UN troops in Haiti kill Coup Strongmen

AHP News April 9, 2005

English translation (Unofficial)

One of the main architects of the armed opposition to Aristide killed during a joint operation CIVPOL/PNH

Port-au-Prince, April 9, 2005 (AHP) -One of the main elements who took the arms in February 2004 against President Jean Bertrand Aristide in the context of the uprising from the former opposition, Rémissainthe Ravix, was killed Saturday during a joint operation CIVPOL/ National Police in the district of Delmas in Port-au-Prince.

Numerous speculations were made about this death. Residents of this district claimed that, betrayed by one his peers, Ravix and men who were with him were circled by policemen who opened fire on a house where they were.

However, members of the PNH and the CIVPOL declared that the man who had proclaimed himself as the head of demobilized soldiers was shot during a confrontation with the police and UN forces. According to a spokesperson of the CIVPOL, Daniel Moskaluck, Ravix was killed as he was hiding behind a tree in order to exchange gunshots with the police and the CIVPOL.

This Saturday's operations were an answer to acts of violence perpetrated the day before notably against a supermarket at Delams 95 and against a United Nations bus, where one person suffered minor injuries, according to Moscaluck.

"From 7PM to 10PM, he said, armed men spread panic in several districts of the capital. Joint patrols organized after these incidents lead to the house where the former soldiers were, he also pointed out.

Several other militaries, including Jean Anthony (Grenn Sonnen) were reportedly injured during these operations. Some of them were arrested.

[Late breaking news: Jean Anthony (Grenn Sonnen) was killed today — Sunday, April 10 — near the National Airport]

Rémissainthe Ravix's death is considered as a loss for the camp of the opposition to Aristide, and brings up to at least 7 the number of demobilized solders who have been killed since they have been in open conflict with the interim authorities. They pride themselves on installing interim authorities at the power.

One of the main instruments of the armed fight against the Aristide government, Rémissainthe Ravix operated with his men especially in the Central Plateau area, notably in Pernales where they killed several Lavalas supporters. It is also in this town that executives from the Ministry of Interior were killed in an ambush in 2003.

Mr. Ravix who always boasted that he had privileged relationships a long time before February 29, 2004 with current higher executives of the government also participated to the GNB demonstrations in Port-au-Prince, came to help the Resistance Front of Gona*ves, the Army of the North and the gang who assaulted the police station of Saint-Marc at the beginning of February.

These different armed gangs who hesitated to enter the capital fearing, we say, a forceful counter-attack by the police and President Aristide's supporters, were able to enter in triumph on February 29th right after President Aristide left.

Relations between the interim government installed in March 2004, Ravix Remissainte, demobilized soldiers and other rebels were considered cordial. Prime Minister Gérard Latortue even named them freedom fighters during a visit in Gona*ves.

The government also had to negotiate openly with Ravix who had been welcomed at the National Palace.

The demobilized, who occupied several police stations throughout the country, were accepted tacitly for a long time as a security force, notably because of the joint patrols they made together with the police, even making arrests.

Relationships began to deteriorate when the government recognize that it did not have the legitimacy needed o fulfill one of the promises it had made to the demobilized soldiers during the GNB movement: the reconstitution of the armed forces dissolved de facto by President Aristide in 1995 after his return from exile.p>These relations were to become more complicated notably when demobilized soldiers were thrown out of President Aristide's home in Tabarre, with the murder of 4 policemen in Claircine and last month's confrontation at Petit-Goave and Terrier Rouge when 3 UN soldiers and 2 demobilized soldiers were killed.

A reward was offered for the capture of Remicinthe and another former military, Jean Anthony (Grenn Sonen). And it is the consummation of the divorce that ended this Saturday in the death of the self-proclaimed leader of the demobilized army.

Many of those of made the opposition together with Ravix in 2003/2004 tried to justify his death by accusing him of making an alliance with groups that are considered in favour of Aristide's return.

AHP April 8, 2005 4:10 PM

Questioning about the circumstances of Ravix&Mac226; death:
pro-demobilized soldiers sectors brandish the theory of an ambush

Port-au-Prince, April 10, 2005 (AHP) The situation got out of hand Saturday between the interim government and part of the armed sectors who had taken the arms at the beginning of 2004 against President Aristide, with the death Saturday of the self-proclaimed leader of demobilized soldiers, Ravix Rémicinthe.

According to the CIVPOL and the national police, Ravix was killed during a confrontation in the district of Delmas.

However, some sectors close to the demobilized put forward the theory of an ambush. They claim that Ravix had gone to Port-au-Prince to negotiate with the interim government in order to find a peaceful solution to the conflict opposing the two parties.

Ravix was considered a loyal ally of the sectors who took the power after Aristide's hasty departure on February 29, 2004, but would have become irritating because of his demands regarding notably the return of the army dissolved de facto in 1995, which was a promise made to the soldiers during the GNB movement.

Speaking Saturday on the air of a private radio station of the capital, former Colonel Himmler Rébu, who offered his good offices for the procedures under way to solve the conflict, confirmed that a process of dialogue was under way.

He declared he was outraged that Ravix fell in such disturbing circumstances. The two men had discussed on the air and had exchanged their names and addresses during a radio show on Saturday April 2nd.

Several sectors close to the former opposition had announced last week that forceful measures were going to be taken to neutralize demobilized soldiers and all other groups accused of making an armed opposition to the interim regime.

In parallel to Ravix' death, a vast movement intensified against demobilized soldiers.

The peristyle of a former sergeant named Moni, who became houngan (Voodoo priest), was burned Saturday night on Tabarre road by policemen who made a raid at his home. The former soldier had time to go under cover.

Former militaries who spoke on the air Saturday night declared that their situation had never been so precarious under Aristide's government, the man against whom they took the arms. One of them mentioned François Duvalier's famous saying: gratefulness is cowardice, an allusion to what is being done to them, in return for the several services they gave.

AHP April 10, 2005 9:10 AM