Fake ministry site promises Haiti aid

THE FRENCH foreign ministry is considering legal action against a campaign group that set up a copycat website announcing a multi-billion-euro aid package for Haiti.

Diplomatiegov.fr used the same design and colour scheme as the official foreign ministry site to give the impression that France was repaying the earthquake-hit country's independence debt.

The site included a fake press release, dated July 14, announcing that France had decided to show "compassion and co-operation" towards the former French colony following the January 12 earthquake in which a quarter a million people died and 1.5 million were made homeless.

It said France would be repaying the 90 million francs it demanded from Haiti when the country declared independence in 1804.

It valued the sum at €17bn today, after inflation and interest, and said this would be paid back in annual installments over 50 years.

The site even included a video clip that appeared to show a foreign ministry press conference, but this too has been faked.

The ministry (diplomatie.gouv.fr) denied it would be repaying the debt and said it was looking at taking legal action against the site's owners for fraud.

A group of Canadian, American and French activists have claimed responsibility for the hoax, which they said was designed to draw attention to France's stance on Haiti.

The site has now disappeared but resurfaced at diplomatiegov.info - a domain that, unlike .fr, is not controlled by France.

Photo: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Credit:Flickr/Newbeatphoto