European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 19, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 the stars and stripes showdown in Haiti i monday september 19,1994media blackout reportedly urged by Howard Kurtz Washington Post Washington the Clinton administration initially pushed to impose a news blackout during the first six or eight hours of the planned invasion of Haiti but the White House backed off from the idea saturday network and administration officials said. Administration and military officials told network executives Friday that the administration wanted an initial mandatory blackout to protect the lives of . Forces. A a. But in a meeting with network executives saturday administration officials agreed to accept a voluntary embargo on the broadcasting of sensitive pictures for one hour after military forces arrive in Haiti. The television executives agreed to withhold for one hour any footage that would disclose the location of troop landings because of the background or other landmarks. The 80-minute meeting included state department Counselor David Gurgen White House press Secretary Dee Dee Myers Marine corps it. Gen. John j. Sheehan director of operations for the joint chiefs of staff defense department spokesman Dennis r. Boxx and the Washington Bureau chiefs of Abc lbs Abc and can. They were joined in a conference Call by other network officials including in no a president Tom Johnson. A senior administration official said Only a minority of White House and state department officials a but not Gergen or defense department officials a wanted a longer blackout calling it a a negotiating position in an attempt to obtain concessions from the networks. A that is not our proposal at All a Myers said of the blackout plan. She acknowledged however that it had been it s been riches to rags by Peter Hillmore London observer service Cannes France a mama Doc was angry. No her son was not at. Home be was in Paris he was in Nice he did no to live Here anyway. A leave him alone. Go she waved a frail in the air to silence a Barking Pekinese dog. A a he a done no her concern was touching. What docs to matter if her son was a despot so Long As he loves his Mother but even her maternal loyalty must be stretched to the limit at the moment. Her son who was at Home is not keeping her in the style to which she was accustomed. Duvalier there was a time when she could have had journalists murdered for impertinence and now she has to wheedle and plead. Simone Ovid Duvalier is the 82-year-old widow of papa Doc the ruthless dictator who once tyrannize and terrorized Haiti but was never threatened with an american invasion. He kept her in palaces and diamonds. On a recent morning she was sweeping her front step because the family has no servants anymore no palaces and no diamonds. Her son baby Doc Jean Claude Duvalier a also the dictator of Haiti for 17 years has lost them All. Since he arrived in the port of Cannes from port a Prince in 1986, the family a fabulous wealth has vanished. There was a Small car in the drive As the pair can no longer afford a big one a a local dealer refused to sell baby Doc a Mercedes unless he paid Cash. For seven years the Pudgy 42-year old spent his time watching videos Reading dirty magazines chasing Beautiful women driving fast cars and eating in expensive restaurants. Now he has Cut Down on excess and can Only afford to watch videos and read dirty magazines. This is a situation that Well May interest it. Gen. Raoul Cidras. Cedras should Start his fact finding at no. 956, Boulevard de super Cannes. The address is a Good one High in the Hills above the town in a Road full of Large and expensive Villas with High Walls and electronic Gates. But not 956, the present Home of the Duvalier. A the House is Small the wire Fence broken and the Garden unkempt. Simone Duvalier had to come to the door because the intercom is broken. She also had to come to the door because the Telephone has been Cut off. Indoors there is a pile of unpaid Bills from lawyers from previous landlords from local shopkeepers. The family retainers Are no longer retained no bodyguards no Cooks no servants except for one Loyal pakistani. It was not always like this for the Duvalier. It is just that after years of ripping people off they have been steadily ripped off themselves. Adi aide sent to Bank $3 million disappeared and middlemen have taken Money from both ends. International investigators have Frozen Many Bank accounts. When he arrived in France in 1986, the haitian despot lived in splendor Inland in Grasse in a House provided by the government. Then he drove Down in one of his Many exotic cars to an even More sumptuous Villa at Moupins owned by saudi billionaire Adnan Khash Oggi. Baby Doc lived a sumptuous and