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The spokesperson for the police promises that the force will continue to fulfill its mission despite the difficulties
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Port-au-Prince, November 24, 2004 (AHP)- Haitian National Police (PNH) spokesperson Jessy Cameau Coicou presented a report of police activities Wednesday covering the past week.

According to Jessy Cameau Coicou, the judicial police placed seven officers in solitary confinement and adopted protective measures against another officer for their presumed role in the theft of $180,000 (U.S.) from a hotel in Port-de-Paix.

Concerning the acts of violence in the capital, Mme Coicou also confirmed the murder Monday of Mme. Soeurette Destin, the mother of performing artist Stanley Toussaint, and the attack perpetrated against police officer Orel Estimé, in Lamentin in the jurisdiction of Carrefour. Four people have been arrested in connection with that attack, she said.

With regard to the fire that broke out last Monday in Fort National, Mme Coicou indicated that a police station there was not affected by the fire, however the fire did engulf the APENA office.

An investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the fire, she said.

The police spokesperson also stated that a vehicle and ammunition had been confiscated during a police operation Sunday at the home of a man named Anthony, alias Grenn Sonnen.

Ms. Coicou also announced that American and French instructors continue to train police officers and that PNH senior management as adopted a series of measures to counteract the work of criminals. However. she said, tremendous difficulties remain, particularly a shortage of officers, personal equipment and ammunition.

Despite these difficulties, she promised that the PNH will continue to fulfill its mission. She asked the public to collaborate with the PNH to help resolve the problem of insecurity.

Jessy Coicou thanked MINUSTAH for the collaboration it has already provided and asked it to continue to support the PNH in its work to protect life and property.

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The deputy commander of MINUSTAH denies that blue helmets were attacked by armed individuals and reaffirms that the role of MINUSTAH is to accompany the Haitian people
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Port-au-Prince, November 24, 2004 (AHP)- Calos Chagas, Deputy Commander of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), denied reports Wednesday that armed individuals had attacked a patrol of UN peacekeepers Sunday and made off with their weapons.

According to Carlos Chagas, the individuals who were attacked were MINUSTAH personnel who were riding in a bus.

They were unarmed, he explained.

He also emphasized that military personnel from the UN mission promptly intervened and arrested six individuals.

Carlos Chagas said he recognizes that the security situation in Haiti should be better than it is. He announced additional measures to prevent any repeat of such acts in the country.

He also stated that MINUSTAH soldiers can not intervene exactly as some would like.

Last week a MINUSTAH official deplored comments that have been put forward from several quarters urging the foreign soldiers to intervene with their armored tanks in the populist districts.

MINUSTAH's role, recalled Carlos Chagas, is to accompany the Haitian people. He also said he is counting on the public's collaboration.

MINUSTAH expects some social aspects of programs to be envisaged in order to help establish a lasting climate of peace in the country.

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The MINUSTAH spokesperson insists that the force has enough personnel for the time being to do a better job
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Port-au-Prince, November 24, 2004 (AHP)- MINUSTAH spokesperson Toussaint Kongo Doudou declared Wednesday that the UN force deployed in Haiti is adequately staffed for the time being and will be able to do a better job than it has done thus far.

Of 6,700 soldiers authorized, the UN Stabilization Mission numbers 4,511. In addition, it has 1,250 civilian police (CIVPOL) out of 1,622 authorized, said Toussaint Kongo Doudou.

Toussaint Kongo Doudou said that MINUSTAH is accomplishing its work satisfactorily.

The UN force will continue to accompany the national police in such a way as to strengthen its capacity to effectively assure security for the public.

With a bit of patience, MINUSTAH will succeed, said the spokesperson.

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The president of ADIH voices concerns over the government's initiative to close ports in the provinces and denies that her organization was informed of the plan
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Port-au-Prince, November 24, 2004 (AHP)- Marie Claude Bayard, President of the Association of Industries of Haiti, expressed reservations Wednesday regarding the decision taken by the interim authorities to close ports in the provinces for a six-month period.

The authorities explained that they took this step because since 1986 the regional ports have not been operating according to international standards. This leads, they say, to problems such as smuggling, under-assessment of fees, and losses which they estimate at a total of 3 billion gourdes.

Marie Claude Bayard declared that this decision is not bad per se because these ports are indeed poorly equipped and are not subject to effective inspections, especially with regard to food products entering the country.

"The authorities should provide more substantial information to the public to help persuade people that this decision is in the public interest before they adopt this measure", she said.

The ADIH president at the same time denied reports that her association had been apprised of the plan in advance by the government.

Minister of Commerce and Industry Danielle St Lot said Tuesday that this decision by the interim authorities was discussed with all sectors concerned, including the Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH).

On Tuesday, following a meeting with a delegation from the Artibonite department concerned about the impact of this decision on the population, the interim authorities announced that the implementation of the decision, which had been taken on November 19, 2004, would be spaced out somewhat.

Thus the measure will go into effect in January 2005 rather than on December 1st, as had been previously announced.

Despite this new timetable, the dock workers as well as other members of the public, demonstrated this Wednesday in Gonaïves to protest the decision relating to the closing of provincial ports.

The demonstrators pointed at the Group of 184 as being behind this measure.

The protesters threatened to shut down all activities in the city of independence if the authorities do not reverse their decision.

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Teachers and students prepare to commemorate the first anniversary of the incidents of December 5 that took place at the School of Social Sciences, while expressing their disappointment
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Port-au-Prince, November 24, 2004 (AHP)- Professors and students of the State University of Haiti are getting ready to commemorate the events of last December 5th in an atmosphere replete with disappointment, they say. December 5, 2003 was the date of the violent attacks at the School of Social Sciences and at INAGUEI.

