Haiti: Rule of law must be protected
The precarious rule of law in Haiti and the Haitian institutions meant to be responsible for protecting human rights
were further weakened this weekend, said Amnesty International after armed gangs attacked police stations, prisons and
court houses in a number of towns, forcing officials to flee.
Reports indicate that more than 15 people, including police officers and local residents, have been killed.
"Amnesty International deplores the reported killings of local inhabitants and bystanders during armed confrontations
between police and armed gangs in the towns of Gonaives and St. Marc," the organization said.
"We call on the Haitian police, while carrying out their duty to protect the rule of law in the face of these threats to
public security, to respect international human rights standards regarding the use of force and firearms. Moreover, the
attacks must be investigated and those responsible brought to justice."
It has not been possible to confirm exact details of those killed or injured as both telephone and road access to the
region has been inhibited during the unrest.
"All actors, whether in government, in opposition parties or in armed groups, must immediately take steps under the
Haitian Constitution and international law to halt the breakdown in the rule of law. Strict compliance with human rights
standards is an essential condition for resolving the crisis currently affecting the country," Amnesty International
concluded.
Background information
The police station in the main Artibonite town of Gonaives was overrun by attackers on 5 February, and a police attempt
to regain possession on 7 February failed after an intense firefight. Similarly, the police station in the nearby town
of St. Marc was taken over by armed attackers on 7 February, and government buildings, as well as the town's port, were
subsequently looted.
The attacks in Gonaives have been attributed to an armed group formerly known as the 'Cannibal Army,' which is now
referred to as the "Front de résistance révolutionnaire de l'Artibonite," "Artibonite Revolutionary Resistance Front."
Its leaders have called for the departure of President Jean Bertrand Aristide and the choosing of a replacement by
opposition political parties. In St. Marc, the destruction of the police station and court house have been attributed to
members of another group also calling for Aristide's replacement. Police stations and other government buildings have
been ransacked, and roads barricaded, in a number of other towns throughout the Artibonite, North and West departments
of Haiti.
The attacks have been carried out in a context of widening political violence in which the Haitian National Police have
been accused of numerous violations, armed groups have targeted government officials and activists, most frequently
those supportive of embattled President Jean Bertrand Aristide have committed abuses against perceived opponents.
View all documents on Haiti at http://amnesty-news.c.tep1.com/maabVGUaa4fQjbb0hPub/