23331: (Chamberlain) China-Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By STEPHANIE HOO

   LANGFANG, China, Sept 30 (AP) -- Armed police in combat boots
karate-chopped and slashed the air with black clubs, part of a Chinese
display of peacekeeping force as Beijing dispatches a 125-strong contingent
to Haiti -- its first contribution to a U.N. mission in the Western
Hemisphere.
   Wearing blue U.N. helmets, officers marched in formation and
demonstrated martial arts for journalists from more than 20 countries at a
new training center south of Beijing on Tuesday. Others with body armor and
clear plastic shields showed of riot-control tactics.
   "China yearns to take greater responsibility for international
peacekeeping," said Zhao Xiaoxun, commander of a squad of riot police bound
for Haiti. "Of course I am reluctant to leave my family, but I am also
filled with a very deep sense of honor."
   China sent 31 members of the police contingent to Haiti this month and
the rest are scheduled to join them next month in the Haitian capital of
Port-au-Prince.
   "This shows we are making a greater contribution to the peacekeeping
missions of the United Nations," said Tan Jun, chief of the peacekeeping
division of the Ministry of Public Security. "I believe that China will
make even greater contributions to U.N. peacekeeping missions in the
future."
   Since 1999, China has sent 253 police officers on U.N. missions in East
Timor, Bosnia, Liberia, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and now Haiti.
   In Haiti, the peacekeepers will mainly supervise and train police,
maintain order and help rebuild the judicial system, officials at the
training center said.
   Haiti is among about a score of countries that maintain diplomatic
relations with Taiwan rather than China, and Beijing's move could be a part
of a decades-long struggle with its rival for Third World influence.
   Officials wouldn't comment on that Wednesday.
   The trainees at the $18 million facility receive three months of
training, including studies from human rights textbooks provided by the
United Nations and language lessons.
   The police on Wednesday also showed off the hand signals they will use
in Haiti: a finger to the lips for "be quiet," a waving hand beside the ear
for "I don't understand."
   Their riot gear read "police" in Chinese on the front and in English on
the back.
   Since U.N. guidelines require the peacekeepers to be self-sufficient,
they are bringing their own trucks and electric generators -- and 30 tons
of rice.
   The United Nations has investigated China's police practices amid
complaints about arbitrary detentions and torture, but officials said
Chinese forces have had no problems abroad.
   "We have sent many civilian police overseas, and so far none of them has
been disciplined," Tan said. "On the contrary, they have received U.N.
peacekeeping medals."
   Political tensions have plagued Haiti for much of the year.
   Most recently, Hurricane Jeanne killed more than 1,500 and left 200,000
homeless. In recent days, U.N. peacekeepers have been assigned to stop
looters from stealing food aid.
   The U.N. mission has about 2,700 peacekeepers in Haiti -- less than half
of its authorized strength of 6,700 -- and has yet to deploy throughout the
entire country.