EvanL
03-10-2004, 10:43 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CP) - Hundreds of people tried desperately to leave Haiti on Tuesday aboard an Air Canada jet and other international flights as blood was shed for a second consecutive day near the Port-au-Prince airport. More Canadian military personnel flew into the violence-riddled country.
A crush of people swarmed the metal barricades outside the departure area of the Mais Gates International Airport, held back by heavily armed U.S. marines inside as the major foreign carriers flew into the Haitian capital for the first time since they had halted flights Feb. 29.
"It's nonsense," said one local man who watched as throngs of people grew angry over their denied entry to the airport.
"(The American) carriers should know better than to send (just) three flights."
He was more complimentary toward Air Canada.
"Air Canada even before they left (Feb. 29), they put some additional flights. When they resumed their flights, they put additional flights again."
Just metres from the airport grounds, a man's body lay face down in a pool of blood on a sidewalk in the middle of a roundabout, apparently shot as U.S. marines stood guard around an industrial park. U.S. military officials could not confirm whether their soldiers were involved in the shooting.
The body remained in place for hours, seemingly unnoticed by those walking within inches of it - with the exception of one person who stooped quickly to steal the deceased man's shoes, revealing his torn skin and tattered, dirty white socks.
Another man had been shot dead by U.S. marines in the same area on Monday as hundreds of people tried to loot buildings inside the business park's walled compound.
Back at the airport, screams could be heard as the crowd pushed in on itself.
Many would-be travellers clutched airline tickets while others held high Canadian and American passports, to no avail.
Earlier Tuesday, the United Nations launched an urgent appeal for international assistance for Haiti, asking for $35 million US to buy food aid and other supplies, as well as help in rebuilding many of the social services that were destroyed or halted during nearly two months of turmoil.
Canada responded with a pledge of $5 million to pay for humanitarian assistance, reconstruction and transition costs.
"Before the political crisis, the humanitarian needs in Haiti were great," said International Co-operation Minister Aileen Carroll in a statement.
"Now, they are even worse. This support will assist the United Nations to reach women, men and children in need."
Since the current crisis in Haiti began, Canada has contributed $1.95 million in humanitarian assistance and food aid for the country's impoverished people.
A UN official in Port-au-Prince said Tuesday he had also received assurances of help from Canada to pave the way for future elections in Haiti.
"If you take a spectrum of countries supporting Haiti, Canada is definitely among the top," said Adama Guindo, the Resident and Humanitarian Co-ordinator for the UN System in Haiti.
"Even in our normal programs in the justice sector, in the police and for the forthcoming elections, money has been earmarked (from Canada) for all these areas."
A planeload of Canadian Forces military engineers also arrived in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday to help set up camp for the 450 soldiers who will make up Canada's contingent of a 90-day international stabilization force that was authorized by the UN last week.
The soldiers are likely to begin arriving on Friday, although the Defence Department has yet to disclose what role they will play in securing Haiti.
At least one RCMP officer was also flown into Haiti Tuesday, although he refused to identify himself when contacted by The Canadian Press, or to say why he was there.
The Mounties said they have yet to receive a request for help from the government.
Sgt. Paul Marsh at RCMP headquarters in Ottawa said Tuesday the force has two officers in Haiti. Although he hadn't confirmed it, he said he suspects they are there "checking out the lay of the land."
"It's common for us to send officers to a locale to do an assessment of the environment there," he said. "Officially, we have not been requested to provide peacekeeping or peace-support officers to Haiti."
TERRY PEDWELL
A crush of people swarmed the metal barricades outside the departure area of the Mais Gates International Airport, held back by heavily armed U.S. marines inside as the major foreign carriers flew into the Haitian capital for the first time since they had halted flights Feb. 29.
"It's nonsense," said one local man who watched as throngs of people grew angry over their denied entry to the airport.
"(The American) carriers should know better than to send (just) three flights."
He was more complimentary toward Air Canada.
"Air Canada even before they left (Feb. 29), they put some additional flights. When they resumed their flights, they put additional flights again."
Just metres from the airport grounds, a man's body lay face down in a pool of blood on a sidewalk in the middle of a roundabout, apparently shot as U.S. marines stood guard around an industrial park. U.S. military officials could not confirm whether their soldiers were involved in the shooting.
The body remained in place for hours, seemingly unnoticed by those walking within inches of it - with the exception of one person who stooped quickly to steal the deceased man's shoes, revealing his torn skin and tattered, dirty white socks.
Another man had been shot dead by U.S. marines in the same area on Monday as hundreds of people tried to loot buildings inside the business park's walled compound.
Back at the airport, screams could be heard as the crowd pushed in on itself.
Many would-be travellers clutched airline tickets while others held high Canadian and American passports, to no avail.
Earlier Tuesday, the United Nations launched an urgent appeal for international assistance for Haiti, asking for $35 million US to buy food aid and other supplies, as well as help in rebuilding many of the social services that were destroyed or halted during nearly two months of turmoil.
Canada responded with a pledge of $5 million to pay for humanitarian assistance, reconstruction and transition costs.
"Before the political crisis, the humanitarian needs in Haiti were great," said International Co-operation Minister Aileen Carroll in a statement.
"Now, they are even worse. This support will assist the United Nations to reach women, men and children in need."
Since the current crisis in Haiti began, Canada has contributed $1.95 million in humanitarian assistance and food aid for the country's impoverished people.
A UN official in Port-au-Prince said Tuesday he had also received assurances of help from Canada to pave the way for future elections in Haiti.
"If you take a spectrum of countries supporting Haiti, Canada is definitely among the top," said Adama Guindo, the Resident and Humanitarian Co-ordinator for the UN System in Haiti.
"Even in our normal programs in the justice sector, in the police and for the forthcoming elections, money has been earmarked (from Canada) for all these areas."
A planeload of Canadian Forces military engineers also arrived in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday to help set up camp for the 450 soldiers who will make up Canada's contingent of a 90-day international stabilization force that was authorized by the UN last week.
The soldiers are likely to begin arriving on Friday, although the Defence Department has yet to disclose what role they will play in securing Haiti.
At least one RCMP officer was also flown into Haiti Tuesday, although he refused to identify himself when contacted by The Canadian Press, or to say why he was there.
The Mounties said they have yet to receive a request for help from the government.
Sgt. Paul Marsh at RCMP headquarters in Ottawa said Tuesday the force has two officers in Haiti. Although he hadn't confirmed it, he said he suspects they are there "checking out the lay of the land."
"It's common for us to send officers to a locale to do an assessment of the environment there," he said. "Officially, we have not been requested to provide peacekeeping or peace-support officers to Haiti."
TERRY PEDWELL