Aristide arrives in Jamaica

[bemildred]

FORMER Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide arrived in Jamaica today, two weeks after fleeing
into exile in the Central African Republic, officials in the office of Jamaican Prime Minister Percival
Patterson said.

Huntley Medley, an official in Patterson's office, said a plane carrying Aristide had touched down at
Kingston's Norman Manley international airport.

The Courier Mail

[eablair3]

1. where's the media?

Where's CNN? Faux? CBS? NBC? NY Times? ... We have to learn about this from an Australian news source? Is there no live coverage on TV of Aristide's return to Jamaica? I wonder if any video of it will make it on to any TV newscast in the U.S.?

Actually, I heard on Democracy Now this morning where Juan Gonzalez reported that they had spoken to what I think he referred to as a Senior Editor at CNN about covering Aristide and his return, and CNN said "we're sitting this one out." You can hear the actual words of Juan Gonzalez' report at Democracy Now on today's report.

http://www.democracynow.org/index.pl

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/03/15/1615213

Edit - partial transcript:
According to Gonzalez of Democracy Now: "... Depsite the historic significance of this trip with Arisitde defying the warnings of the Bush Administration and returning to within 200 miles of his native Haiti, this has not been a major story in the corporate media. In fact, Democracy Now contacted CNN in an effort to get them to cover this story. A senior producer told us quote "we are going to stand down on this one." While most corporate media outlets are virtually ignoring this story, it is major news in Haiti and in the Carribean, and it is certainly being monitored very closely in Washington. The Jamaican government is bracing for the arrival of the Aristides. They're are deploying a large security operation. Aristide has not relinquished his office as President in Haiti, despite what the Bush Administration is saying."

Actually, I did see just now about a 5-second report on CNN Headline News with about 2-3 seconds of video of Aristide shaking hands with I assume Jamaican leader Patterson. A whole 5-seconds. Now, they can say that they didn't ignore it.

[Minstrel Boy]

3. CNN said "we're sitting this one out."

Naturally. Because for them, they've wrapped the story for US domestic consumption: good guys in, bad guys out, marines keeping the peace. Continuing to report on Haiti would threaten to unravel the chauvinistic lie.

[WillyT]

10. Looks Like They Gave It Some Site Time, Buy No Airtime !!!

Link: http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/03/15/haiti/

I guess if it doesn't appear on TV, it didn't happen???

:grr:

[David__77]

2. Good.

I'm glad he's not in Africa. He is a citizen of Haiti and why shouldn't he be allowed home. Clearly there is an illegal process going on.

[bobthedrummer]

5. Yes, plus he is the democratically elected President of Haiti.

[Ravy]

4. Did * threaten to pull his shiny new ads from CNN if they covered this?

This is unbelievable, even for CNN.

How are they going to ignore Haiti cutting off relations with Jamaica? Will they ever tell their listeners why?

[Kool Kitty]

6. Amy Goodman is on

CNN right now, describing the trip and arrival. (Amy Goodman is the host of "Democracy Now!", broadcast on Pacifica radio.)

[Minstrel Boy]

8. Good for Amy, and credit to CNN for letting her talk. n/t

[eablair3]

9. thanks. -- saw your post and am watching now.

They let her go on for a little while.

The pressure on CNN must have caused them devote some coverage to it.

Nice going Democracy Now.

[proud patriot]

7. I'm so glad they made it safe and sound to Jamaica

I was listening To Democracy Now this morning
recapping the weekends events .

[eablair3]

11. Pics

from yahoo - http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=574&ncid=721&e=1&u=/nm/20040315/wl_nm/haiti_dc



Ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, center, is welcomed by Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Trade Delano Franklin, left, while his wife Mildred Aristide looks on, upon their arrival to the Norman Manley International airport in Kingston, Jamaica, Monday, March 15, 2004. Aristide returned to the Caribbean from African exile on Monday after winning temporary asylum in Jamaica. (AP Photo)




Ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, second left, speaks to Jamaica's official broadcast service while his wife Mildred Aristide, second right, U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., right, and Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Trade Delano Franklin look on, upon Aristide's arrival to the Norman Manley International airport in Kingston, Jamaica, Monday, March 15, 2004. Aristide returned to the Caribbean from African exile after winning temporary asylum in Jamaica. (AP Photo)

[bemildred]

12. Maxine looks happy there.

At least now Aristide should be somewhat safe and able to
speak for himself.

[TankLV]

13. God bless Maxine.

She is a saint, IMHO.