Haiti opposition group denies declaring ceasefire for bicentennial

Thursday, January 1, 2004

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): The head of an armed opposition group battling Haiti's President Jean Bertrand Aristide claimed Tuesday the government had fabricated a statement in which he allegedly called a truce.

Buteur Metayer told a private radio station in the capital that a "journalist had imitated my voice" and recorded the statement released to the press Monday declaring a ceasefire.

The truce was to have marked the impoverished state's 200th anniversary of its independence on January 1.

The recorded statement said the ceasefire would allow foreign dignitaries, including South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, to join Aristide in events in Metayer's stronghold of Gonaives, the town where independence from France was declared on January 1, 1804.

Metayer's followers had not questioned the authenticity of the recording when it was released Monday.

But his armed followers were disgruntled by talk of a truce, and one of Metayer's deputies warned of violent attacks on dignitaries scheduled to visit the town.

Metayer heads the Artibonite Revolutionary Resistance Front, once known as the Cannibal army, which is based in Gonaives. His brother Amiot Metayer, the former leader of the Cannibal army, was shot dead in September.

Metayer's followers have blamed the government for the death, and since September 23 there have been attacks and violent demonstrations in the town which have left 36 dead and 85 wounded. The government has said an armed opposition group killed Metayer.

Mbeki will be the main foreign guest at the commemorations. He is to go to Haiti after a state visit to the Bahamas. Mbeki's security officials recently went to Gonaive to prepare the sensitive visit. 

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