21753: Esser: Rebels put down the law, curfew lifted (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

Club Haiti
http://www.telepark.de/clubhaiti/start.html

May 5, 2004

Rebels put down the law, curfew lifted 

Many people were allegedly injured over the weekend by armed
individuals in the town of "Ka Pòl", a communal section of St-Michel
de Lattalaye. The authors of these acts who claimed to be supporters
of the former opposition and former rebels, also set on fire about
fifty houses and stole residents' goods. The armed bandits led by
Hendel Volma and Frantz Jules Guerrier are accused of terrorizing the
town's residents in order to force them to take to the bush. In Cap
Haitien, former rebels and members of the former opposition used guns
to force the employees of the National Port Authority (Autorité
Portuaire Nationale) to leave the institution's premises. The rebels
said they wanted to replace the former employees of this institution.
Street kids have been particularly hit by the recent turmoil and
their presence in the streets is less tolerated than ever. Far from
seeing improvement in their situation, they have become targets of
choice. They are called many names: ti chimè, grizon and kokorat. "We
are not secure and the police and 'babylones' (paramilitaries
nickname) are constantly after us", some said, adding that they had
no choice but to leave downtown for other areas or cities. Before
leaving for his american-european trip, interim prime minister
Latortue (picture with Powell in Washington) deplored a wave of
robberies against shop owners and dealers located in downtown
Port-au-Prince and promised appropriate counter measures. Meanwhile,
the lifting of the curfew in place since Aristide's ouster on
February 29th has been confirmed by inspector Jean Yonel Trécil of
the Haitian National Police (PNH). [Source: AHP]
.