Violence worse than in Duvalier’s time—bishops

Press, 7 December 1987, Page 8

Violence worse than in Duvalier’s time—bishops

NZPA-Reuter Port-au-Prince Haitians stocked up on foods and basic supplies yesterday, bracing for a planned general strike and the possibility of further violence. A leading Presidential candidate and popular opposition politician, Louis Dejoie, called on Haitians, including Government employees, to take part in the strike today. “To restore confidence among the Haitian people, to re-establish harmony, to relaunch the democratic process ... the CNG (National Council of Government) should resign immediately to allow the emergence of a new CNG,‘ Mr Dejoie said at a news conference in a city

centre hotel yesterday. A tough statement by the country’s influential Roman Catholic church on Friday night, criticising the military-led Government, appeared to add further weight to the strike call by opposition politicians. Haitians were stocking up on basic provisions. Uncertainty since the elections has led to heavy buying of staple foods and pushed up prices. The seven bishops forming the Catholic Episcopal Conference described the present situation in Haiti as “more grave and more horrific” than under deposed dictator Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier. More than 30 voters were killed by unidenti-

fied, heavily-armed gunmen on November 29, during the country’s first Presidential Elections in 30 years last Sunday. The military-led Government accused “terrorists” of the murders. Most Haitians blamed former members of Duvalier’s dreaded Tonton Macoutes militia and many witnesses, including foreign journalists, said Army troops stood by as the killings took place. The bishops’ statement accused the Army of complicity in pre-election incidents of arson but stopped short of blaming the Armed Forces for the violence of November 29. “The events we are living through these days take us back two years ...,’ the statement said in

a reference to the popular unrest which led Duvalier to flee the country in February, 1986.

“The situation in which we find ourselves is even more grave. There is a real escalation in violence. The crimes of today are more horrific than those of yesterday,’ the bishops said. Meanwhile, nonessential United States diplomatic personnel began leaving individually on commercial flights. The United States Embassy said around 150 United States personnel or their dependents would leave before Christmas, leaving behind some 80 Americans at the Embassy, consulate and Agency for International Development.