HAITI: MIREILLE DUROCHER BERTIN ASSASSINATED

(29 Mar 1995) English/Nat
The new United Nations commander in Haiti has told APTV that the U-N cannot ensure complete security for Haitians in the lead up to June's elections.
Major General Kinzer was speaking after the assassination of a leading opponent of the President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
Mireille Durocher Bertin died when gunmen opened fire on her car.
Mireille Durocher Bertin and her companion were gunned down in their car on a busy downtown street.
The attackers escaped.
Bertin, the chief of staff in the military government which overthrew President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1991, announced last week a new opposition party was being formed.
A prominent lawyer Bertin made enemies by offering legal arguments to justify the coup leaders' cause.
It's the latest in a series of political assassinations to hit Haiti.
The U-S led force in Haiti has been maintaining a semblance of stability since they helped the ousted President Aristide regain power in October 1994.
But the Americans are preparing to turn over control of the country to a smaller force on March 31.
The new UN commander in Haiti, Major General Kinzer , said the U-N cannot ensure complete security for Haitians in the lead up to June's elections.
SOUNDBITE:
"Any criminal activity is abhorred by most civilized societies and certainly Haiti is no different, we don't like that, is it going to happen, yes it probably is, can I stop it all - No. Will I try to? yes. "
SUPER CAPTION: Major General Kinzer, new U-N commander in Haiti
Special UN envoy to Haiti M. Lakhdar Brahimi said that political intimidation in Haiti is becoming hard to control and that the UN would try hard to "keep a lid on it" in the lead up to the elections.
SOUNDBITE:
"The question of intimidation is always a problem in any election anywhere and in a place like this maybe it is that much of a problem, the OAS is going to be doing the observation and they should be looking into this. And they will be participating very much as I told you. I hope by talking to the people on all sides, we will be in a position to improve the situation a little bit."
SUPER CAPTION: M. Lakhadar Brahimi, U-N special envoy to Haiti
Bertin's passenger was identified as Junior Baillerjeaux, a
client of Bertin's husband, Jean. No other details about him were
available.

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