One killed in Haiti unrest amid new student protests

by Dominique Levanti

Wednesday, January 28, 2004

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): Hundreds of students peacefully protested here Monday to demand Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's resignation, but fresh violence between police and anti-government militia left one dead.

The latest protests in the capital and in the coastal city of Gonaives each drew about 400 people, who avoided the clashes with police that have marred such marches in previous weeks, witnesses said.

But militia opposed to Aristide again clashed with police in Gonaives in separate incidents, leaving one dead and three injured, according to witnesses.

A passerby was shot to death as police were exchanging fire with the Artibonite Revolutionary Resistance Front, an armed militia opposing Aristide that has stepped up its attacks since one of its leaders was killed in September.

The militia blocked the main roads in Gonaives, burning tires in the streets and firing into the air until police arrived.

Later the militia threatened to execute three people accused of collaborating with police. They decided to shoot each of them once in the foot after protests from local residents.

The latest violence brought to 48 the number of people killed by gunfire in shoot-outs between the Artibonite Revolutionary Resistance Front and police since September 23. Another 97 people have been injured.

Aristide became the impoverished republic's first democratically elected president in 1990, but he was sacked six months later in a coup. The United States invaded the country to return Aristide to power.

Aristide, a former priest, stepped down after serving a five-year term, but was elected again in 2000 in a vote observers called flawed. Opposition parties claim Aristide's Lavalas party rigged the vote.

On Sunday, Aristide said he was willing to form a government that would include opposition parties and members of civic groups, and has called for new legislative elections in six months.

He also indicated he was willing to follow the recommendation of church leaders who proposed to set up a special council made up of representatives from political parties, religious organizations and human rights groups to help Aristide organize elections.

Violence has continued, however.

On Saturday, a police officer killed a taxi driver after a shoot-out between police and the militia.

In Port-au-Prince on Saturday, police arrested 11 members of a labor union opposing Aristide, accusing the organization of "conspiracy against the security of the state," according to state-run television.

The Organization of American States and Haiti's Caribbean neighbors have tried, without success, to mediate the crisis. 

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