UN Military Command Denies Allegations of Massacre in Cite Soleil

On Friday, July 8th, the US Labor and Human Rights Delegation in Haiti interviewed Lt.General Augusto Heleno and Colonel Morneau regarding the UN military operation in Cite Soleil that was conducted in the early morning of Wednesday, July 6th. Both military officials denied the allegations made by community members of Cite Soleil that UN military forces had carried out a massacre during the operation. They stated that they did not know of any civilian casulties, nor had they received reports of such casualties from the Red Cross.

According to these officials, the purpose of the operation was to capture Dread Wilme, viewed as a gang leader by the UN occupation forces. The operation involved approximately 300 UN troops, led by Jordanian forces, which surrounded the community. The officials denied that tanks were used, but stated that approximately 18-20 Armored Personnel Carriers were used, but without cannons. They further alleged that one helicopter was used, but for observation, not for shooting into the community. They did not mention if grenades or tear gas were used. They acknowledged the UN forces surrounded the community and attempted to launch a surprise assault by a smaller contingent of 10-15 UN soldiers, but that gang members fired on them first, provoking a firefight. They claimed that the UN soldiers "never fire first" in their operations.

A follow-up interview with both officials is required to get their explanation for all of the bullet holes and larger ammunition holes in the people's homes, the school, and church. Colonel Morneau did, however, suggest that the corpses the community members showed the Human Rights delegation on July 7th could have been killed by "gang members" as reprisals against "informants" for the UN actions, then blamed on the UN forces. He suggested that autopsies and ballistics tests be conducted on these bodies. He alleged that gang members had killed some UN informants in Cite Soleil following the UN operation.

Lt. General Augusto Heleno defended the action, asking the Human Rights delegation why they only seemed to care about the rights of the "outlaws" and not those of the "legal forces" in the country. He did not explain if the "outlaws" included the many women, men, children, youth and elders from Cite Soleil who came forward to tell and show the Human Rights delegation what happened during on the early morning of July 6th in their community.

For further information, contact Seth Donnelly, a high school teacher who participated on the US human rights delegation, who can be reached in the USA at ph: 650-814-8495.

 

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