Haiti promised ballot at some future time

Press, 12 February 1986, Page 10

Haiti promised ballot at some future time

NZPA-Reuter Port-au-Prince Haiti’s new leader, Lieu-tenant-General Henri Namphy, has vowed to hold elections but sources close to the new Government say it could be three years before they take place. General Namphy, who took over after the President, Jean-Claude Duvalier, fled on Friday, told reporters at an unusual news conference in the Presidential Palace yesterday that free elections would be held.

“But no particular date has been set,” said General Namphy, the head of the six-man military-civi-lian council now running the country. Another member of the six-man military-civilian council now running the country, Colonel William Regala, said later, “I don’t want to say one day, three months or five years, you understand? "We have no date in mind. First, we must prepare the ground.” Another key figure in the six-man council, Colonel Prosper Avril, said that although Mr Duvalier’s hated Tontons Macoutes secret police had been disbanded by Government decree, the Army would protect them. “We hope they will become normal citizens,” he said.

Asked if they could therefore be integrated into the Army, Colonel Avril replied, "If they fulfil the conditions as normal citizens, they will be accepted into the Army.” The news appeared likely to upset many Hai-

tians, who have demanded that the Tontons Macoutes be brought to justice for thousands of suspected murders and wide-spread extortion. The Tontons disappeared from the streets after more than 30 were killed according to hospital sources, most of them beaten to death after Mr Duvalier’s flight into exile. -• The sources close to the Government said, “The elections will be held. But the question is not one of having them quickly, but of having them properly. I think it could be three years before the ground is prepared.”

The sources also said the new Government intended to open the way for the return of exiled Haitians, “provided they are not the kind who will cause trouble here. Those who are patriots and prepared to work for the development of the country will be welcomed back.”

A Government announcement, broadcast on local radio stations, said that today would be a holiday as scheduled marking the annual carnival period.

But the carnival itself was postponed, probably for more than one week.

It had originally been due to take place from February 9-11. Nonetheless, a carnival atmosphere prevailed in Port-au-Prince yesterday.

About noon more than 500 Haitians gathered at a Catholic radio station to stage an anti-Duvalier protest. They paraded a small black dog dressed

in denim around the streets.

“Baby dog, baby dog,” the crowd chanted, referring to Mr Duvalier’s “Baby Doc” nickname. At Mont Louis, mobs have ransacked the vacation villa of Marie Denise Duvalier, the former President’s sister, and the mansions of four of his top officials. But nobody has dared try to loot his palatial villa near Mont Louis. Twenty soldiers of the Presidential Guard are still within its high walls.

It is a veritable fortress, with ports for firing guns down at possible attackers.

The first foreigners to leave Haiti since Mr Duvalier fled the country arrived in Montreal yesterday and one said she had witnessed the beheading of a Tonton Macoute. “They cut off his head,” said Anne-Marie St Louis, a Haitian-born Montreal waitress who said the militiaman was first set upon by a group of people and beaten. “All we could do was run,” said Ms St Louis, who went to Haiti to pick up her two young children who had been visiting relatives. “Now I feel safe.”

Ms St Louis was among 407 Canadians and 30 Americans on a special Air Canada flight which’ the new Haitian Government allowed to land at Port-au-Prince to take out stranded tourists. The Government has indicated it will allow two American airlines to land planes in Haiti today to pick up more tourists.