Haitian Human Rights Activist Accuses UN of Killing Dozens in Recent Attack on Port Au Prince Neighborhood

In Haiti, more than 1000 people marched through the streets of Port Au Prince Thursday to protest the presence of UN forces in the country, and to call for the return to power of the democratically elected former President Jean Bertrand Aristide. Aristide lives in exile in South Africa after his ouster in a US-backed coup nearly three years ago.

Thursday's march followed the deaths of as many as seventeen civilians who were shot by UN troops in the capital city's impoverished Cite Soleil neighborhood last week.

Demonstrators expressed outrage at what witnesses called indiscriminate firing by UN forces. Many suggested that the UN's intention was to suppress popular support of Aristide and his Lavalas political party.

The UN has denied charges that it fired indiscriminately, saying that it was targeting armed gangs involved in recent kidnappings in the city. Under control of the UN force, Cite Soleil has been plagued by kidnappings and crime. Well, to discuss the situation, we are joined by Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine and Kim Ives. Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine is a Haitian Human Rights Activist and head of the September 30th Foundation - an advocacy group for coup d'etat victims -- And Kim Ives is an independent journalist who specializes in Haiti. we welcome you both to Democracy Now!

* Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, Haitian Human Rights Activist. Head of the September 30th Foundation - an advocacy group for coup d'etat victims. He lives in Haiti and has just flown into New York.

* Kim Ives, Independent Journalist who specializes in Haiti

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