Gunfire kills 6 at rally in Haiti

By Susannah A. Nesmith, Joe Mozingo and Trenton Daniel
The Miami Herald

	DARIO LOPEZ MILLS / AP Opponents of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide flee gunfire yesterday in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — At least six people were killed and about 30 injured yesterday when gunfire erupted near the National Palace as thousands of marchers celebrated the ouster of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

U.S. Marines, guarding the National Palace since Aristide fled Feb. 29, reported they shot and killed one of the gunmen.

It was the first known incident of Marines firing their weapons since they came ashore a week earlier after the resignation and exile of Aristide. No Marines were injured.

Opposition leaders immediately blamed the shootings on Aristide supporters, saying hospital officials determined most of the injuries were from automatic weapons.

"That's pretty much the type of weapons Aristide distributed before he left," said Charles Henri Baker, leader of the opposition group the Democratic Platform. "His assassin base is still there."

	DARIO LOPEZ MILLS / AP U.S. Marines patrol the streets of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, after shooting erupted yesterday during a march by opponents of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

The shooting started across the square from the National Palace, the destination of the rally. The gunfire lasted at least 10 minutes.

Some witnesses said gunmen first appeared outside the old Defense Ministry building on the plaza, then kneeled on the sidewalk and opened fire. Others said gunmen in two all-terrain vehicles started the shooting, while others said they saw gunmen shooting from the roof of a movie theater.

Marines reported that people with headsets and cellphones appeared to be coordinating the movements of the gunmen and also were seen distributing American cash.

Although the Marines fired, provided first aid to the wounded and evacuated eight people to hospitals, they were criticized by some of the demonstrators.

"The peacekeepers were nowhere near where the shooting was," said Almil Costel, 31, who was shot twice in the left shoulder.

After the shooting, a truck with loudspeakers drove around the palace, blaring music. One man speaking over its loudspeaker shouted at the Marines: "People are dying every day in this country. You have to do something about it."

	PABLO ANELI / AP One marcher carries a sign reading "Judge Aristide" as thousands of opponents of Haiti's former president took to the streets. Before yesterday's bloodshed, some danced as the festive procession moved toward the National Palace.

Marines said the shootings would have been difficult to prevent.

"They are bound and determined to get into that crowd, and we don't know who they are," said Col. David Berger, commander of the battalion in Haiti, who looked disheartened. "We're trying to encourage democracy. I'm afraid if we blanket the whole area, we will prevent exactly what we are trying to generate."

The Marines and troops from France had worked throughout the day to provide security for the parade and rally, which Aristide opponents said they held because it was finally safe for them to take to the streets. Aristide supporters had been scheduled to march, too, but said they delayed their demonstration until today to avoid a confrontation.

More than 130 people have died since Feb. 5, when rebels took control of a major central city and the country descended into chaos. After Aristide resigned and was flown to the Central African Republic, the United States, France, Canada and Chile sent troops to try to stabilize the country.

The marchers began their rally in the affluent suburb of Petionville, chanting "Trial for Aristide" and other slogans as they snaked down the hill toward downtown Port-au-Prince.

Demonstrators cheered rebel leader Guy Philippe and wrapped themselves in the Haitian flag. Many carried signs demanding a trial for Aristide and several of his top aides. Some even demanded a trial for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and the members of the Caribbean Community for supporting Aristide.

Until the shooting started, the atmosphere was festive, with thousands dancing in the streets and walking miles to reach the National Palace. Marines, French troops, Haitian police and Haitian SWAT teams accompanied the march — they fanned out to block a street in at least one neighborhood known to be controlled by gunmen loyal to Aristide.

Among those killed was Ricardo Ortega, a journalist for Antena 3, a Spanish station. He was shot in the chest in the courtyard of a house where journalists had taken refuge from the shooting, according to eyewitnesses.

Meanwhile, a recently appointed seven-member "Council of Sages" met for a third day yesterday in the capital to choose a prime minister to run the country on an interim basis. Officials said they hoped to have a decision by tomorrow.

One possibility is Lt. Gen. Herard Abraham, probably the only Haitian army officer to voluntarily surrender power to a civilian. Abraham succeeded ousted Gen. Prosper Avril in 1990 and immediately handed power to Haiti's Supreme Court justice. That allowed the transition that led to Haiti's first free elections, in December 1990, which Aristide won in a landslide.

Another choice is Smarck Michel, a businessman who was Aristide's prime minister in 1994-1995 but resigned over differences in economic policy.

Material from The Associated Press is included in this report.

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