21884: Esser: Aristide Party Denounces New Wave of Haiti Arrests (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

Reuters

May 15, 2004

Aristide Party Denounces New Wave of Haiti Arrests
By Joseph Guyler Delva

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - The political party of ousted
Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide denounced a wave of arrests
of members and partisans as it prepares for a march on Tuesday in
support of its exiled leader.

Lavalas Party spokesman Gilvert Angervil said at least 12 party
members and sympathizers -- including Annette Auguste, or "So Anne,"
one of Aristide's most influential supporters -- had been arrested
over the past 10 days.

"Those people have been arrested arbitrarily, without a warrant and
in violation of their rights," Angervil said on Friday.

Haitian police spokesman Bruce Myrthil confirmed several of the
detentions, while police Chief Leon Charles said police were looking
for other Aristide allies suspected of being involved in crimes.

"I have a lot of warrants, we are looking for those people, so that
they may face justice," he told Reuters.

In recent weeks, the inmate population of the renovated national
penitentiary in Port-au-Prince swelled to just short of 150 people
from about 20, prison guards said.

It was impossible to verify how many were linked to Lavalas, which
has denounced a "witch hunt" by the U.S.-backed administration of
Prime Minister Gerard Latortue since Aristide fled a monthlong armed
revolt on Feb. 29.

Lavalas supporters have been keeping a low profile since Aristide's
departure. Their march planned for Port-au-Prince on Tuesday will be
one of the first indications of how much support Aristide still
commands in the country.

Latortue's government, named by a council of prominent Haitians to
lead the impoverished Caribbean country to elections in 2005, has
denied targeting Aristide supporters while rebels that helped drive
the former Roman Catholic priest from power remain armed and at large.

"When people commit crimes, they should face justice, regardless of
their political affiliation," said Justice Minister Bernard Gousse.

The arrest of So Anne, or "Sister" Anne, has become a rallying point
for Lavalas supporters, many who came from the slums where Aristide
was revered as a champion of the poor.

Auguste, 60, was arrested on Monday when U.S. Marines leading a
3,600-member peace force burst into her house. The community leader,
who had an operation three months ago, was sleeping at the time.

A spokesman for the multinational force, Lt. Col. Dave Lapan, said
U.S. troops searched Auguste's home after receiving information about
possible activities that could threaten them.

Auguste is accused of being behind a clash on Dec. 5 between students
and pro-Aristide street thugs at a university campus. The university
dean's legs were broken.

Auguste and 11 relatives - six children and five adults -- were taken
to the multinational force's base for questioning and held for about
seven hours. All were released but Auguste, who was handed over to
police.

"I challenge anybody to prove I have been involved in any criminal
activities," she said from prison. "But I know the regime now in
power considers being close to Aristide an awful crime."

About 200 people, mostly women, gathered in front of the
investigative judge's office in support of Auguste on Friday.

"Arrest all of us, we are all Lavalas," they chanted.

© Copyright Reuters 2004.
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