HAITI: U.S. TROOPS RESCUE ALLEGED LOOTER FROM ANGRY CROWD/ U.S. SPOKESMAN STANLEY SHRAGER ON AMNESTY LAW

Record ID: 579946

  • Title: HAITI: U.S. TROOPS RESCUE ALLEGED LOOTER FROM ANGRY CROWD/ U.S. SPOKESMAN STANLEY SHRAGER ON AMNESTY LAW
  • Date: 7th October 1994
  • Summary: PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (OCTOBER 7, 1994) (REUTERS TELEVISION) 1. GV CROWDS OUTSIDE SHOP (2 SHOTS) 0.10 2. GV SHOPKEEPER BECKONS TO CAMERA, TRACKING VIEW TO ALLEGED THIEF BOUND AND BEATEN ON FLOOR (3 SHOTS) 0.28 3. GV UNITED STATES (U.S.) TROOPS OUTSIDE SHOP (2 SHOTS) 0.34 4. GV POLICE WALK TO SHOP WHILE TROOPS KEEP CROWDS AT BAY (2 SHOTS) 0.45 6. GV U.S. SPOKESMMAN STANLEY SHRAGER WALKS TO DESK AND SITS DOWN 0.52 7. SCU SHRAGER SPEAKING (ENGLISH) (2 SHOTS) 1.49 8. WS ESTABLISHING VIEW OF CHURCH 1.53 9. GV ARISTIDE SUPPORTERS PINNING PRO-ARISTIDE HANDBILLS TO LOCKED CHURCH GATE (2 SHOTS) 2.02 10. GV DEMONSTRATORS OUTSIDE CHURCH/ CHURCH GATES BEING CLOSED 2.09 SEQUENCE 7 TRANSCRIPT: SHRAGER :"WELL WE ARE SURPRISED BUT PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AND ENCOURAGED BY THE EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING ON THE PART OF THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES ON AN AMNESTY LAW, WHICH IS CRUCIAL TO RECONCILIATION IN THIS COUNTRY SO WE HOPE THAT THE SENATE WILL REACT EXPEDITIOUSLY ALSO. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT FIRST OF ALL THAT SENATE HAS TO PASS A LAW AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF THIS LAW GIVES TO PRESIDENT ARISTIDE THE ABILITY AND THE RIGHT TO DECLARE TO DECIDE WHAT INDIVIDUALS ARE INCLUDED, WHAT TIME LIMITS ARE INVOLVED AND WHAT KIND OF CRIMES COULD BE AMNESTIED. SO AGAIN WHAT I THINK IT DOES IS RESERVE TO THE PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT ARISTIDE, IS HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO GRANT AMNESTY. WE WOULD HOPE THAT THIS WOULD ENCOURAGE AN EVEN EARLIER DEPARTURE OF GENERAL CEDRAS ALTHOUGH AGAIN IT'S NOT REQUIRED." Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 22nd October 1994 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
  • City:
  • Country: Haiti CARIBBEAN
  • Reuters ID: LVAALAXV596X3O0TJI83T286780S
  • Story Text: United States (U.S.) troops trying to keep order in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince on Friday (October 7) rescued a man who had been beaten up by a crowd after being accused of looting a shop.

    Crowds have pillaged food warehouses since U.S. forces landed in Haiti to restore democracy and reinstate exiled president Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

    U.S. spokesman Stanley Shrager said he was pleasantly surprised and encouraged by the Haitian Chamber of Deputies' decision on Thursday to overwhelmingly approve a law authorising Aristide to grant a political amnesty to Lieutenant-General Raoul Cedras and other military leaders who seized power in a September 1991 coup.

    Shrager described the anmesty law, to be discussed by the Haitian Senate on Friday, as crucial to reconciliation in Haiti.

    He said that if the bill were passed by the Senate, Cedras might be able to leave office at an early date.

    Under terms of an accord brokered last month by former United States (U.S.) President Jimmy Carter, Cedras agreed to step down once an amnesty law was passed, or no later than October 15.

    Thousands of Haitians marched through on the streets of Port-au-Prince to show their support for Aristide, ahead of his expected return to Haiti later in the month.


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