20147: (Hermantin)Miami-Herald-Violence flares at rally for Aristide opponents (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Posted on Mon, Mar. 08, 2004




Violence flares at rally for Aristide opponents

BY SUSANNAH A. NESMITH, JOE MOZINGO AND TRENTON DANIEL

snesmith@herald.com


PORT-AU-PRINCE -- At least six people were killed and about 30 injured
Sunday when gunfire erupted near the National Palace as thousands of
marchers celebrated the ouster of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Among the dead was a Spanish journalist. Sun-Sentinel photographer Michael
Laughlin was wounded.

U.S. Marines, guarding the National Palace since Aristide fled Feb. 29,
reported they shot at two gunmen, killing one of them.

Opposition leaders immediately blamed the shootings on Aristide supporters,
noting that hospital officials said most of the injuries were from automatic
weapons.

''That's pretty much the type of weapons Aristide distributed before he
left,'' said Charles Henri Baker, leader of the opposition group the
Democratic Platform, at the hospital. ``His assassin base is still there.''

More than 130 people have died since Feb. 5 when rebels took control of a
major central city and the country descended into chaos. After Aristide
resigned, the United States, France, Canada and Chile sent troops to try to
stabilize the country. Aristide, who is in exile in the Central African
Republic, issued a statement Sunday saying he has been ``well received.''

U.S. Marines said the shootings were difficult to prevent.

''They are bound and determined to get into that crowd and we don't know who
they are,'' said Col. David Berger, commander of the battalion in Haiti. The
Marines and troops from France had worked throughout the day to provide
security for the parade and rally, which Aristide opponents said they held
because it was finally safe for them to take to the streets.

REBEL MEETING

Rebel leader Guy Philippe said on Radio Vision 2000 that although
authorities are pushing him to disarm, he could not allow the security
situation to further deteriorate and that he and his top lieutenants would
hold a meeting to reconsider their vow to lay down their arms.

One of his top aides questioned why the shootings occurred in spite of the
military presence.

''The Americans are supposed to give us security,'' said DeCoste Jeudy, one
of Philippe's top lieutenants. ``We don't understand why this happened.''

The Canape Vert Hospital was hectic. Bereaved family members grieved aloud
as doctors and nurses struggled to treat the injured.

ACROSS THE PALACE

The shooting Sunday started across the square from the National Palace --
the destination of the rally. The gunfire lasted at least 10 minutes.
Haitians moved injured people to the gates of the palace, where U.S. Marines
provided first aid and evacuated eight to a hospital.

Marines reported that people with headsets and cellphones appeared to be
coordinating the movements of the gunmen and also were seen distributing
U.S. currency.

The marchers began their rally in the suburb of Petionville, chanting
''Trial for Aristide!'' and other slogans as they snaked down the hill
toward downtown Port-au-Prince.

The demonstrators cheered Philippe and wrapped themselves in the Haitian
flag. Many carried signs demanding a trial for Aristide and several of his
top aides.

The atmosphere was festive, with thousands dancing in the streets and
walking miles to reach the National Palace. Marines, French troops, Haitian
police and Haitian SWAT teams accompanied the march -- they fanned out to
block a street in at least one neighborhood known to be controlled by gunmen
loyal to Aristide.

As marchers went past the headquarters of Radio Vision 2000 -- a frequent
target of Aristide supporters -- they chanted ``If Aristide were here, he
would shoot us.''

''We're lucky we can walk here because we've been shot here before,'' said
Steve Boulos, one of the marchers.

But it turned out the danger was in the neighborhood around the palace.

Ricardo Ortega, a journalist for Antena 3, a Spanish station, was fatally
shot in the chest while in the courtyard of a house where journalists had
taken refuge from the shooting, according to eyewitnesses.

FIRST AID

Peter Andrew Bosch, a Herald photographer, provided Ortega with basic first
aid while another journalist got an ambulance to take him to a
Port-au-Prince private hospital.

Laughlin, the Sun-Sentinel photographer, was among the group of foreign
journalists when the shooting began. He was shot in the neck, but his
injuries didn't appear to be life-threatening.

Laughlin was in the street when he got caught between Haitian special police
and the gunmen.

Besides Ortega, three Haitians died at the hospital, said Dr. Ronald
Georges, of the Canape Vert hospital, where the wounded were taken.

All were shot with automatic weapons, Georges said.

''I think many of the wounds are very serious because they are abdominal
wounds,'' he said.

Two other bodies were seen on the streets in front of the National Palace.

At the palace, four light armored vehicles and a half dozen Humvees set off
into the streets to look for the shooters.

Marines at the northeast corner of the palace grounds spotted two of the
gunmen and yelled to the crowd to get down -- about 25 protesters hit the
ground -- and the Marines shot at the gunmen, killing one. The other gunman
escaped in a white Isuzu.

Also on Sunday, a recently appointed ''council of sages'' met for the third
day in its effort to choose a new prime minister. The group hopes to have
one selected by Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.

Herald staff writer Jacqueline Charles contributed to this report.

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