Conflicting reports on end to coup in Haiti

Press, 4 April 1989, Page 8

Conflicting reports on end to coup in Haiti

NZPA-Reuter Port-Au-Prince The Government of Haiti’s military leader, General Prosper Avril, said it had survived an attempted coup on Sunday, but one crack army unit in the capital of Port-Au-Prince was reported to have seized hostages in a continued revolt. An official said that at least four senior officers were arrested on charges of heading the attempted coup around dawn on Sunday.

“General Avril controls the situation and guaran-

tees peace and security,” a statement issued by the Ministry of Information said. "He asks the people to go about their normal activities.”

But the Leopards’ Battalion, an elite army unit, was holding at least four hostages at their headquarters on the outskirts of Port-Au-Prince, demanding the release of their commander Himler Rebu, the official said. Mr Rebu was one of those detained over the attempted coup, which may have been linked to General Avril’s United States-

backed attempts to clamp down on drug trafficking.

Unconfirmed radio reports said the hostages included one of General Avril’s sons and the Interior Minister, Acedius Saint Louis. Haitians monitoring army communications said they heard Government forces order tanks to the Leopards’ headquarters.

General Avril heads Haiti’s fourth Government since the former dictator, Jean-Claude Duvalier, fled into exile in France in early 1986.