16022: Craig-Updated Article: Haiti Police Chief Goes Into Exile (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Dan Craig <hoosier@att.net>


Haiti Police Chief Goes Into Exile
June 23, 2003
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 6:19 p.m. ET

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) -- Haiti's new police chief has
gone into exile, and the opposition said Monday his
resignation will make it difficult to hold credible
elections this year to break the nation's political
stalemate.

The opposition and government of President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide have been at loggerheads since flawed May 2000
legislative elections.

"Today I have chosen the path of exile rather than to
allow myself to become corrupt and subservient,"
Jean-Robert Faveur wrote in a letter to Aristide dated June
21, saying the lives of his loved ones were "in
jeopardy."

Faveur's whereabouts were unknown Monday although diplomats
who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Associated
Press he had visas to the United States and France, where
his wife is studying. U.S. Embassy spokesman Judith Trunzo
said U.S. officials didn't know his whereabouts.

Aristide has been under intense pressure to reform the
4,000-member police force, which has been accused of
criminal activity, human rights abuses and repression of
political dissent.

Both the opposition and civil groups have demanded the
reforms, as well as other security-establishing measures,
before they join a nine-member election board mandated to
oversee legislative elections that Aristide pledged to hold
this year.

The opposition said that after Faveur's resignation, it
would be difficult for Aristide to make good on his pledge
of secure and credible elections.

Faveur alleged that under instructions from Aristide,
government officials allegedly ordered him to endorse
promotions and transfers of police officers. His right to
sign official checks was also abrogated.

Government spokesman Mario Dupuy declined to comment on
Faveur's allegations or the resignation.

The opposition praised Faveur's "courage." "An honest man
has no place in Aristide's government," said Evans Paul,
an opposition leader.

The Organization of American States, which has been trying
to break the political stalemate, passed two resolutions
last year for establishing security, including disarming
partisans and reforming the police force.

Faveur was sworn in June 6 to replace Jean-Claude
Jean-Baptiste, who resigned June 3 after being on the job
for 2-1/2 months.

Jean-Baptiste, an Aristide partisan, had been accused of
involvement in the 1991 killing of politician Sylvio Claude
on the eve of an army coup that ousted Aristide and sent
him into exile, charges which he denies.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Haiti-Police-Chief.html?ex=1057411840&ei=1&en=79dca63f96c93892
Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company