Haitian Council Announces Program Despite Its First Rift

The first serious rift surfaced in Haiti’s new government Tuesday as a key member of the ruling National Council protested the departure of a former police chief linked with torture and disappearances.

Nonetheless, the full council convened late in the day to announce a long-awaited, though general, economic and political program.

The program, read over national television by Lt. Gen. Henri Namphy, council president, repeated a promise to write a new constitution and hold local and national elections. It also emphasized a campaign to end corruption and free up bureaucratic interference in Haiti’s economy.

The program was short on references to social welfare, promising only to reduce the cost of living, increase employment and step up literacy campaigns.

The message followed close upon the airing of a protest by Gerard Gourgue, one of five members of the council that succeeded ex-President Jean-Claude Duvalier, over the escape into exile of Col. Albert Pierre, a Duvalier secret policeman.

‘Offends Public Opinion’

Gourgue said that the departure was “shocking and offends public opinion.”

Pierre, police chief of Port-au-Prince under Duvalier, fled Haiti for Brazil on Sunday. He abandoned his refuge in the Brazilian Embassy here with the permission and cooperation of the new Haitian government.

Thousands of ordinary Haitians joined Gourgue on Tuesday in protesting planned or actual flight of Duvalier regime officials. At the Port-au-Prince airport they blocked the departure of a secret police official who worked for the government during the ruthless regime of Francois Duvalier, Jean Claude’s father. The would-be exile, Luc Desir, was second-in-command of the secret police, the dreaded Tontons Macoutes, under Jean-Claude Duvalier, until he left the post in 1980.

Desir tried to board an Air France flight for Paris. The crowd threatened destruction of the Air France office if he was allowed on board. Soldiers escorted Desir, who operated a secret police unit in the presidential palace, across the runway in a jeep.

Air France did not let Desir board, and his whereabouts are unknown.

Rumors of Others Fleeing

Rumors are circulating that other prominent officials have slipped into exile. One report has Rosalie Adolphe, head of the Tontons Macoutes, Duvalier’s personal militia, sneaking aboard a plane disguised as a nun.

Commenting on the flight of Pierre to Brazil, aides close to Gourgue, who is also justice minister, said he was not informed of the decision to let the former police official go.

Gourgue is the only member of the National Council considered an opponent of the ousted Duvalier dictatorship. He is also the idol of many activist youths in Haiti who helped Duvalier through street protests.

“The public denounced many political acts that ex-Col. Pierre carried out against many people,” Gourgue said during a television broadcast late Monday. “The justice minister has taken due note of this public clamor and considers the departure of Albert Pierre as strange and at the same time surreptitious.”

In an apparent protest, Gourgue failed to appear at a morning ceremony called by the council at which the old blue and red Haitian flag replaced the Duvalier-imposed black and red flag.

Letter From Torture Victim

According to his aides and foreign diplomats, Gourgue recently received a letter from a torture victim of police commanded by Pierre. The victim, journalist Gabriel Herard, said that he planned to file criminal charges against Pierre, whose departure was said to have embarrassed Gourgue.

In comments broadcast on radio Tuesday, Gourgue promised to “follow up all complaints of victims of all criminal actions so their rights will be guaranteed.”

It appears, however, that the rest of the council may have other ideas. The council, formed upon Duvalier’s Feb. 7 departure, is dominated by former Duvalier associates and has been ambiguous about plans to pursue human rights cases.

At one point, the government said it would not initiate prosecutions but that Haitian courts could entertain individual complaints. Several notorious officials of the Duvalier regime are in military custody.

The uncertainty has prompted citizens here to be on the lookout for unannounced exits. Some have set up vigilance committees at the homes of potential escapees.

Joined in Program

Despite speculation that he might resign over the Pierre escape, Gourgue joined Namphy and the rest of the council for an evening reading of the government program in the presidential palace.

The council’s “political action” plans led off with “maintenance of order,” which has been a clear priority since the government took power.

It also included pledges to choose a “consultative body” that will elect a constitutional assembly. At some point, the assembly will write a constitution to “present” to the people of Haiti.

The government also promised to reduce the cost of living by cutting taxes and listed steps to tighten accounting of government expenditures, eliminate fraudulent public offices, end favoritism in government contracts and crack down on corruption in the Customs Bureau.

The government said it would end government-industrial monopolies and promote private enterprise. Public investment would be directed to projects that employ numerous jobless workers.

Namphy promised details of the program “within the shortest time possible.”

Switched to Creole

After reading the program in French, Namphy switched to Creole, the language spoken by most Haitians. He thanked the youth, the Roman Catholic Church, workers and peasants for “making a beautiful revolution without arms.”

He also called on everyone to drop schemes of “personal vengeance,” a reference to attacks on former security officials of the Duvalier regime.

Namphy said nothing of the Pierre departure and took no questions from reporters.

Tuesday’s flag raising ceremonies were mostly festive, but some demonstrators among the thousands present on the outside of the presidential palace called for the ouster of council member Alix Cineas, who was an associate of both Jean-Claude Duvalier and Francois.

There were also some placards that called for “justice for victims of crimes against the people.”