24437: (news) Chamberlain: Thousands march in Haitian slums, praise UN troops (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     By Joseph Guyler Delva

     PORT-AU-PRINCE, March 4 (Reuters) - Thousands of supporters of exiled
former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide marched peacefully on Friday
through a Haitian slum, calling for his return and praising U.N. troops who
secured the demonstration.
     The march in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Port-au-Prince was the second
pro-Aristide demonstration in five days. On Monday, Haitian police opened
fire on a demonstration and killed at least three Aristide supporters.
     On Friday, U.N. officials mounted their first major operation to
secure a demonstration, with 300 heavily armed peacekeepers and 50 U.N.
vehicles, said Col. Carlos Barcelos, a spokesman for the U.N. peacekeepers.
     Brazilian peacekeepers kept the demonstration's route under tight
control and denied access to Haitian police who wanted to enter the
perimeter of the march.
     "We don't want the Haitian police. They are killing us. We want to
deal with U.N. troops. We gave them 10 on 10 for the security today," said
Samba Boukman, a spokesman for the march.
     Aristide fled Haiti in February 2004 amid a bloody rebellion by street
gangs and former soldiers and under pressure from the United States and
France. He is exiled in South Africa.
     Haiti is still plagued by violent confrontations between pro- and
anti-Aristide forces. U.N. troops were sent to stabilize the Caribbean
nation to help prepare for presidential and parliamentary elections set for
November. The U.N. force is now composed of about 6,000 troops and 1,400
civilian police.
     Boukman said Aristide supporters would not go to the polls unless
Aristide was involved in the political process.
     "We demand Aristide's return and the immediate release of all
political prisoners," he said.
     Several demonstrators who acknowledged they sometimes carried weapons
said they would give them up if the U.N. peacekeeping mission, known as
MINUSTAH, protected them.
     "Some people here have weapons just to protect themselves and their
community from those who want to kill us because we want Aristide back,"
one demonstrator said. "Now, if MINUSTAH wants to make sure our human
rights are respected, we won't need any weapons."
     Some demonstrators gave photos of Aristide to the Brazilian
peacekeepers in exchange for Brazilian flags. Some shouted "long live
Ronaldo," referring to the Brazilian soccer star. Others happily shouted at
U.N. troops, "We're friends."
     U.N. officials said they thought relations between U.N. troops and
slum residents would improve.
     "We are very pleased that our efforts have been appreciated," said
Cmdr. Carlos Chagas, an assistant to the peacekeepers' chief military
commander, Gen. Augusto Heleno.