#4869: Attackers lob explosive onto EU official's property in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: nozier@tradewind.net

WIRE:08/12/2000 19:29:00 ET                                         
Attackers lob explosive onto EU official's property in Haiti    

 PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) _ Attackers lobbed a firebomb into the   
garden of a European Union official"s   home, a diplomat said Saturday,
in the  latest attack against foreign officials and their property. The
Molotov cocktail burst into flames at the home  of EU agriculture
consultant  Pierre-Yves Baulain in suburban Petionville, said a
high-ranking European diplomat and  several other diplomats who spoke on
condition that   they were not further identified. Baulain was on leave 
in his home country France, and the explosive did not cause any property
damage. Police officials could not immediately be reached Saturday to
confirm the report. The European Union, United States and   Canada have
all threatened to withhold aid over  concerns about the results of
elections in May, June  and July. They say some results were incorrectly
computed giving victories to candidates from the Lavalas Family party.
The vote gave Lavalas, the party  of former President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide, control of  both houses of parliament and most local councils
and city halls. Aristide also is favored to win the presidential
election on Nov. 26. The Organization of American States and
international donors have urged  Haiti to hold new elections for 10
disputed Senate seats. On July 27, unidentified attackers threw a
grenade into the driveway of Canadian ambassador  Gilles Bernier,
slightly damaging his vehicle. Bernier  was in Canada at the time. On
the morning of the attack on Bernier"s residence, authorities found 
another grenade in the courtyard of the former  headquarters of the U.N.
civilian mission, in suburban  Delmas. Police detonated the grenade, and
there were no injuries or damage. Last week, gunmen shot and killed U.N.
employee Garfield Lyle, a Guyanese national, at the wheel of his
vehicle. Police are still  investigating. No one has claimed
responsibility for  the attacks. Haiti has been without a parliament
since  January 1999, when President Rene Preval, an Aristide ally,
locked lawmakers out of Parliament after  an 18-month power struggle
with the majority party.