The group responsible for a fake announcement pledging that France would repay Haiti 21 billion USD for the independence debt France extorted from Haiti held its first press conference, on Thursday, July 22. The conference, by the Committee for the Repayment of the Indemnity Money Expropriated from Haiti (CRIME), was held in Montreal.

The same day, the French government responded with new threats of legal action, and declared that France would continue its efforts to “cleanse” the internet of the hoax.

As the newspaper La Presse reported today...

“sources from the Ministry of external affairs of the Hexagon who were questioned yesterday by La Presse aren’t hiding the fact that efforts are still being deployed to cleanse the internet of this deception. Legal proceedings against the group responsible for the hoax are not being ruled out.”

[Part II] Video of CRIME's July 22 press conference

More information, and a petition calling for France to pay Haiti restitution, is available at: www.diplomatiegov.info

[ CMAQ - Helpful note: this leads to a fictitious page, but the links on that page lead to the real French governmental site.]

[ Original press release ]

Pursued by France for Haiti Hoax, Group Holds Press Conference in Montreal

Responding to a possible lawsuit by the French government over a fake press conference announcement pledging that France would pay Haiti 21 billion USD, the group behind the hoax will hold its first real press conference, in Montreal (July 22, 2010).

WHERE: Rm. 203, Centre St. Pierre (1212 Rue Panet, between Rene Levesque and Rue St. Catherine St. East, nearest metro Beaudry), Montreal, QC, Canada

(The press conference will also be streamed live at www.diplomatiegov.info)

WHEN: Thursday, July 22, 2010, 10 am

WHO: The Committee for the Reimbursement of the Indemnity Money Extorted from Haiti (CRIME)

CRIME’s press conference on Thursday comes one week after the French government stated it was considering legal recourse against those behind the spoof announcement that France would repay the 90 million gold francs it had demanded in financial compensation from Haiti after the former French colony’s independence.

CRIME took responsibility for the fake announcement last Friday, with the group’s spokesperson Laurence Fabre commenting that “It is most unfortunate that the Quay d’Orsay has been so ungrateful, and frankly, uncooperative, with our bold initiative to improve the French government’s reputation in Haiti.”

In a public statement explaining their action, CRIME stated, “Is a spoof website such a grave crime, when compared to what the French have done in Haiti? We leave it to the court of world public opinion to decide: Who are the real criminals.”

CRIME is extending a special invitation to Thursday’s press conference to members of Montreal’s Haitian diaspora community.

For video of the fake announcement: www.diplomatiegov.info

For background, see:

- Le Devoir (July 20) “Aide française à la reconstruction d'Haïti - Un canular qui ne fait pas sourire les autorités: Des militants québécois auraient pris part à la supercherie”: http://www.ledevoir.com/international/actualites-internationales/292894/...

- New York Times (July 16): http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/16/faux-french-foreign-ministry...

CONTACT: Laurence Fabre
Email: laur...@gmail.com