CRISIS IN THE CARIBBEAN : U.S. Marines Distribute Free Food as They Get Ready to Leave Cap Haitien

Almost two weeks after they landed here, U.S. Marines are scheduled to begin leaving the northern shore of Haiti this morning, bringing to a close an operation that was marked by both violence and humanitarian relief.

The 1,200 Marines still in Cap Haitien are to travel by helicopter over the next two days to the amphibious assault ship Wasp, which has been anchored offshore during the expedition. They are expected to spend the next month off the coast of the capital, Port-au-Prince, during the expected transition of power.

The Marines are being replaced in Cap Haitien by almost 3,000 Army peacekeepers from Ft. Drum, N.Y.

In contrast to last Saturday, when the Marines were involved in a ferocious firefight that left 10 Haitian police officers dead, the Americans spent Saturday distributing two large convoys of free food for the hungry.

So intense were the crowds, sometimes reaching up to 4,000 people, that at one point the Marines had to use pepper spray to keep the throngs from rioting at one of the distribution centers.

“I think our operation has been very successful,” Col. Tom Jones said as he stood outside the St. Joseph school, where thousands waited for hours under a hot sun to receive a bag of rice, beans and sugar.

“We’ve had a warm reception from these people, and I think they are beginning to feel that finally the yoke of oppression is being lifted off their backs,” Jones said. “You can see it in the people’s faces.”

Lt. Daniel Greenwood, supervising a second food giveaway at the old Haitian police barracks, said he felt much the same.

“The optimism in this city has raised their pride level,” he said. “It’s encouraging to know that at least we’ve had some impact, that at least we’ve given them some new sense of hope.”

Although the Marines seemed to be leaving on a positive note, tensions remained high in the wake of the gun battle at police headquarters a week ago.

While many citizens cheered the Marines for ridding Haiti’s second-largest city of its feared police force, others are concerned because a new police department has yet to be established.

But Capt. Art Loureiro, the battle captain for the Army peacekeepers, said that, over the next few months, the Army will work closely with citizens to rebuild the city’s infrastructure.

He said 38 boxcars of food supplies are on the way, and the food will be turned over to local charitable organizations so that giveaways are more orderly.

He said Army engineers will work with local officials to rebuild the city water-treatment plant and to fill an empty reservoir to provide potable drinking water.

The Army will also donate 20,000 gallons of diesel fuel to power the city’s generators and help keep the city’s street lights on at night, he said. Other plans call for helping to repair badly rutted streets and for reopening the airfield to commercial traffic, he added.

As 1st Lt. John Andrews said, it is important to draw as many of the citizens as possible into the rebuilding process.

“This is their home, and we’re trying to put as much of the burden as we can on the people,” he said. “We want them to be responsible for their own city.”