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Post by Moses on Jan 4, 2005 7:18:24 GMT -5
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Post by Moses on Apr 9, 2005 22:29:47 GMT -5
Haiti rebel leader killedSun Apr 10, 2005 2:44 AM BST By Joseph Guyler Delva PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - One of the leaders of an armed revolt that ousted Haiti's ex-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide last year has been killed in a shoot-out with Haitian police and U.N. civilian police, a spokesman for U.N. peacekeepers has said. Remissainthe Ravix, who led disgruntled members of Haiti's disbanded military and was wanted by Haitian police in connection with the killing of four policemen in February, was killed during a joint operation by Haitian and U.N. police in Port-au-Prince on Saturday, said U.N. spokesman Daniel Moskaluk. Moskaluk said Ravix was killed when he tried to resist arrest by firing at the police and U.N. police after a raid on a complex in the Delmas industrial district where Ravix and several of his supporters had taken refuge. "A group of Haitian police officers were observing the rear of the complex, saw a male suspect exit and enter the courtyard," he said. "The suspect hid behind a tree, there was exchange of fire with the suspect, who was killed and was identified as Ravix," said Moskaluk. Ravix was one of the leaders of an armed rebellion that forced Aristide to flee into exile on February 29 last year.Relations between the rebels and the new government of interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue were initially good but soured over demands by Ravix and other members of the ex-military for the reinstatement of the army. The military was disbanded by Aristide in 1995 during his first presidency. Former soldiers loyal to Ravix , who still hold sway in several parts of the impoverished Caribbean country of 8 million people, have long warned they would take action if the police arrested or killed Ravix. Moskaluk said U.N. troops were prepared for possible retaliation by Ravix's supporters, who have been living in the Central Plateau region. He said a number of armed ex-soldiers loyal to Ravix were moving on Saturday afternoon toward Port-au-Prince. "We are anticipating further problems with this group today," said Moskaluk. Sporadic gunshots were heard in several areas of the Haitian capital. Some 6,000 U.N. peacekeeping troops and 1,400 U.N. police are in Haiti to help stabilize the country ahead of elections later this year, but unrest has simmered since Aristide was ousted, some triggered by anger at his departure among the former president's followers, many of them from Haiti's sprawling slums.
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