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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=515135119-10022011><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>What distortions our media practices! The NYT et al, not
FAIR, of course. Lee</FONT></SPAN></DIV><BR>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> FAIR [mailto:fair@fair.org]
<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, February 10, 2011 1:44 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
leeloe@igc.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Duvalier = Aristide?<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
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<H3 style="COLOR: red"><SPAN class=communique_category>Media
Advisory</SPAN></H3>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: xx-large"><B><SPAN
class=main_headline>Duvalier = Aristide?</SPAN></B></SPAN><B><BR></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: large"><B><SPAN class=sub_headline>Equation of dictator
with popular ex-president distorts Haitian history,
reality</SPAN></B></SPAN><SPAN class=sub_headline><BR></SPAN><BR><SPAN
class=date>2/10/11</SPAN><BR><BR><SPAN class=published-content-body>It was
certainly surprising to see former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier
return to the country on January 16. To say he has blood on his hands is
an understatement: The Duvalier regimes were responsible for tens of
thousands of deaths and widespread torture (Human Rights Watch, <A
title=""
href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=S3eSDWx%2BFmCn6NK4UPIEr2x%2BZIYcrKcV"
target=_blank>1/17/11</A>), and stole half a billion dollars from the
country (<B>Miami Herald</B>, <A
href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=JRMFq6fEo1xT2AFOs15E72x%2BZIYcrKcV">1/17/11</A>).<BR><BR>Soon
thereafter, former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide announced his
intention to return to his country from exile. Aristide, twice elected and
twice overthrown by coups, remains a popular figure in Haitian politics.
His first stint in office was remarkably peaceful (<B><SPAN
class=media_outlet>Extra!</SPAN></B>, <A title=""
href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ZmsjloPxEG%2FFu474MbzHZGx%2BZIYcrKcV"
target=_blank>11-12/94</A>); his second, during which he faced armed
attacks that eventually succeeded in overthrowing his government, was
scarcely more violent (<B><SPAN class=media_outlet>Extra!</SPAN></B>, <A
title=""
href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=9HqmJm7yZi5zsh9Q8ss6mGx%2BZIYcrKcV"
target=_blank>7-8/06</A>). But some media accounts are expressing concern
about Aristide's return, in effect equating him with the bloody
Duvalier.<BR><BR><B><SPAN class=media_outlet>USA Today</SPAN>
</B>columnist DeWayne Wickham wrote a piece on <A title=""
href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=0Z%2FrT52lukPKZ2NHwqeksDOVP61krr72"
target=_blank>February 8</A> headlined "U.S. Meekly Allows Despots to
Return to Haiti." Wickham recounted some of the horrors of Duvalier's
reign of terror, but for some unfathomable reason decided that Aristide
poses a comparable menace to Haiti: His return might "push Haiti closer to
turmoil," and the two of them are "old troublemakers...returning at a time
when Haiti's democracy is most vulnerable to the havoc they almost
certainly will produce."<BR><BR>Wickham seemed mostly concerned about
democracy:<BR></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN class=published-content-body>
<DIV class=sideindent style="MARGIN-LEFT: 40px">With another round of
voting scheduled for March 20, the thing Haiti needs more than anything
else now is a level of stability and calm. But what it's likely to get
once Aristide returns--and once he and Duvalier rally their old supporters
to their side--will be a return to the bloody factionalism that punctuated
their time at the helm of Haiti's government.</DIV></SPAN>
<P></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><SPAN class=published-content-body>It might be
worth pointing out that Aristide's Lavalas party--still enormously
popular--was banned from participating in last year's election, which as a
result had the lowest turnout of any election held in the Western
Hemisphere in the last 60 years (<B>Sun <SPAN
class=media_outlet>Sentinel</SPAN></B>, <A title=""
href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Z6PRkFCo9U0ip9X%2BIkCv7mx%2BZIYcrKcV"
target=_blank>1/23/11</A>).<BR><BR>The Duvalier = Aristide equation could
be seen elsewhere. A <B><SPAN class=media_outlet>New York Times</SPAN></B>
report (<A title=""
href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ws1A1UUmbN%2FyQgAjM8quzmx%2BZIYcrKcV"
target=_blank>2/9/11</A>) by Damien Cave warned that "experts inside and
outside Haiti fear that the presence of the two former leaders could
further destabilize the country." The <B><SPAN
class=media_outlet>Times</SPAN> </B>went on to note that "members of the
international community expressed concern that Mr. Aristide...could create
widespread instability at a precarious moment." The story does note that
Aristide was "beloved by the poor but criticized by many." Given that 80
percent of Haitians live under the poverty line (CIA World Factbook, <A
title=""
href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=b5kXeaFOhVa71FVv0%2BBHxmx%2BZIYcrKcV"
target=_blank>1/12/11</A>), it's hard to know what to make of
that.<BR><BR>A short <B><SPAN class=media_outlet>L.A. Times</SPAN></B>
piece (<A title=""
href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=tUlFaQZGarNvqkDscXvbZWx%2BZIYcrKcV"
target=_blank>2/8/11</A>) conveyed a similar message: Aristide "has broad
popular support but remains a polarizing figure in Haiti." That article
also equated Duvalier and Aristide, reporting that "the return of the two
former leaders comes at an unsteady moment for the country."<BR><BR>One
would hope reporters could find a way to make a meaningful distinction
between a ruthless, bloody dictator and a popular elected president. It's
absurd to lump them together as "two former leaders" or, as the <B><SPAN
class=media_outlet>USA Today</SPAN></B> headline put it, "despots."
</SPAN></P>
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