HIP News Flash Oct 31, Noon: One Lavalas official freed in Haiti, second remains missing

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.

For more information on this story please tune into Flashpoints at Pacifica on ~~Monday, October 29~~ NOTE CHANGE Tuesday, October 30 at 5 PM PST — Flashpoints can be heard via the internet at www.flashpoints.net