U.N. Troops Accused of July 6th Massacre in Haiti's Cite Soleil

Interview with Kim Ives, editor of Haiti Progres, conducted by Scott Harris

On the morning of July 6, more than 350 United Nations peacekeeping troops deployed in Haiti raided the densely populated Port-au-Prince slum of Cite Soleil. A U.N. spokesperson Col. Eloufi Boulbars stated that the operation was aimed at armed gangs that they say are responsible for rampant violence in the Haitian capital.

But residents of the poor neighborhood, many of whom are staunch supporters of ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, say that U.N. troops backed by tanks and helicopter shot indiscriminately killing at least 23 and as many as 60 civilians. U.N officials reported only five killed. Among those slain in the raid was Emmanuel "Dread" Wilme, known as a pro-Aristide community leader in Cite Soleil and branded a dangerous gang leader by the U.S.-installed interim Haitian government and the U.N.

Haiti has been plagued by violence and instability since an armed rebellion by former Haitian soldiers toppled Aristide's government in February 2004. Aristide, now in exile in South Africa, maintains that he was kidnapped and forced to leave Haiti as Washington and Paris orchestrated the coup against him. The 7,400-member U.N. peacekeeping force made up of soldiers from Brazil, Peru, Joradan and Uruguay is preparing for presidential, parliamentary and local elections in October and December. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Kim Ives, an editor with the newspaper Haiti Progres, who describes the deadly July 6 attack by U.N. soldiers on Cite Soleil and the prospects for free and fair elections later this year.

Contact Haiti Progres by calling (718) 434-8100 or visit their website at www.haitiprogres.com

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