Clinton 's 'silence ' challenged in Haiti : TEST IMC

Bill Clinton arrived in Port au Prince on Monday to assume his post as the new special UN Envoy to Haiti amid much fanfare in the press. Jonathan Katz of the Associated Press (AP) wrote, "Bill Clinton aims to refocus international attention on this Caribbean country's deep economic problems and environmental decay during his first visit as the United Nations' special envoy to Haiti."

Clinton stated at UN headquarters in New York prior to his departure, "Haiti, notwithstanding the total devastation wreaked by the four storms last year, has the best chance to escape the darker aspects of its history in the 35 years that I have been going there." Clinton continued, "[Haiti is safer today] because of the work of the United Nations peacekeeping and police forces. No effort like that is without controversy and incident, but they have basically done a good job. I was there in the streets of Cite Soleil. I saw the children walking without fear."

The ‘controversy and incident' referred to by Mr. Clinton stems from accusations of UN involvement in human rights abuses and their oversight of the Haitian police as the force committed summary executions and widespread false arrests following Aristide's ouster in 2004. More importantly, it may betray some recognition on Clinton's part that the day he chose for his debut in Haiti was also the fourth anniversary of what is alleged to be a massacre committed by UN forces in the teaming seaside slum of Cite Soleil.

On July 6, 2005 the residents of Cite Soleil were the objects of a full military assault by UN forces. It resulted in over 27,000 rounds being fired in a raid on the pro-Aristide slum ordered by Brazilian General Heleno Ribera. By the time the gun smoke cleared it revealed a nightmare of blood and screams as people bled to death in close-knit tin roof houses, small alleys and narrow roadways in Cite Soleil.

FULL ARTICLE: http://haitiaction.net/News/HIP/7_7_9/7_7_9.html