16807: (Chamberlain) Haiti police, protesters clash, 7 wounded (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Sept 24 (Reuters) - At least two police
officers and five civilians were shot when Haitian police clashed with
supporters of a dead gang leader in the western city of Gonaives on
Wednesday, local media reported.
     The violence occurred when hundreds of demonstrators gathered to call
for the resignation of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and to voice
support for Amiot Metayer, the gang leader who was found shot to death on
Sunday. The protesters included members of Metayer's gang, the "Cannibal
Army."
     The pro-Aristide gang, whose leader was imprisoned for leading attacks
on government critics, suddenly turned against Aristide when Metayer's
brother, Butter Metayer, suggested the Haitian president was behind the
killing.
     Amiot Metayer was a key focus of attempts to break a long political
stalemate in Haiti.
     He escaped from a Gonaives prison in August 2002 with more than 150
other inmates when supporters used a bulldozer to break through the prison
wall. After his escape, Metayer appeared frequently in public in Gonaives
and led demonstrations.
     The Organization of American States, trying to broker a settlement in
a political deadlock resulting from tainted May 2000 elections, urged the
government to rearrest Metayer to help win back international support. The
government said it would rearrest him but was taking its time to avoid
bloodshed.
     Aristide's failure to make the arrest fueled tensions between the
government and the opposition in the impoverished Caribbean nation.
     Butter Metayer said on radio on Wednesday he believed the prime
suspect in his brother's killing should be Odonel Paul, who works in the
National Palace press office and was a friend of Amiot Metayer.
     "We know that Odonel Paul works for President Aristide," Butter
Metayer said on Radio Metropole. "That's why we call for Aristide's
departure."
     National Police Chief Jocelyne Pierre said, "It's premature to say if
Paul is the number one suspect. But of course the police are looking for
him."