20213: (Chamberlain) US-Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By JOHN J. LUMPKIN

   WASHINGTON, March 10 (AP) -- Troops in the U.S.-led multinational force
in Haiti will stop any serious Haitian-against-Haitian violence they
encounter, a top U.S. general said Wednesday, marking an escalation of the
peacekeeping mission.
   Gen. James T. Hill, the commander of U.S. Southern Command, portrayed
the change as a natural evolution of the peacekeeping mission, saying it
required only a clarification of the rules that govern when troops can use
force. Those rules cover forces from France, Chile and Canada who are in
Haiti, as well as Americans.
   "When multinational armed forces personnel encounter any acts of
violence, they will intervene to protect life," Hill told reporters at the
Pentagon. His Miami-based command oversees the Haiti operation.
   "We will simply not tolerate acts of violence against our multinational
forces or innocent Haitians," Hill said.
   His statements were a change from those made previously by military
officials who described the U.S. role as limited to protecting key
government and infrastructure sites to prepare the country for a U.N.
peacekeeping mission. Pentagon spokesman Lawrence Di Rita said U.S. troops
still won't intervene to stop property crimes or looting.
   The expanded mission follows Tuesday's announcement that U.S. forces
would join Haitian police in disarming militants.
   In addition to taking weapons from people encountered on patrols, Hill
said U.S. troops will also seek information and conduct missions aimed
specifically at captured weapons caches owned by any of the violent
factions inside the country.
   These include supporters and opponents of exiled President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide. Hill said the military hasn't detected an organized opposition to
the peacekeepers' presence.
   U.S. Marines have fired upon and killed four Haitians in three incidents
during which they felt threatened, military officials said.
   The first was Sunday, when gunmen opened fire on a demonstration by
anti-Aristide protesters. Marines fired at the gunmen, and killed one
fighter they said was firing at them.
   Hill pointed to that incident as illustrative. "No one from the
multinational force going in was going to stand there and watch one Haitian
kill another Haitian without trying to intervene in that," he said.
   About 1,600 U.S. troops are in Haiti, including about 1,500 Marines.
They are joined by more than 510 French, 320 Chilean and 50 Canadian
soldiers, Hill said. An additional 400 Canadians are expected to join the
effort shortly, he said.