25442: Hermantin(news)Police accused of killing two people during raid (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>


Posted on Sat, Jun. 18, 2005

Latin American & Caribbean briefs
HAITI
Police accused of killing two people during raid


> From Herald Wire Services

PORT-AU-PRINCE - Residents accused Haitian police of killing two people, 
including a teenage girl, during raids Friday in a gritty slum teeming with 
gangs loyal to ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

About 12 police officers stormed the slum of Bel Air shortly after dawn, firing 
at several homes, residents said. The slum is the site of frequent clashes 
between police, U.N. peacekeepers and pro-Aristide gangs.

Angry slum dwellers, some armed, later burned a car in protest.

Nathalie Misius, 17, was shot in the head while running for cover inside her 
dilapidated, one-bedroom apartment, said Jude Pierre, 25, her neighbor.

''The police just came and started shooting in every direction. We had to run 
for our lives,'' said Pierre, standing near the burning car and at least 10 
gangsters armed with rifles.

Samba Boukman, an activist for Aristide's Lavalas Family Party, said police 
also shot and killed an unidentified man and removed his body. He said eight 
other residents were wounded by gunfire.