Haiti fires 300 Aristide staff

CHILEAN troops began patrolling Haiti's strategically important city of Hinche overnight, the first troops from a US-led multinational force to deploy in the rebel-held Central Plateau where rebels launched a revolt to oust Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

A US-backed interim government, meanwhile, announced plans to fire or transfer nearly 800 people who used to work for Aristide in the presidential palace.

Only 125 of 620 security officials at the palace would be retained, and another 272 administrative employees would be fired, cabinet director Michel Brunache said overnight, without giving reasons for the dismissals and transfers.

Former palace security chief Oriel Jean, 39, was extradited from Canada to the United States last month on drug trafficking charges. Palace security officers also have been accused of giving directions to street gangs that attacked Aristide's opponents.

Loyalties to Aristide or to his Lavalas party prompted an exodus of government officials and police officers during the rebellion. Many left their posts fearing reprisal attacks.

The vacuum has forced the government to look for new police recruits. Thousands of job applicants formed a long line today for a police recruiting drive. A similar drive was suspended last week after a recruit was asphyxiated during a stampede by eager recruits.

Less than half of Haiti's 5000 police have returned to their posts since Aristide fled on February 29, posing challenges to the government in regaining control of rebel-held areas or towns now patrolled by gang members sympathetic to the rebels.

In the southern town of Petit-Goave, a street gang that helped oust Aristide surrendered seven weapons in a symbolic gesture yesterday.

The old rifle and six pistols, which were looted when residents ransacked a police station after Aristide left - did not include rifles townspeople had seen the young men toting.

In Hinche, meanwhile, Chilean troops arrived after an agreement with former Army Master Sergeant Joseph Jean-Baptiste, who seized the town in the second week of the rebellion and has held sway. The town is 113 km northeast of Port-au-Prince.

Thirty Chilean soldiers arrived overnight aboard two US Chinook helicopters and began foot and vehicle patrols, said spokesman Gonzalo Vega. The troops will return to Port-au-Prince at nightfall, and return for daily patrols, he said.

"Everything is calm there and we made contact with Mr Jean-Baptiste, who has showed his willingness to collaborate to ensure the security of the city," Vega said.

The Chileans concede they are heavily outnumbered by an estimated 400 rebels in Hinche and its surrounding towns. Only 15 police officers have returned since the revolt.

About 3600 peacekeepers from Canada, Chile, France and the United States are trying to help Haiti's demoralised police force. Hinche, a town of about 100,000 people, straddles a strategic crossroads and is in Haiti's agricultural heartland.

The vacuum of leadership caused by the rebellion has forced peacekeepers to negotiate with rebels, many of whom like Jean-Baptiste come from the former Haitian army disbanded by Aristide when he was first ousted in a 1991 coup.

Meanwhile, interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue yesterday visited the northern port of St Marc, 70 km northwest of the capital, and asked for patience.

Some have said the government is working too slowly to restore basic services, such as electricity and water, to punish people in former Aristide strongholds.

Latortue said people should give his government at least 100 days before passing judgment.

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