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The Haitian
diaspora has been buzzing with similar reports
by Pierre Labossiere
Marguerite (Laurent, who wrote the story Lapan is disputing) made at least
two phone calls to Haiti that I know of regarding this story and spoke
to participants in the May 18 demonstration who provided her the info
that she so movingly reported. I was also provided similar information
by others on the ground.
That there could be such close collaboration between the U.S. Marines
and death squad killers in Haiti who have been integrated into the Haitian
police by U.S. occupation authorities is in itself odious and criminal.
That peaceful demonstrators running for their lives under automatic gunfire
could not differentiate between self-styled "peacekeepers" and their protÈgÈs,
the "new and improved" death squad police force, is very revealing of
the repressive realities of this occupation.
Let us not forget the consistent denunciations by the people of Haiti
of the actions of the U.S. occupation forces, from the kidnapping of President
Aristide, raids and killings particularly in poor neighborhoods greatly
supportive of President Aristide, the brutal arrest of Sò Anne
and other Lavalas members, to the hostility and menacing attitude of the
U.S. military in open collaboration with the Haitian police moments before
the May 18 shootings, in their combined attempt to break up a legally
permitted demonstration.
Let the U.S. occupation forces convince those who had witnessed their
collaboration with their protègès, the death squad police,
and were too panic-stricken, fleeing for their lives, to be mindful of
the "division of labor" between U.S. forces and their protègès
on this tragic day as to who actually fired on this unarmed crowd. Reports
by several participants I spoke with who were still in shock clearly mentioned
both U.S. forces and the Haitian police. The Haitian diaspora has been
buzzing with similar reports.
Pierre Labossiere is a native of Haiti and a founding member of the
Haiti Action Committee, www.haitiaction.net. |
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