18921L (Chamberlain) Diplomats begin Haiti peace effort, Americans flee (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>
     By Michael Christie

     PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Supporters of President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide opened fire on a student march in the Haitian
capital Port-au-Prince on Friday, as foreigners fled the country torn by a
two-week revolt.
     U.S., Canadian and regional officials were to talk during the weekend
to try to ease political tensions and broker an end to the violence in
which more than 50 people have died since Feb. 5.
     But the diplomatic effort is focused on bringing together Aristide and
his political opposition, rather than the armed gangs, joined by former
soldiers and a death squad leader, who have sent Haiti's long-simmering
tensions into crisis.
     Witnesses said at least two people were injured when the Aristide
loyalists fired shots into the crowd.
     The armed gangs, who have seized the cities of Gonaives and Hinche in
the west and center of the impoverished Caribbean nation, and several other
towns, have declared an "independent" country in the places they control.
     Overtaking towns by forcing outnumbered and frightened police out, the
rebels have presented no agenda so far other than giving themselves titles
and saying they aim to take control of the rest of the country and topple
Aristide.
     Restored to power by a U.S.-led occupation in 1994 after being ousted
in a coup, Aristide led Haiti into democracy after decades of dictatorship
when first elected in 1990. He won a second term of office in 2000, but the
presidential elections were boycotted by the opposition.
     But the former parish priest now faces accusations of corruption and
political violence during a three-year political stand-off stemming from
flawed parliamentary elections in May 2000.
     Armed government supporters and police are fighting back against the
revolt, often executing suspected rebel sympathizers.
     The gang that took control of Gonaives two weeks ago once supported
him.
     With little sign of a quick fix, Washington on Thursday advised its
citizens to leave Haiti. U.S. and Canadian missionaries and aid workers
clogged the airport in the sprawling capital of 2 million people on Friday.
     The Pentagon said a four-member U.S. military team had arrived in
Haiti to conduct an assessment of security plans for the U.S. embassy.
     As the foreign peace effort got under way, the opposition Democratic
Platform was holding talks with diplomats from the United States, Canada,
France, the Organization of American States and Caribbean Community
(Caricom) on Friday to lay the groundwork for a higher-level peace mission
on Saturday.
     The international delegation's proposal is broadly based on a recent
deal brokered by Caricom that calls for the establishment of a broad-based
advisory council, a new prime minister and the disarming of gangs aligned
with Aristide's Lavalas Family party.
     But some opposition leaders warned they would not accept any peace
plan that does not include Aristide's resignation.
     "I hope they're not coming back with the same position," said Charles
Baker, a wealthy industrialist and fervent foe of Aristide. "We'll both be
wasting our time," Baker said.
     Evans Paul, of the opposition coalition Group of 184, said the
political opposition was distinct from the armed gangs and former soldiers
who now control a swathe of the north in a a rebellion that has killed more
than 50 people.
     Aristide dismisses the opposition as a wealthy mulatto elite intent on
maintaining its dominance over Haiti's legions of poor.
     "As days go by, (the opposition) gets stronger and stronger. If
Aristide leaves, it might be under force of arms. We hope he will leave
peacefully and voluntarily," Paul said.

     (Additional reporting by Amy Bracken)