Thursday, April 8, 2004 Posted: 1407 GMT (2207 HKT)
Amnesty delegation leader Yvonne Terlingen
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) -- Amnesty International urged Haiti's interim government Wednesday to crack down on human rights violators and stop reprisals against members of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's government.
Concluding a two-week fact-finding mission, a delegation from the London-based rights group said at least four Aristide associates have been kidnapped and other citizens have been attacked or harassed since Aristide fled February 29.
It urged Haiti's U.S.-backed government to distance itself and act against rebels who have criminal records or are known human rights violators. Prime Minister Gerard Latortue has called the rebels "freedom fighters."
Other concerns include Haiti's weak judiciary, a lack of security, a climate of impunity and the failure of Haitian police and a U.S.-led peacekeeping force to disarm militias, said Amnesty delegation leader Yvonne Terlingen.
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http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/04/08/haiti.human.rights.ap/