19112: Lemieux: BBC: Eyewitness: Haiti's lawless streets (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JD Lemieux <lxhaiti@yahoo.com>

Eyewitness: Haiti's lawless streets
By Claire Marshall
BBC, Port-au-Prince
2/21/04

There were no jubilant crowds celebrating the start of
Haiti's carnival season on Friday. Instead of colourful
floats making their way through the streets, with music and
singing, the capital echoed with the sounds of gunfire.

About 500 students demonstrating against the government
were attacked by militant groups loyal to President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
Approaching one crossroads in the centre of the capital, it
was clear that these pro-Aristide gangs were in control of
the area.

Passing by one house, a woman rushed out to talk to us,
speaking urgently through the bars of the protective gate
in front of her property.

"Don't go down there," she said. "They are not joking you
know.

"Come inside and hide."

Further down the street, men roamed around carrying guns
and machetes. They were assembling makeshift barricades out
of boulders and bits of rubbish.


If you don't put that camera down, I will kill you
Militant in Port-au-Prince
Car tyres screeched as people tried to turn their vehicles
around once they realised what was happening.
One of the militants came up to us, shouting in Creole: "I
don't want my picture taken. If you don't put that camera
down, I will kill you."

Nearby, a group of policemen holding rifles stood around
watching. When asked why they were not intervening, one
replied: "What do you expect me to do, go out and start
shooting? They are armed."

The plain-clothed man who had threatened us then proceeded
to give the police orders as to who they should let down
the street, and who they should turn away.

Peace moves

News started filtering through that two journalists had
been injured in the clashes.


One, a local radio reporter was shot twice in the back.
Another, thought to be a cameraman working for a Spanish
television station, had a machete wound to his ear.
Numerous other people had received gunshot wounds.

It was an ominous development just a few days after one of
President Aristide's Lavalas party spokesmen called members
of the press "terrorists".

The voice of the government crackled through the radio.
Spokesman Mario Dupuy said the government condemned all
forms of violence, but that the students had not got the
necessary permission for their demonstration. As such, this
protest was a "provocation", he said.

This comes as diplomats arrive in Port-au-Prince arrive to
talk about a proposed peace plan to end the unrest.

On the agenda is an idea to establish some kind of
transitional government under a new prime minister.

However, without plans to ask President Aristide to step
down, it seems unlikely that any members of the opposition,
let alone the armed rebels in control of parts of the
country, will agree to talk.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/3508699.stm

Published: 2004/02/21 01:21:12 GMT

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