Ex-dictator back in Haiti

This video is called ‘Baby Doc’ Duvalier Back in Haiti After Exile.

The return of Jean-Claude Duvalier to Haiti increases the chances he could be charged with atrocities committed during his dictatorship, the UN human rights office said today: here.

However, so far the bloody ex-dictator walks around as a free man in occupied Haiti … while democratically elected, but “too Leftist” for United States rulers’ tastes, President Aristide cannot return to Haiti after his abduction by US soldiers, and his political party cannot participate in elections.

After questioning him for hours, police escort former dictator Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier from his hotel: here.

Haitian authorities arrested Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier Tuesday, barely two days after the former dictator flew back to the country after a quarter of a century in exile: here. See also here. And here. And here. And here.

Ginger Thompson, The New York Times New Service: “Days after Haitians watched an exiled dictator come home, a former president issued a statement on Wednesday that fueled rumors that he, too, was angling to return. The former president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a onetime priest of the slums who became Haiti‘s first democratically elected president, said he was prepared to return home ‘today, tomorrow and at any time.’ Mr. Aristide was ousted in 2004 in the midst of growing unrest and under intense pressure from the United States”: here.

Haiti’s government has said it is ready to issue a new passport to Jean-Bertrand Aristide, former president, to allow him to return to his country after almost seven years in exile in South Africa: here.

Ryan Stock, Truthout: “‘A fabulous Easter gift,’ commented Monsanto Director of Development Initiatives Elizabeth Vancil. Nearly 60,000 seed sacks of hybrid corn seeds and other vegetable seeds were donated to post-earthquake Haiti by Monsanto. In observance of World Environment Day, June 4, 2010, roughly 10,000 rural Haitian farmers gathered in Papaye to march seven kilometers to Hinche in celebration of this gift. Upon arrival, these rewarded farmers took their collective Easter baskets of more than 400 tons of vegetable seeds and burned them all. ‘Long live the native maize seed!’ they chanted in unison. ‘Monsanto‘s GMO [genetically modified organism] and hybrid seed violate peasant agriculture!'” See here.

Cassandra Anderson, MORPHcity: “Farmers like genetically modified (GM) crops because they can plant them, spray them with herbicide and then there is very little maintenance until harvest. Farmers who plant Monsanto’s GM crops probably don’t realize what they bargain for when they sign the Monsanto Technology Stewardship Agreement contract. One farmer reportedly ‘went crazy’ when he discovered the scope of the contract because it transfers ALL liability to the farmer or grower”: here.

Mike Ludwig, Truthout: “A coalition of farmers and environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on March 18 to challenge the agency’s recent decision to fully deregulate Monsanto’s Roundup Ready alfalfa. This is the second time the USDA has been sued over its approval of Roundup Ready alfalfa, which is genetically engineered (GE) to tolerate glyphosate, a popular herbicide commonly sold under the Monsanto brand name Roundup. The latest lawsuit, filed by groups like the Center for Food Safety (CFS) and the National Family Farm Coalition, opens a new chapter in the five-year battle over the GE alfalfa seed developed by Monsanto and Forage Genetics”: here.

“Miami Rice”: The Business of Disaster in Haiti. Beverly Bell and Tory Field, Truthout: “As we file this article, Port-au-Prince is thick with gunfire and the smoke of burning tires. Towns throughout the country and the national airport are shut down due to demonstrations. Many are angry over the government’s announcement Tuesday night reporting which two presidential candidates made the run-offs: Jude Celestin, from the widely hated ruling party of President Rene Preval, and the far-right Mirlande Manigat. The announcement betrays another obvious manipulation of what had already been a brazenly fraudulent election. A democratic vote is one more thing that has been taken from the marginalized Haitian majority, compounding their many losses since the earthquake of January 12”: here.

The US deported 27 Haitian nationals last Thursday, resuming forced repatriations to the devastated country a year after the massive earthquake of January 2010: here.

USA : The return of Aristide would be “an unfortunate distraction”: here.

Washington warned former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide on Wednesday not to return from exile ahead of next month’s presidential election: here.

Authorities Search/Copy US Journalist’s Notes, Computer/Cameras After Returning From Haiti: here.

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