HAITI: HAITIANS LINE UP TO ENLIST IN A VOLUNTEER ARMY WHILE RECRUITS CONTINUE TRAINING TO COMBAT A POSSIBLE INVASION

Record ID: 646426

  • Title: HAITI: HAITIANS LINE UP TO ENLIST IN A VOLUNTEER ARMY WHILE RECRUITS CONTINUE TRAINING TO COMBAT A POSSIBLE INVASION
  • Date: 5th September 1994
  • Summary: PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI (SEPTEMBER 5, 1994) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV VOLUNTEERS OUTSIDE MILITARY HEADQUARTERS WAITING TO ENLIST (3 SHOTS) 0.14 2. GV VOLUNTEERS LEARNING HOW TO LOAD WEAPONS (3 SHOTS) 0.27 3. GV NEW VOLUNTEERS ON MILITARY TRAINING 0.33 4. CU MONEY CHANGING HANDS AS PEOPLE BUY PETROL 0.42 5. GV PETROL BEING PUT INTO PLASTIC CONTAINERS 0.49 6. GV MONEY CHANGERS EXCHANGING MONEY (3 SHOTS) 1.08 7. GV INTERIOR CITE SOLEIL HOSPITAL ROOM FILLED WITH PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN (5 SHOTS) 1.36 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 20th September 1994 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
  • City:
  • Country: Haiti CARIBBEAN
  • Reuters ID: LVA7UT4QY3M3FRJONE8ZF45OGJZH
  • Story Text: Hundreds of Haitians lined up on Monday (September 5) to enlist in a volunteer army while recruits continued training to combat a possible United States (U.S.)-led invasion of the country.

    But Haiti's 7,000-member military force, which has fewer than a dozen armoured personnel carriers and only light weapons, is ill-equipped to defend against a U.S. invasion force.

    Senior U.S. officials said this week a U.S.-led invasion could take place very soon unless Haiti's military rulers agree to leave so ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was democratically elected, can be restored to power.

    The United States this week raised invasion threats to a high pitch while hoping that tighter trade sanctions will finally force Haiti's military rulers to run without a fight.

    However the embargo is having little effect in isolating the Caribbean nation. Virtually the only factor limiting the flow of black market diesel and petrol across the Dominican border so far has been decreased demand as factories close.

    The de facto government is imposing a series of emergency measures to stabilise the exchange rate and hold down soaring food prices.

    Meanwhile, hospitals in the slum of Cite Soleil are overloaded with cases of infections and malnutrition. Parents crowded waiting rooms with their children awaiting treatment on Monday.

    The Haitian military has been ruling over the impoverished nation since September 1991, when Reverend Jean-Bertrand Aristide, its first democratically elected leader, was ousted in a coup.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register