Haiti Regime Bows to Pressure, Deports 3 Who Led Coup Move

The government bowed to pressure from mutinous soldie1 rs and said Tuesday that it has released from jail and deported three army officers who tried to overthrow Haiti’s leader, Lt. Gen. Prosper Avril.

Rebels surrendered control of the international airport, which reopened Tuesday for the first time since Sunday’s coup attempt.

The U.S. Embassy here said there no longer appeared to be any active resistance in the army to the government.

“I think there’s no doubt that President Avril is completely in control now,” said embassy spokeswoman Susan Clyde. “There are no signs of a continuation of the coup attempt against him.”

3 Coup Leaders

A government communique identified the three alleged coup conspirators as Lt. Col. Himmler Rebu, commander of the Leopards Battalion; Col. Phillipe Biamby, commander of the Presidential Guard; and Col. Leonce Qualo, an administrative officer at army headquarters.

The government accused Rebu, Biamby and Qualo of a “foolhardy” attempt to overthrow the government but said Avril has “magnanimously” decided to free them from arrest on humanitarian grounds.

The communique, read on state-run television, said the three were given safe passage to the United States and were driven Monday night to the Dominican Republic border for a flight out. Rebu was accompanied by his wife and four children.

Independent Radio Haiti-Inter said Tuesday that the Leopard Battalion has accepted its new commander, Col. Lionel Claude--a strong indication the insurgency had ended.

Crossed Border at Dawn

In Santo Domingo, Foreign Ministry sources said the Haitians crossed the border at dawn. It was not known how long they would remain in the country before flying to the United States.

Release of the coup leaders was seen mainly as an attempt to appease soldiers of the elite, 300-man Leopard Battalion, who were demanding freedom for Rebu, their commander.

At least four mutinous soldiers in the battalion were killed Monday in skirmishes with troops loyal to Avril. The rebels briefly seized control of national television Monday before being evicted by the Presidential Guard, and they held the airport until late Monday night.

The airport was reopened Tuesday, but all commercial flights into the country had been canceled earlier.

Schools remained closed, but most stores in Port-au-Prince, the capital, were opened by midday Tuesday, and traffic was picking up steadily.