UN hunts down Grenn Sonnen in Haiti

Port-au-Prince, April 10, 2005 (AHP) - Another very well-known former soldier, Jean Anthony, alias Grenn Sonnen (ringing balls), was killed this Sunday in the suburb of Delmas, during an operation CIVPOL/PNH, an initiative from the interim government.

Grennn Sonnen who had been injured the day before during the operation where the self-proclaimed leader of demobilized soldiers Rémicinthe Ravix died, was reportedly killed without having time to shoot even once.

But spokesperson of the CIVPOL Daniel Moscaluck declared that Jean Anthony and 5 other former militaries who were with him died during a confrontation.

Grenn Sonnen who had declared a few months ago that he was in open conflict with the interim government and the national police for confiscation of his belongings, had finally taken sides with Ravix, a former supporter of the former opposition at the power since Aristide's departure on February 29, 2004.

Grenn Sonnen was accused of involvement in several murders, notably the murder at the end of last month in Delmas of 2 policemen and the chauffeur of a government executive. Strangely though, he was in favour with residents of this district who claimed he kept bandits from aggressing them.

A reward of 1 million gourdes (1$US=37, 75 gourdes) was offered for Grenn Sonnen and Ravix by the interim government.

For his part, Grenn Sonnen had always declared that the police would never be able to arrest him, but that he would rather die on the battlefield.

According to pro-governmental sources in Port-au-Prince, this intensification of forceful operations is part of the dispositions taken by the interim government and sectors of the international community to organize elections this year, no matter what.

Other sectors consider that these operations, in order to be fair and efficient, should affect all groups who own illegal arms: former soldiers, former rebels of the North, of Gonaïves or of the Central Plateau as well as armed gangs claiming to be from Lavalas or from the former GNB opposition.

AHP 10 avril 2005 4:10 PM