DATE=2/2/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-226232
TITLE=HAITI / POLICE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=MIAMI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: TWO HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ISSUED A JOINT REPORT
THAT SAYS HAITI'S NEW CIVILIAN POLICE FORCE HAS GREATLY IMPROVED
DURING THE PAST YEAR. STILL, AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A'S JIM TEEPLE,
THE REPORT CAUTIONS THAT MANY HURDLES REMAIN FOR HAITI'S NEW
POLICE.
TEXT: THE REPORT IS CALLED "CAN HAITI'S POLICE REFORMS BE
SUSTAINED?" IT WAS ISSUED BY THE NEW YORK-BASED NATIONAL
COALITION FOR HAITIAN RIGHTS, AND THE WASHINGTON OFFICE ON LATIN
AMERICA, TWO ORGANIZATIONS WHICH HAVE CLOSELY MONITORED HAITI'S
CIVILIAN POLICE SINCE THE FORCE WAS FORMED IN 1995.
WILLIAM O'NEIL -- A NEW YORK HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER -- HELPED TO
WRITE THE REPORT. HE SAYS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS THAT
HAITI'S FIVE-THOUSAND-MEMBER POLICE FORCE FACED WAS MISMANAGEMENT
-- ESPECIALLY AT THE SUPERVISORY LEVEL. MR. O'NEIL SAYS THAT TO
A LARGE EXTENT, THAT PROBLEM WAS ADDRESSED IN 1997.
// INSERT O'NEIL ACTUALITY //
YOU SEE MORE UNIFORM APPROACHES TO POLICING, THE
DIRECTIVES GET PASSED DOWN, AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE
IS FOLLOW-UP AND OVERSIGHT. IF SOMETHING DOES NOT GO
WELL, SOMEONE IS ON THE SPOT TO NOTE THAT. AND THEN FOR
SERIOUS MATTERS, INFORMATION CAN FLOW BACK TO
HEADQUARTERS AND, IN PARTICULAR, TO THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL'S OFFICE.
// END ACTUALITY //
// BEGIN OPT // ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THE NEWLY EXPANDED
INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE HAS BEEN ABLE TO INVESTIGATE NUMEROUS
CASES OF POLICE MISCONDUCT -- ESPECIALLY HIGH-PROFILE CASES WHERE
INDIVIDUALS WERE KILLED BY MEMBERS OF THE FORCE.
STILL, THE REPORT NOTES WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN IMPROVEMENTS,
POLICE ARROGANCE TOWARD THE GENERAL POPULATION REMAINS A PROBLEM,
AND REPORTS OF BEATINGS OF CIVILIANS BY POLICE ACTUALLY INCREASED
IN 1997. // END OPT //
MANY OBSERVERS SAY THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACING HAITI'S NEW
CIVILIAN POLICE IS CORRUPTION -- ESPECIALLY FROM DRUG
TRAFFICKERS. LAST NOVEMBER, AT LEAST 20 POLICE OFFICERS WERE
ARRESTED AFTER SEIZED DRUGS DISAPPEARED FROM SEVERAL POLICE
STATIONS. WILLIAM O' NEIL SAYS DRUG-RELATED CORRUPTION COULD
QUICKLY OVERWHELM HAITI'S NEW POLICE.
// INSERT 2ND O'NEIL ACTUALITY //
I THINK WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO
WHERE IT HAS REALLY BECOME A NOTICEABLE PROBLEM. I THINK
THERE YOU RUN INTO RESOURCE PROBLEMS. THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL'S OFFICE IS ONLY SO LARGE, WITH SO MANY PEOPLE
AND VEHICLES, AND WITH SO MANY OTHER THINGS IN HAITI,
THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY SKILLED
PERSONNEL.
// END ACTUALITY //
WILLIAM O'NEIL SAYS SENIOR HAITIAN POLICE OFFICIALS SEEM TO BE
TAKING THE PROBLEM OF DRUG-RELATED CORRUPTION SERIOUSLY. HE
ALSO SAYS 300 U-N POLICE TRAINERS IN HAITI CAN PROVIDE VALUABLE
EXPERTISE WHEN IT COMES TO FIGHTING DRUG-RELATED CORRUPTION.
A SEPARATE REPORT ISSUED RECENTLY BY THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
COMMITTEE OF THE U-S HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TAKES A MORE
PESSIMISTIC VIEW. THAT REPORTS DESCRIBED HAITI'S POLICE FORCE AS
BEING UNDER SIEGE FROM DRUG TRAFFICKERS. THE REPORT SAID THERE
IS A DELIBERATE EFFORT TO CORRUPT LARGE NUMBERS OF HAITIAN POLICE
OFFICERS BY SUPPLYING THEM WITH DRUGS AND DRUG MONEY. (SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/RRM
02-Feb-98 5:15 PM EST (2215 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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