By Eric Green
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- Two human rights experts from the United Nations have joined the United States and the Organization of American States in condemning recent violence in Haiti that has left a number of people in that Caribbean country dead or injured.

In a January 22 statement, the U.N. officials expressed their strong concern about the human rights situation in Haiti, especially since the occurrence in recent months of violent confrontations between militias supporting and opposing the Haitian government, and of clashes between those opposed to the government and members of the Haitian police.

The U.N. experts, Ambeyi Ligabo and Asma Jahangir, said that in the last few months Haiti has also seen numerous attacks against political activists and radio stations. The officials said that on January 7, two people were killed and about 30 injured in Port-au-Prince in confrontations between supporters of the political opposition on one side, and supporters of the Haitian government and law enforcement personnel on the other. On December 5, 2003, about 25 people were injured -- several by bullets -- in clashes following confrontations on the campus of the State University of Haiti.

Ligabo, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom and Expression, condemned the recent violence and said that people should be allowed to exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression in a democratic society. Jahangir, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions, said it is critical that U.N. principles concerning the use of force and arms by law enforcement personnel be strictly respected.

The two officials called on Haitian authorities to bring to justice, in accordance with national and international norms, anyone found responsible for serious acts of violence.

The U.N. denunciation of Haiti's violence follows a statement by U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, who said the United States condemns the actions of the Haitian government in response to the January 7 political demonstration that occurred in Port-au-Prince.

Boucher said January 9 that "although it is clear some elements of the police worked diligently to protect the demonstrations, it is also clear that other police officers collaborated with heavily-armed, hired gangs to attack the demonstrators."

Boucher said these actions by the police and armed collaborators "contradict" the Haitian government's "own declarations that it seeks compromise and a peaceful resolution of Haiti's political crisis."

The government of Haiti, said Boucher, "must end immediately its efforts to suppress peaceful dissent, must punish those who commit violence acts of repression, and must undertake the fundamental reforms necessary to restore the rule of law in Haiti."

The Organization of American States (OAS) also has condemned Haiti's recent violence, and called on Haitian security, judicial, and political authorities to launch an investigation and to bring to justice those people who attacked students at the State University of Haiti in December 2003.

The OAS said the government of Haiti "has an obligation to ensure respect for the right of all persons to exercise civil and political rights, including the right to demonstrate, in full compliance with the law."