It is also worth noting that these kidnappings have happened at a time when Lavalas was gearing up for a conference in December and Lovinsky was intending to run as a candidate in future. It also comes at a time when Haiti has fallen off the radar completely with even NDP politicians praising Canada's efforts in Haiti.

It's time to start reminding everyone that aid money is not achieving what it is supposed to in Haiti and that Canada is in part responsible for the conditions leading to these kidnappings. While the human rights violations elsewhere are condemned, the conditions in Haiti are ignored by both media and sitting politicians.

http://tinyurl.com/2fl8ut

quote:

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High-Profile abductions raise fears in Haiti
Port au Prince, Haiti - HIP — An official with ousted president Jean Bertrand Aristide's Lavalas political movement was abducted at gunpoint Saturday, October 27, 2007. Dr. Maryse Narcisse acted as spokesperson for exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and belongs to the five-member Executive Committee for Fanmi Lavalas. She was taken at gunpoint in front of her home in the area of Petion-Ville in Haiti's capital early Saturday evening.
Narcisse is the second high-profile figure of the Lavalas movement abducted in the past three months. Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine was last seen on the evening of Sunday, August 12, 2007 after meeting with a US human rights delegation visiting Haiti. He has not been heard from since. Mr. Pierre-Antoine was abducted shortly after he had announced his intention to file as a Lavalas candidate for the next round of parliamentary elections in Haiti.
Recent abductions have led to fear among Lavalas supporters that a campaign targeting their leadership has begun as they continue to organize for an upcoming convention to be held on December 16 in Port au Prince. That date commemorates the 17-year anniversary of Aristide's first election to Haiti's presidency in Dec.1990.

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[ 29 October 2007: Message edited by: mimeguy ]