24116: (pub) Chamberlain: Haitians accuse police of killing radio journalist (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     By Joseph Guyler Delva

     PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Haitian police executed
several youngsters and a radio journalist during a raid in a slum
stronghold of support for the country's ousted president, witnesses and a
human rights group said on Wednesday.
     On Friday, dozens of heavily armed policemen raided Village de Dieu, a
Port-au-Prince shantytown believed to be a bastion of gangs loyal to former
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was driven into exile during an armed
revolt last year.
     Police acknowledged killing several people during the raid, and
described them as bandits killed in an exchange of gunfire.
     Ronald St-Jean, an activist with the Committee for the Protection of
the Rights of the Haitian People, and several residents said at least a
dozen people were killed by police during the raid. They said several of
them were executed, including a journalist, Abdias Jean, who may have seen
police shoot and kill three youngsters.
     "The police called three young men that were coming out of a corridor.
The police were pressing the youngsters to tell them where armed bandits
were hiding," said Maxon Beauduy, who said he saw the incident from inside
his house. "When they (the youngsters) said they did not know, the police
killed them after blaming them for hiding criminals."
     Another witness, Magalie Jean, said that as she took cover, she heard
Jean screaming, "Don't kill me, I am a journalist. Why should I be killed
like that?"
     "Then I heard a series of gunshots and it was over for him," she told
Reuters.
     Jacques Vilbrun, who also said he witnessed the incident, said police
severely beat Jean and then, "After beating him, they took him a little
farther and shot him dead."
     A police spokeswoman, Jessie Coicou, refused on Wednesday to confirm
or deny the allegations and urged families to "file complaints before
relevant courts of justice if they think they have a case."
     "The police don't have to defend themselves before the media. Since I
heard there are several witnesses, I hope they will accept to testify
before a judge," Coicou said.
     "I can tell you that the police high command has never instructed
policemen to perform such behavior," Coicou said.
     Police said the raid was part of a broader effort to crack down on
armed gangs. Some 200 people have been killed since early September in gang
wars and clashes between Aristide supporters and foes.
     U.N. troops were sent to stabilize the chaotic country after
Aristide's departure. The U.N. secretary-general's special representative
in Haiti, Juan Gabriel Valdes, said last week that he was concerned about
reports that Haitian police have been responsible for repeated human rights
abuses.