livin42nite Posted February 28 Report Share Posted February 28 South African government officials on Saturday afternoon said they could not confirm or deny reports that the SA Air Force was to ship arms to Haiti to help the embattled government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.Safety and Security spokesperson Leslie Xinwa said he was in the dark about the reports and he could not reach the Minister (Charles Nqakula) who was attending a funeral in KwaZulu-Natal."I don't have any information on the matter. The Minister is attending a funeral in KwaZulu-Natal and his cellphone is off," Xinwa said.Spokesperson for foreign affairs, the national police and the SA National Defence Force referred all calls to the Ministry of Safety and Security.The Presidency and the Defence Ministry could not be reached for comment by 3pm on Saturday.The Beeld newspaper reported in its Saturday edition that an SA Air Force Boeing was expected to fly to Haiti on Tuesday with a cargo of 150 R1 rifles and 5 000 bullets. A total of 200 bullet-proof jackets would form part of the shipment which would be sent to the Aristide government. The newspaper said it could not obtain any official confirmation of the report.Meanwhile, Tony Leon, the Democratic Alliance leader, said the planned shipment could be a violation of the National Conventional Arms Control Act. In a speech made at the launch of his party's provincial manifesto in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday he said the arms transfer had to be stopped.Leon said that given the brutal track record of the Aristide regime in suppressing dissent, it was likely the South African arms shipment would be used "to ill purpose"."We cannot even find enough bullet-proof vests to protect our own police at home, and yet we are spending millions of rand, on top of the R25-million we have already spent, to send bullet-proof vests to protect the rogue regime of Aristide."This shipment of arms could be a violation of the National Conventional Arms Control Act, which stipulates that arms shipments should 'avoid contributing to internal repression, including the systematic violation or suppression of human rights and fundamental freedoms; [and] avoid transfers of conventional arms to governments that systematically violate or suppress human rights and fundamental freedoms'."The arms transfer to Haiti must be stopped," he said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobeton Posted February 28 Author Report Share Posted February 28 the rebels control half country, and yes I am aware they don't control the capital. What is stopping them from protesting right now? maybe they are a bit too busy looting, to really care about the civil war occurring around them. Take a look at the pictures on the wire services. I see lots of looting and not many celebrations; unless looting is a new form of celebration. I guess you’ll say those are Aristide supporters looting. As a point of information :†the O.A.S. adopted a resolution underscoring its firm support for the government of the President of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, in its efforts to restore public order by constitutional means.†The Council called on the government “to fulfill all commitments and adhere to the timeframes outlined in the CARICOM initiative, including commitments arising from relevant resolutions of the OAS†..so maybe your right the O.A.S. should step up to the plate.you had the financial means to leave Haiti, and express your dislike for the current government in the comfort of the US... the vast majority of folks, back in your homeland don't have that luxury... let's hope no more lives are lost… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livin42nite Posted February 28 Report Share Posted February 28 Originally posted by sobeton the rebels control half country, and yes I am aware they don't control the capital. What is stopping them from protesting right now? maybe they are a bit too busy looting, to really care about the civil war occurring around them. Take a look at the pictures on the wire services. I see lots of looting and not many celebrations; unless looting is a new form of celebration. I guess you’ll say those are Aristide supporters looting. As a point of information :” the O.A.S. adopted a resolution underscoring its firm support for the government of the President of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, in its efforts to restore public order by constitutional means.” The Council called on the government “to fulfill all commitments and adhere to the timeframes outlined in the CARICOM initiative, including commitments arising from relevant resolutions of the OAS” ..so maybe your right the O.A.S. should step up to the plate.you had the financial means to leave Haiti, and express your dislike for the current government in the comfort of the US... the vast majority of folks, back in your homeland don't have that luxury... let's hope no more lives are not lost… The looting outside of the capital is under control now, it is in the capital that the majority of the looting is going on right now. Why cause nobody is stopping them. It's easy for you to sit there and have your beliefs because you have not lived through the ordeal that the haitian people have and are seeing the situation in a different light. You can read millions of articles, but one day in Haiti in the situation right now would change your world and point of view. Your right I did have the financial means to leave Haiti, but that is not something that should be held against me. If i had the choice I would be in Haiti right now, flights are cancelled to Haiti and the rest of my family is down there aside from some of the women. Since I spend about half the year in the US I tend to be more active here in terms of getting footage from haiti to media outlets and thats the reason why I have not left the US yet all year round. I have my role in helping out and its not in Haiti. My financial means does not mean squat here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livin42nite Posted February 29 Report Share Posted February 29 Add Canada to the growing list of countries asking him to step down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobeton Posted February 29 Author Report Share Posted February 29 Originally posted by livin42nite The looting outside of the capital is under control now, it is in the capital that the majority of the looting is going on right now. Why cause nobody is stopping them. It's easy for you to sit there and have your beliefs because you have not lived through the ordeal that the haitian people have and are seeing the situation in a different light. You can read millions of articles, but one day in Haiti in the situation right now would change your world and point of view. Your right I did have the financial means to leave Haiti, but that is not something that should be held against me. If i had the choice I would be in Haiti right now, flights are cancelled to Haiti and the rest of my family is down there aside from some of the women. Since I spend about half the year in the US I tend to be more active here in terms of getting footage from haiti to media outlets and thats the reason why I have not left the US yet all year round. I have my role in helping out and its not in Haiti. My financial means does not mean squat here. we can argue about this until the sun shines. I have not walked in your shoes; however that does not prevent me from drawing conclusions based on what I seen and read. there are two sides to every story, and clearly that applies to this situation. my concern is to see an end to this mess and for Haiti to prosper and be able to stand on it's own accord. in that regard I think we are both on the same page. we should both be hoping for a peaceful resolution to this matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livin42nite Posted February 29 Report Share Posted February 29 And out he is today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobeton Posted February 29 Author Report Share Posted February 29 so the questions which are unanswered. what effect will this have on Haiti? will this change anything in Haiti? will the US continue its biased Haitian refugee policy?additionally, I fear for the people that supported Aristide, who are still there. will they become the subject of, the same brutality of which Aristide is accused of? now his opponents have gotten what they want. we will see if that changes anything. I remain cautiously optimistic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmatas2277 Posted March 1 Report Share Posted March 1 Originally posted by sobeton so the questions which are unanswered. what effect will this have on Haiti? will this change anything in Haiti? will the US continue its biased Haitian refugee policy?additionally, I fear for the people that supported Aristide, who are still there. will they become the subject of, the same brutality of which Aristide is accused of? now his opponents have gotten what they want. we will see if that changes anything. I remain cautiously optimistic... this is the story of Haiti...but i will tell u this...whatever the outcome, right now Haiti CANNOT get any worse...those people live in extreme poverty...my prayers are with Haiti and their people...i know the Cuban Exhile Community is always on their side for a free Haiti.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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