http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/MSN/2004/02/28/haiti_cdns040228 Canada sends military planes to Haiti
Last Updated Sat, 28 Feb 2004 15:06:10
TRENTON, ONT. - Three Canadian Hercules aircraft are on their way to Haiti in case Canadians need to be taken out of the Caribbean country, Prime Minister Paul Martin said Saturday.
Martin commented on the turmoil in Haiti while in Cochrane Alta., west of Calgary, where he was speaking to local mayors and reeves.
He said he is in frequent contact with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to keep up to date on the situation.
Anti-government rebels said they plan to move south toward the capital Port-au-Prince "in a day or two" in a bid to topple President Jean-Bertrand Artistide. As of Saturday, they remained 40 kilometres northeast of the city.
More than 80 people, half of them police officers, have been killed since the rebel uprising began three weeks ago. Aristide supporters have killed at least five people thought to be sympathetic to the rebels in the past two days.
The Canadian Embassy moved this week from its downtown location in Port-au-Prince to Ambassador Kenneth Cook‘s residence.
Six Canadians who work at the embassy remain on the job, said Cook, adding there are currently no plans to leave the country.
Although everyone is on pins and needles wondering exactly when and if (the rebels) will go on to the city, it‘s not yet clear," he said.
"I‘m not planning to leave, but we do have measures to make it possible for those who wish to leave," he said.
Cook told CBC News a small team of Canadian Forces personnel in Port-au-Prince have helped the embassy staff feel safe. About 20 Canadian soldiers are in Haiti to help with any evacuation.
On the streets, people looted port warehouses and Port-au-Prince‘s only working hospital in the face of food and gasoline shortages. Aristide supporters have set up flaming roadblocks to keep the rebels out. All commercial flights from the city have been cancelled.
The ambassador urged Canadians still in Haiti to "hunker down" and stay off the streets. "The important thing is not to become a target, not to expose yourself."
Cook said about 1,000 Canadians were registered with the embassy. It‘s not known how many have left since the violence began.
Written by CBC News Online staff
