a1930: BBC: Haiti: "Bandits" attack Belladere sub-police station, kill Lavalas official (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Robert Benodin <r.benodin@worldnet.att.net>

Haiti: "Bandits" attack Belladere sub-police station, kill Lavalas official
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; May 3, 2002


Information has just come in from the Plateau Central area where, on the
night of Tuesday-Wednesday [30 Apr-1 May], armed and unknown individuals
attacked the sub-police station in Belladere, which is on the
Haitian-Dominican border. Lavalas Coordinator Jean Bronchette was killed.
Firearms were taken. Wilson Novinsky [phonetic] reported as follows:
[Novinsky - recording, in Creole] Brochette was shot dead following an
operation by a group of unidentified bandits which took place late on
Tuesday night in Belladere. A public building was burnt down and several
firearms disappeared from the police station in Belladere. This was one of
the worst events ever seen in Belladere. Specialized police forces and other
police officials were quickly deployed. Haitian National Police [PNH]
spokesman Jean Dady Simeon, who was among the delegation, gave the following
explanation:
[Simeon] They took three firearms which were in the police station, two M-1s
and one 12-bore shotgun. Lavalas Coordinator Jean Brochette also died in the
attack. The office of the Belladere town hall was also set on fire. A
delegation of the PNH directorate is now in Belladere. Inspector-General
Jean Robert Esther [phonetic] and Inspector-General Serge Simon are
gathering information. The SWAT Team [the PNH's rapid intervention unit] is
also there in order to reinforce the Belladere police station. It will help
in operations once they ascertain where the bandits are hiding.
[Novinsky] The police currently have the situation under control. The
authorities are investigating and, if possible, arrests will be made. It
should be pointed out that these events have taken place at a time when the
Haitian state has started a process in order to reinforce security in
Belladere, which has a common border with the Dominican Republic.
It should be said that the building they burnt down was one of the old
structures to be built under President Dumarsais Estime in 1948 and was the
premises of the BNC [National Credit Bank] from 1998 to 1999. A Spanish
organization [name indistinct] restored it completely so that it could be
used as a medical complex for the UCS [Community Health System]. The local
elected representatives abandoned their own premises and used the building
to house the town hall.
Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 2 May 02
/¸ BBC Monitoring