20444L (Chamberlain) AP: Haiti (new story) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By IAN JAMES

   PORT-AU-PRINCE, March 16 (AP) -- Haiti's new U.S.-backed leader angrily
pulled his ambassador from Jamaica for hosting ousted President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, whose return to the Caribbean threatened to spur
more violent protests to demand his return.
   A gunman presumed to be a militant Aristide supporter shot and wounded a
U.S. Marine. The first peacekeeper casualty since Aristide fled Haiti two
weeks ago was seen as revenge for the killings of two Haitians by Marines
-- under fire -- who some here accuse of being trigger-happy.
   At least three people accused of destabilizing Haiti were arrested among
a dozen in a police crackdown that appeared to target Aristide partisans.
   Aristide, who has accused the United States of abducting him and forcing
his departure from Haiti Feb. 29, made no political comment when he arrived
Monday in Kingston, apparently bowing to Jamaica's demand that he not use
the neighboring island to pursue his campaign to return to Haiti.
   Aristide and his wife, Mildred, were whisked away on a helicopter to
what officials said was a rural prime ministerial residence.
   But Aristide indicated when he left the Central African Republic,
another coup- and poverty-ridden country, that he had not abandoned his
ambitions.
   "For the time being, I'm listening to my people," he said.
   That would be the roar of distress expressed most eloquently by
Port-au-Prince slum dwellers threatening new protests to demand his return
as Haiti's democratically elected president, and who see the U.S.-led
multinational force as a foreign occupation army.
   Interim Prime Minister Latortue suspended diplomatic relations with
Jamaica and Haiti's membership of the 15-member Caribbean economic bloc.
   Under the chairmanship of Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, the
Caribbean Community has called for an investigation into Aristide's claim
that the United States forced an elected president from power. U.S.
officials say they acted at Aristide's request and probably saved his life
as rebels prepared to attack the Haitian capital.
   State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said Aristide's looming presence
"does not serve a useful purpose. But he's here. He's on a private visit.
And he's here temporarily as a former president of Haiti."
   Aristide arrived Monday with his wife, Mildred. Jamaican officials said
they were allowing the Aristides a respite to reunite with their two
daughters at a rural government retreat for up to 10 weeks while they
decide on a permanent home in exile. Unofficially, Jamaican officials say
Aristide wants to go to South Africa.
   "There are people trying to destabilize the country. It may be
ex-President Aristide himself who is contributing by giving money and
advice," Latortue suggested.
   Under a U.S.-backed plan, he was to name some Cabinet members Tuesday to
help form a transitional government uniting former enemies from Aristide's
Lavalas Family party and a disparate opposition coalition.
   But the only names put forward as sure winners so far are anti-Aristide.
   Latortue attempted to soften the blow Monday of having troops from
France -- Haiti's former colonizer -- on his nation's soil in the year the
world's first black republic was supposed to celebrate the first and only
successful slave rebellion, with a defeat of Napoleon's army.
   "I know a lot of you are wondering in the 200th year of independence why
foreign troops have come to our country," Latortue said. "They didn't come
to occupy us, they came to help us. We were not able to solve our problems
ourselves."
   He spoke at a ceremony where U.S. Marine Gen. Ronald S. Coleman took
command of the peacekeepers -- and warned his forces won't tolerate
attacks.
   "You have my word that all law-abiding Haitian citizens will be treated
with respect," Coleman said. "But make no mistake, my Marines will not idly
stand by while thugs and rebels kill innocent civilians."
   In the downtown Belair neighborhood that is the site of Sunday night's
shooting of a Marine on foot patrol, residents said Marines fired wildly
after they came under attack. Several people were wounded.
   Aristide is a former slum priest who has survived several assassination
attempts and a successful coup. He was ousted by the military in 1990
within months of being elected on a wave of fiery rhetoric to make life
better for the majority of the 8 million Haitians who live in abject
poverty.
   His failure to do so, and charges he used politicized police and armed
civilians to attack opponents, have lost him support.
   Latortue said Haiti's police had a tainted past involved in drug
trafficking. Hours later, Canadian immigration officials issued a warrant
for the extradition to the United States of Aristide's security chief,
Oriel Jean, on charges of conspiracy to traffic drugs.
   U.S. officials have accused Aristide of condoning drug trafficking.
Aristide counters that there are known drug traffickers in the opposition.
Haiti has become the major Caribbean transit point for cocaine shipments
from producer Colombia to consumers in the United States.
   With Aristide militants threatening protests that usually turn deadly,
Haiti appeared set for more turmoil.
   ------
   Associated Press reporter Peter Prengaman contributed to this story.