Interview with Prime Minister Yvon Neptune

Kevin Pina of KPFA Flashpoints and Black Commentator, and Andrea Nicastro of the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, interviewed Prime Minister Yvon Neptune in his office at 9:00 a.m. EST today, Tuesday, March 2, 2004.

The following are relevant quotes from the interview:

1. "Even though I am the legal Prime Minister I am a prisoner in my office. That's a fact."

2. "The President called me a few hours before he was taken out of the country and told me, 'Where I am now, I am like a prisoner'"

3. "Whoever has allowed those armed bandits in the opposition to get into Haiti and to sow violence and death, they should be in the position to control them." Asked whether he was referring to the Bush administration the Prime Minister answered: "Statements were made asking the Haitian government to meet certain requirements so that the armed gangs would not be allowed to come into the capital. That statement was made. They wanted us to quiet the demonstrators asking for President Aristide to finish his term. They wanted us to force them to stand down and stop demanding new elections. They wanted that vast majority to remain quiet. They wanted us to tell them to sit down quietly and allow the coup machine to crush them.."

4. "Some in the international community don't want Haiti to become a democracy where the majority of the poor have a voice."

5. "The coup machine is in motion because the opposition knows they cannot win elections with President Aristide in the country."

6. "The resignation of the President is not constitutional because he did that under duress and threat."

6. "The chief of the Supreme court was brought here into my office by representatives of the international community. I was not invited or present when he was sworn in." It wasn't until well after this swearing in that Yvon Neptune was handed the "resignation letter" to read.

Port au Prince, Tuesday March 2, 2004 : Please attribute the authors and their respective news organizations when using.

Kevin Pina
Mar 2, 2004
Port au Prince, Haiti

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