The university's rector, Pierre Marie Paquiot, as well as several students, were very seriously injured during this assault, which has been attributed to supporters of the Lavalas government. However, no findings of any investigation have been published that have shed light on these violent incidents that marked the start of the insurrection against President Aristide.

Professors Anselme Rémy and Ansy Pierre said that this date will be commemorated in an atmosphere of frustration at the university because more than eight months after the departure of President Jean- Bertrand Aristide, almost nothing has changed in the country.

The disappointment is even greater at the university because the current government is serving the interests of a minority of the dominant class, while the majority of the population sinks deeper into misery, said Professor Rémy.

For his part, Ansy Pierre described the interim government as right wing and anti-people.

"This government will be brought to justice sooner or later", declared both men.

With respect to the conflict between the Council of the Wise and the government, the two professors characterized it as a family squabble.

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Kofi Annan expresses great concern about the human rights situation in Haiti and calls on the interim government to release the illegally detained political prisoners
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Port-au-Prince, November 24, 2004 (AHP)- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan pressed the interim government to release the members of the Fanmi Lavalas party who are illegally imprisoned in violation of their human rights.

In a report to the Security Council on November 18 (document S/ 2004/908), the UN Secretary-General referred to the cases of the former Interior Minister, Jocelerme Privert, former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, and political activist Annette Auguste, popularly known as "Sò Anne", held in prison for four months and against whom no charges have been filed.

Kofi Annan reminded the transitional government that the arbitrary detention of people solely for their political affiliation is in contravention of fundamental human rights principles. " I therefore encourage the Transitional Government to release those against whom no charges have been brought and bring the others to justice in a fair and transparent process", said Kofi Annan, expressing great concern about the human rights situation in Haiti.

Mr. Annan's report also discussed the climate of impunity which has impeded respect for human rights; armed groups, some of which are composed of former military forces, have made arbitrary arrests and run illegal detention centers in some localities. The judicial system remained dysfunctional, and the National Police continued to operate outside the purview of the rule of law, the report observed.

Amnesty International recently denounced the murder of a group of 13 youths in the Fort National district of Port-au-Prince, and called unsuccessfully thus far on the government to conduct an independent investigation into the executions, which have been attributed to uniformed officers of the national police seen riding in a police vehicle according to witnesses interviewed by the human rights organization.

The UN Secretary-General also observed that the security situation has further deteriorated since his report of August 30, 2004 and urged the governments that promised to send troops to support the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) to abide by the deployment schedules that have been agreed.

Kofi Annan also urged an increase in the numbers of Civilian Police attached to MINUSTAH.

Mr. Annan noted however that while security is a necessary condition of the transitional process, without a parallel political process which involves all segments of society, no sustainable peace and security will be achieved.

The Secretary-General encouraged the Transitional Government to explore all possible ways to include in the democratic and electoral process those who currently remain outside the transition process but have rejected violence. He called on the Security Council to extend MINUSTAH's mandate for a further 18 month period through May 31, 2006.

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Lavalas activists announce plans to hold a peaceful demonstration on November 26 to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the second election of Jean-Bertrand Aristide
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Port-au-Prince, November 24, 2004 (AHP)- Fanmi Lavalas activists announced Wednesday that they have scheduled a peaceful demonstration to be held Friday November 26 to comme te the fourth anniversary of the second election of Jean-Bertrand Aristide as president of Haiti.

Mr. Aristide was forced to leave the country following pressures exerted against him by members of the international community following an armed insurrection that had been going on for several weeks.

Speaking on behalf of populist organizations, Samba Boukman announced plans for the march during a conference and continues to call for an end to political persecution and the return of constitutional government in Haiti.

"This demonstration will also be an opportunity to denounce the misery afflicting the underprivileged masses of the populist districts of the country and to advocate better living conditions", he said.

Samba Boukman also rejected accusations that Weber Adrien, the coordinator of the city halls of Port-au-Prince, murdered on November 17, was killed by Lavalas activists.

He demanded that an investigation be opened to determine the circumstances of the killing.

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Ti Will, the powerful chief of the anti-Aristide Front, accused of responsibility in the killing of a six year- old girl, remains at large
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Gonaïves, November 24, 2004 (AHP)- Extreme confusion continues regarding the question of an arrest warrant issued against a powerful leader of the Front of the Artibonite, Ferdinand Wilfort, known as Ti Will, who has been accused in the murder of Francesca Gabriel, a six year-old girl.

Ti Will was part of a group that had taken up arms against President Aristide in Gonaïves. His supporters believe that he has served his country so greatly that it would not be right to arrest him.

Indeed, both in Port-au-Prince as well as Gonaïves, few voices have called for his arrest.

Rumors indicate that the judicial authorities have issued an arrest warrant against him.

The police in the City of Independence as well as soldiers of MINUSTAH have conducted patrols for the past several days in different neighborhoods of Gonaïves, though it is not clear whether they are searching for Ti Will.

The director for the police in the Artibonite department, Joseph Gaspard Hypolite, would only say that no person is above the law in a nation where respect for the rule of law exists.

The Committee of Lawyers for the respect of Individual Liberties (CARLI) said it hopes that the police in the Artibonite will take all necessary steps to take the former rebel leader into custody.

According to CARLI director Renan Hédouville, the case of Francesca Gabriel is a test for the interim government and the judicial authorities in particular.

According to many observers, the Ti Will case is similar to the case of Amiot Métayer, the powerful populist organization leader who escaped from prison and whom the authorities were unable to arrest prior to his murder in September 2003 under circumstances that remain clouded.

AHP November 24, 2004 12:30 PM
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