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CNN Live At Daybreak

Interview With Rev. Paul Carrier

Aired February 25, 2004 - 06:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Opposition leaders in Haiti say no to the U.S.-backed peace plan. They're expected to issue their own counter-proposal later today. Opposition and rebel groups still say any end to the violence must start with the resignation of President Aristide. French leaders have now proposed peace talks in Paris, while Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton says both sides have agreed to meet with him to discuss the crisis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. AL SHARPTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am willing to go to Haiti and to meet with all sides and see if I can, based on my longstanding relationship with the Haitian community, get some level of resolve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: If an agreement is reached, the U.S. is considering asking the United Nations to approve a peacekeeping force to be sent to Haiti.

Joining me now to discuss the dangers in that country is Father Paul Carrier from Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Fairfield University runs a program to help those in need in Haiti.

Welcome.

REV. PAUL CARRIER, FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Tell us about Haiti. I don't think many people realize the situation there for just the general population.

CARRIER: Well, I think it's known by many people that it's one of the -- it is the protest country in the Western Hemisphere and has been for a very long time. And I think for many people it's off their radar screen and really isn't a very big concern.

COSTELLO: Just some facts about Haiti. It's about the size of Maryland, has seven million people, 80 percent live in poverty. And when we're talking about poverty, we mean abject poverty.

Tell us about a typical life in Haiti.

CARRIER: Well, I think the words that come to you when you visit Haiti are words like destitution and misery. And as you walk through the streets of Cap Haitien, as I do frequently when I work with our people in Cap Haitien, you see people who are malnourished. You have children who aren't going to school. And I mean the statistics are basically that maybe a Haitian would eat every other day, not three meals a day, not one meal a day, but maybe every other day because of the scarcity of food and resources.

COSTELLO: And the life expectancy there for men and women, 50 years old?

CARRIER: Yes. Yes. And, then again, you don't see many old people around. And the people you do see are not healthy, are sickly and weak and, again, in need of any type of help that can be given them.

COSTELLO: These rebel groups within Haiti, there's more than one rebel group and it's difficult, I guess it's difficult to come to the conclusion which rebel group, you know, consists of the good guys.

CARRIER: Well, there are no good guys in the rebel groups. Again, speaking to our people on the ground who are living there and know the situation, there are five or six independent armies right now in Haiti operating and none of them are coordinated. They've come in from the Dominican Republic. There are former coup leaders, death squad leaders. And, again, I don't think there are any of the rebel side that could be considered the good guys, as well as the opposition.

They're working hand in glove and their only objective is to get rid of President Aristide, who is the democratically elected president of Haiti. I think if they succeed in this, they'll just splinter off and then begin to fight with each other. So I mean the prospects don't look good for any long-term type of solution.

COSTELLO: Father, Al Sharpton wants to go and sort of broker some sort of peace deal.

Will his presence resonate in Haiti?

CARRIER: You know, I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I think there is a great respect for Americans. I think the Haitian people make a distinction between the American government and American citizens. So perhaps Mr. Sharpton, Reverend Sharpton could represent a peace plan that would be acceptable.

But I think right now, knowing, again, speaking to the people on the ground who are living there, there is need for an international peacekeeping force to stop the violence, to stop the looting, because right now there is no order. There is no agency in Haiti that's able to maintain peace and stability.

COSTELLO: Father Carrier, thanks for joining us this morning.

CARRIER: Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Father Carrier from Fairfield University in Connecticut. CARRIER: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 25, 2004 - 06:23   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Opposition leaders in Haiti say no to the U.S.-backed peace plan. They're expected to issue their own counter-proposal later today. Opposition and rebel groups still say any end to the violence must start with the resignation of President Aristide. French leaders have now proposed peace talks in Paris, while Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton says both sides have agreed to meet with him to discuss the crisis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. AL SHARPTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am willing to go to Haiti and to meet with all sides and see if I can, based on my longstanding relationship with the Haitian community, get some level of resolve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: If an agreement is reached, the U.S. is considering asking the United Nations to approve a peacekeeping force to be sent to Haiti.

Joining me now to discuss the dangers in that country is Father Paul Carrier from Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Fairfield University runs a program to help those in need in Haiti.

Welcome.

REV. PAUL CARRIER, FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Tell us about Haiti. I don't think many people realize the situation there for just the general population.

CARRIER: Well, I think it's known by many people that it's one of the -- it is the protest country in the Western Hemisphere and has been for a very long time. And I think for many people it's off their radar screen and really isn't a very big concern.

COSTELLO: Just some facts about Haiti. It's about the size of Maryland, has seven million people, 80 percent live in poverty. And when we're talking about poverty, we mean abject poverty.

Tell us about a typical life in Haiti.

CARRIER: Well, I think the words that come to you when you visit Haiti are words like destitution and misery. And as you walk through the streets of Cap Haitien, as I do frequently when I work with our people in Cap Haitien, you see people who are malnourished. You have children who aren't going to school. And I mean the statistics are basically that maybe a Haitian would eat every other day, not three meals a day, not one meal a day, but maybe every other day because of the scarcity of food and resources.

COSTELLO: And the life expectancy there for men and women, 50 years old?

CARRIER: Yes. Yes. And, then again, you don't see many old people around. And the people you do see are not healthy, are sickly and weak and, again, in need of any type of help that can be given them.

COSTELLO: These rebel groups within Haiti, there's more than one rebel group and it's difficult, I guess it's difficult to come to the conclusion which rebel group, you know, consists of the good guys.

CARRIER: Well, there are no good guys in the rebel groups. Again, speaking to our people on the ground who are living there and know the situation, there are five or six independent armies right now in Haiti operating and none of them are coordinated. They've come in from the Dominican Republic. There are former coup leaders, death squad leaders. And, again, I don't think there are any of the rebel side that could be considered the good guys, as well as the opposition.

They're working hand in glove and their only objective is to get rid of President Aristide, who is the democratically elected president of Haiti. I think if they succeed in this, they'll just splinter off and then begin to fight with each other. So I mean the prospects don't look good for any long-term type of solution.

COSTELLO: Father, Al Sharpton wants to go and sort of broker some sort of peace deal.

Will his presence resonate in Haiti?

CARRIER: You know, I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I think there is a great respect for Americans. I think the Haitian people make a distinction between the American government and American citizens. So perhaps Mr. Sharpton, Reverend Sharpton could represent a peace plan that would be acceptable.

But I think right now, knowing, again, speaking to the people on the ground who are living there, there is need for an international peacekeeping force to stop the violence, to stop the looting, because right now there is no order. There is no agency in Haiti that's able to maintain peace and stability.

COSTELLO: Father Carrier, thanks for joining us this morning.

CARRIER: Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Father Carrier from Fairfield University in Connecticut. CARRIER: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com