20785: Esser: Int'l peace forces condemned for shooting civilians in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

Xinhuanet
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english

March 25, 2004

Int'l peace forces condemned for shooting civilians in Haiti

HAVANA, March 24 (Xinhuanet) -- The international peacekeeping
forces deployed in Haiti were condemned on Wednesday by Haiti's
National Human Rights Coalition (CNDH) for opening fire against
civilians, reports reaching here said.

At a press conference held in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince
the leader of the coalition, Viles Salizar, warned that language
problems and understanding difficulties with the local residents had
made more difficult the tasks of the multinational forces.

Lack of communication has led to conflicts and caused regrettable
actions, said the chairman of the CNDH, who urged the peace forces to
give clear and effective orders to avoid more incidents.

 "We condemn all the shootings of the peace forces against
peaceful citizens, for any reason," Salizar stated, and added
they"also proposed that the peace forces patrol with the local police
at night to avoid more victims."

The peacekeeping forces in Haiti comprise troops from the United
States, France, Canada and Chile.
.