21499: Esser: Chamblain surrender called noble decision by Gousse (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

Club Haiti
http://www.telepark.de/clubhaiti/start.html

April 23, 2004

Chamblain surrender called noble decision by Gousse 

Proclaiming his innocence, a rebel commander convicted of killing
supporters of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide surrendered to
justice officials Thursday. Louis-Jodel Chamblain's surrender came as
a conference for international donors opened in Port-au-Prince.
Haiti's government hopes to get millions of dollars in aid to rebuild
the shattered country, which is reeling from a revolt that ousted
Aristide on Feb. 29. To a few cheers from a curious crowd, Chamblain
said his conviction in absentia in 2000 was politically motivated and
predicted he would be vindicated. Under Haitian law, those convicted
in absentia are entitled to another trial when they return to the
country. Chamblain, who held a news conference at a hotel in suburban
Petionville just before his arrest, was accompanied by Haiti's
interim Justice Minister Bernard Gousse, who called the surrender a
"noble decision.'' Human rights groups have criticized the government
for forming alliances with known criminals, like Chamblain, while it
persecutes Aristide supporters. Justice minister Bernard Gousse
earlier said Chamblain could be retried under Haitian law but that
the government could also pardon him and Jean Tatoune, another rebel
leader sentenced to life for his role in a massacre of Aristide
supporters. [Source: The Guardian / AFP / AP / HPN]