24471: (news) Chamberlain: UN council presses Haitian authorities on rights (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     By Irwin Arieff

     UNITED NATIONS, March 9 (Reuters) - The Security Council pressed
Haiti's interim government on Wednesday to crack down on human rights
abuses and free political prisoners to help heal the shattered Caribbean
nation ahead of November elections.
     A year after former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was pushed from
power, security is improving with help from U.N. peacekeepers but
instability will not end until there is political reconciliation and
economic development, the 15-nation council said in a statement.
     The peacekeeping mission was sent in to help bring peace and stability
and support a transitional government in impoverished Haiti after
Aristide's departure following a bloody revolt in February 2004.
     But with violence still a big problem, an increasing number of
political and social groups that once opposed Aristide are growing
disenchanted with the authorities in a country that has endured more than
30 coups in its history.
     After a closed-door briefing on recent developments in Haiti by U.N.
peacekeeping official Hedi Annabi, Security Council members welcomed the
provisional release of some long-detained leaders of Aristide's Lavalas
Family party.
     But they urged the government to now "expedite all pending cases and
to ensure due process for all citizens." Their statement singled out the
case of former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, who has been on a hunger strike
for nearly three weeks after being detained since June without charges.
     Council members also expressed concern about continuing allegations of
rights abuses, including by national police officers, "which have not yet
been properly investigated by the authorities."
     The statement called on all political figures to renounce violence,
lay down their arms and participate in the political process in the run-up
to the planned Nov. 13 elections.