US steps up Haiti mission

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- A day after US Marines again used their weapons, firing back at gunmen on the capital's rooftops, the Pentagon announced yesterday it was expanding the mission to allow US troops to forcefully stop violence among Haitians.

General James Hill, commander of US Southern Command, told reporters in Washington that the tougher rules were a natural evolution of the US peacekeeping mission in Haiti, where troops from four countries are working to restore order after a rebellion forced former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide into exile Feb. 29.

Marines "will intervene to protect life," Hill said.

The announcement of the tougher military role came as Gerard Latortue, a 69-year-old economist and diplomat, returned from Florida to become the interim prime minister. He said he would work to restore security and organize new elections in the violence-racked country. More than 300 Haitians have been killed in recent weeks, and looting has been widespread.

"We are all Haitians. We must walk hand in hand," said Latortue, a former foreign minister and UN official who fled Haiti after a 1988 military coup.

Stepping up the American mission, said Hill, whose Miami-based command oversees the Haiti operation, required a clarification of the rules governing when US and allied troops could use force. "When multinational armed-forces personnel encounter any acts of violence, they will intervene to protect life," Hill said at his news conference. "We will simply not tolerate acts of violence against our multinational forces or innocent Haitians."

A Pentagon spokesman, Lawrence DiRita, said US troops still won't intervene to stop property crime or looting.

US Marines have fired upon and killed four Haitians when they felt threatened, military officials said.

The first was Sunday, when gunmen opened fire on a demonstration by anti-Aristide protesters. Marines fired at the gunmen and killed one fighter they said was firing at them. Hill said that incident was an example of why the rules of engagement had to be clarified.

"No one from the multinational force was going to stand there and watch one Haitian kill another Haitian without trying to intervene," Hill said.

The international force includes 510 French, 320 Chilean, and 50 Canadian soldiers. About 400 Canadian troops are expected to arrive shortly to join the effort, Hill said.

Marine Colonel Mark Gurganus, in command of the 1,600 US troops in this Caribbean country, said a Marine foot patrol returned fire early Tuesday evening, when it went to investigate a report of illegal weapons in one of the capital's neighborhoods. Earlier that day, American forces announced they would begin disarming Haitian militants in a bid to end the violence and insecurity.

As the Marines entered the residential district near the prime minister's offices, "they were taken under by fire by gunmen from two separate rooftops -- more or less ambushed," Gurganus said.

The Americans retaliated with M-16s and shotguns and likely killed two riflemen perched on one roof, the colonel said. As the Marines changed position, a gunman atop another building opened fire. The Marines fired at him, too, but he fled across the rooftops.

When the Marines, accompanied by members of the Haitian police, returned to the area, about 2 1/2 hours later, they found bloodstains and shell casings on the roof of the first house, but no bodies. En route to its base, the patrol was fired on a third time. The gunfire ceased after the patrol leader fired six rounds from his handgun, the colonel said.

Also Tuesday, a speeding car stopped outside the port and gunmen sprayed bullets at guards manning the main gate. The Marines fired at the three men who fled into a nearby slum, Gurganus said.

Gurganus said it was too early to tell whether his forces were being targeted by diehard Aristide loyalists, rebels who marched against the former president or someone else.

Aristide has been in the Central African Republic since March 1. He met with South African officials yesterday to discuss asylum in that country.

After the talks the South African deputy foreign affairs minister, Aziz Pahad, said the question of Aristide's future should be determined by the African Union. He praised the Central African Republic for accepting Aristide.

Gurganus said the task of disarmament will have to be carried out with great care. "Any time you take weapons away from people, you are starting to talk about a dangerous thing," he said.

As of midafternoon yesterday, Gurganus said the Marines hadn't collected one gun despite Tuesday's announcement and had conducted no sweeps in search of illicit weapons. "We'll pick the times, we'll pick the places, and we'll do it where we can make sure our Marines can do it in a safe and secure manner," he said.