IPS relies upon biased journalist
to obscure facts

This news analysis is brought to you by Haiti News Watch (HNW)

Analysis:

Jane Regan was NOT present on September 30th when police were reported to have fired on unarmed demonstrators. Despite her absence, Regan writes her opinions based on second-hand testimony and presents them as factual reporting of events.

Infraction: biased reporting, commentary posing as fact

Article Title:

HAITI: Must 'Important History of Violence' Repeat?

Jane Regan

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Oct 22 URL: http://www.ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=25982

News Organization(s):

IPS-Inter Press Service International Association Via Panisperna, 207 00184 Rome Italy Email: headquarters@ips.org, editors@ipsnews.net Tel: +3906 485692 Fax: +3906 4817877

Quotation:

The violence erupted Sep. 30, the 13th anniversary of the military-led coup d'état against President Jean-Bertrand Aristide (during his first interrupted term in office). When several hundred people demonstrated to demand his return, police clashed with marchers. When it was over, three or four policemen and perhaps an equal number of demonstrators were dead.

While nobody can be sure who fired first, the rancour behind the carnage was clear. The headless bodies of three policemen were later found and men claiming allegiance to Aristide announced that "Operation Baghdad" (after the beheadings and other violent murders committed by insurgents in the U.S.-occupied nation) would continue until the president returned to the National Palace.

Omissions:

Haiti mob violence overwhelms peace force
Sibylla Brodzinsky and agencies Saturday October 16, 2004 The Guardian

The latest upsurge in violence began on September 30 when Aristide supporters marked the anniversary of the 1991 military coup against him. Police reportedly killed two demonstrators.

Haiti Vows Crackdown on Anniversary of End of Coup
Fri Oct 15, 2004 06:57 PM ET By Joseph Guyler Delva PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters)

A pro-Aristide rally in the capital on Sept. 30 sparked two weeks of violence after police shot at demonstrators.

UN/Brazilian Troops stand-by as Haitian police provoke violence
October 1, 2004 Haiti Information Project Port au Prince, Haiti (HIP)

As the demonstration passed a street leading to the National Penitentiary, heavily armed units of the police SWAT team opened fire without warning on the crowd. People panicked and scattered in all directions knocking over goods of the local market place women in an effort to seek cover from the gunfire.
(see photo of crowd at: http://www.haitiaction.net/News/HIP/10_1_4.html)

Regarding Regan's rendering of "Operation Baghdad" also see:

HNW report:

"Operation Baghdad" brought to you by AP Oct 3

===== Haiti News Watch (HNW) is an independent organization dedicated to fact checking news sources related to coverage of events in Haiti. Our reports and analysis of news content is intended to provide readers with story context and the background of sources used in published articles related to Haiti.