citizens' Protection Force to use arms against the people and the constitutional
government of Haiti. You don't need to question me - we know where these
people are coming from.

Second interview

L'UNION- What is your reaction to the incidents on Saturday in Cité Soleil?

RESIDENT - We, those of us from the Cité, we are the victims. In spite of the
terrible circumstances in which we live, we are still committed. If these
people come to power..well...we will not be able to run away and hide. In 1991,
we took to the mountains, but today the Group of 184 would not leave us any
chance. They came to send us to sleep so that afterwards they'll be able to
massacre us. They want us to rise up against Aristide, so that then they can sort
us out later. We are aware of this reality. We are not animals, but we are
exploited, scorned, and insulted.

We understand very well this plot that they weave against Aristide and
against us. We say we are wounded but they will never look after the wound. On the
contrary, they always look to make it worse. We have seen what's happened. When
certain militants gave the Group of 184 a lesson they deserved, we understood
that they are aware and they have good memories. The Group 184 must know that
they have no right to provoke us on our territory. We reject their poisonous
social contract. We say to them 'give up your provocation'. We don't need
them. Some unaware individuals introduced the Group of 184 into Cité Soleil
against the will of the large majority of the inhabitants. We say with all our
determination, if they touch a hair on Aristide's head, the country will be turned
into a blazing inferno.

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