decadent life spending freely from the vast Fortune his family plundered from the poor of Haiti. His wife Michele spent $520,000 on jewelry in a single year As Well As $135,000 on Given Chy dresses before their divorce two years ago. A lawyer was paid $750,000 in Cash for a year s Legal work. Less than Loo Yards along Boulevard de super Cannes is a grand White Villa with High fences electronic doors and Well kept gardens. Until last october this was the Home of mama and baby Doc. The rent unpaid was approximately 10 times the amount being charged for the modest residence 6f 956 also unpaid. Perhaps the hardest thing for a former dictator is that the French foreign ministry did no to even know that he had moved a and did no to care. Distributed by so Apps Howard news service a a discussed a we basically put Forward two objectives a Myers said. A one is obviously to protect the lives and safety of american troops As Well As journalists and the other is to Honor our commitment to allow full and open but Orfe network official involved in the discussions said the administration had taken a a hard line on the blackout Friday and backed off in the face of protests saturday. This official said the strongest blackout proponents were not at the Pentagon which has accepted the need for extensive coverage of the invasion but a on the political Side of the White / Myers said that news executives have been a fairly cooperative and that a the networks understand the importance of not jeopardizing the safety of these a a can agreed that the Well being of the troops and the safety of the Mission is Paramount a said in no a vice president de Turner. The network officials agreed not to broadcast air plane departures from Florida bases to avoid tipping the haitian military to the timing of the invasion. They also agreed not to use Bright lights at night and to secure their night vision equipment so it does not fall into the hands of haitian soldiers. But they rejected an administration request that reporters stay in their hotels at the beginning of the invasion until military officials Tell them it is Safe to come out and that camera operators stay off haitian rooftops for their own safety. The negotiations reflect last minute nervousness in the administration about the imminent invasion and concern that Haiti a military Leader it. Gen Raoul Eldras might learn crucial details by picking up . Broadcasts via satellite dish. Gen. John m. Shalikashvil left chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and White House chief of staff Leon Panetta appear sunday on meet the press in Washington. / Quot Quot a a a a a Quot a a a invasion Washington a no agreement has been reached on the departure of Haiti a military leaders a senior White House official said sunday As former president Carter made a last ditch attempt to reach a peaceful solution. A there Are discussions but no agreement a White House chief of staff Leon Panetta told no cd a a feet the press. In Washington Panetta and Gen. John m. Shalikashvil chairman of the joint chiefs of staff stressed that Carters Mission was confined to discussions of the removal from Power of haitian it. Gen. Raoul c6dras and other military leaders . From Page 1 Down As Long As Jonassaint appointed in May wanted him to remain As military commander. Carter and the delegation made an unscheduled late night visit to army Headquarters for a meeting that lasted until 2 . Sunday. That followed three hours of talks with Cedras and other top officers saturday. Carter was tight lipped about the meetings Quot we re doing the Best we heavy gunfire was reported at about 4 . Sunday not far from where the Dele a and that there would be no change in the timetable for invasion of the Caribbean country. A we Are on a very specific timetable a Shalikashvil told Abc a they have to leave now. We Are not changing our Shalikashvil also revealed that the military is a prepared for haitian violence a such As hit and run operations from haitian military personnel who have removed their uniforms but kept their weapons. He said the rules of engagement allow . Service members to defend themselves if they Are attacked. Tion was staying. The shooting raised fears by Many haitians of last minute sweeps by pro army gunmen against Aristide supports ers. A team of 48 foreign military observers was withdrawn from the haitian Domin ican Republic Border saturday night . Army maj. Hector Herrera spokesman for the team said sunday the american Canadian and Argentine soldiers had been stationed on the Border to help enforce the . Economic embark go against Haiti. 13 if the Carter Mission succeeds . Officials said troops will land anyway to revamp the army train a new civilian police Force and smooth the Way for the resumption of Aristides government. 1
