18994: (Chamberlain) Haiti-Uprising (later story) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By PAISLEY DODDS

   CAP-HAITIEN, Feb 22 (AP) -- Rebels on Sunday seized the government's
last major stronghold in the north, Cap-Haitien, shooting off celebratory
rounds in the air as people looted and torched buildings.
   The rebels said they had met little resistance except at the airport,
where they said eight people were killed in fighting with militants loyal
to President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. A manager with Tropical Airways said
rebels there had also commandeered a plane.
   "We came in today and we took Cap-Haitien, tomorrow we take
Port-au-Prince," the capital, boasted Lucien Estime, 19. "Our mission is to
liberate Haiti."
   It took the rebels just hours to seize Cap-Haitien, the impoverished
country's second-largest city. They came up from the south, quickly
overwhelming Aristide loyalists who had erected flaming barricades on the
city outskirts.
   "The people are happy. Finally we're free from terror," said Fifi Jean,
30, unperturbed as she stood in front of the blazing police headquarters
building, where people looted everything in sight.
   Teenagers paraded in police hats and body armor while rebels handed over
keys of cars to residents and drank beer. People hefted away weapons,
typewriters, mattresses, even doors.
   Rebel leader Guy Philippe had threatened for days to attack Cap-Haitien,
the country's second-largest city. The mayor, Wilmar Innocent, has said
earlier that 180 police were protecting the city, but they fled when the
rebels attacked.
   The rebels have captured several towns in Haiti's north since they rose
up on Feb. 5. The uprising has killed about 60 people, about two-thirds of
them police.
   Rebel commander Jean-Baptiste Joseph, formerly leader of an association
of soldiers from Haiti's disbanded army, declared "It's the army that's in
charge here. It's the army that will free Haiti."
   Haiti's army ousted Aristide eight months after his 1990 inauguration
and began a reign of terror until the United States sent 20,000 troops in
1994 to end the military dictatorship, restore Aristide and halt an exodus
of boat people to the shores of Florida.
   The latest rebel attack puts added pressure on politicians negotiating a
U.S.-backed international peace plan that would leave Aristide as president
but force him to share power with his political rivals.
   A diplomatic delegation left Haiti Saturday night after failing to
persuade Aristide's political opponents to accept the plan, which would
require the two sides to share power.
   Aristide, who would remain president under the plan, said he agreed to a
new prime minister and government to organize elections.
   But he declared he would "not go ahead with any terrorists," meaning he
would not negotiate with the rebels.
   The opposition politicians are not allied with the rebels, but both want
to see Aristide step down. The political opponents met with foreign envoys
Saturday and promised to deliver a formal response to the peace proposal by
5 p.m. Monday.
   The United States has urged citizens to leave the country amid mounting
violence by Aristide militants in government-held areas.
   Throughout the recent bloodshed, Aristide, who has survived three
assassination attempts and a coup d'etat, has said he will not step down
before his term ends in 2006.
   Aristide accuses his political opponents of supporting the rebellion.
His government spokesman, Mario Dupuy, said that with the plan "the
opposition has a chance to prove it is not in favor of violence and
terrorism."
   Opposition leaders said the plan does not address how to halt the
uprising and disarm rebels and militants.