Elite in Haiti Used National police as Private Army

Business organizations and the few elite group purchased arms and ammunitions and gave them to police forces, equipping them for the February 29, 2004 coup that removed President Jean-Bertrand Aristide from power.

The overthrowing of Artiste was accompanied by several other changes. The ruling party, Fanmi Lavalas was repressed and a US-supported governance was installed. A 9000 UN militia known as UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) was put in place.

James Foley, the then US Ambassador to Haiti had learned from a local business man that rich Haitian businessmen were purchasing weapons from Haitian streets and handing over to the local police, the cable reported. The businessmen did this in exchange of regular police patrols.

The Haitian elite have been working hand in hand with the U.S to promote Washington's agenda in their country. The collaboration has been to promote free trade in the country as well as facilitate privatization of state enterprises. The U.S also helped the business elite execute two coups against President Aristide which paved way for US and UN military occupations.

Fritz Mevs, a prominent Haitian businessman and well established member of the private sector was the major source of Foley's report.

Mevs reported to the US Embassy about the actions of the Haitian Chamber of Commerce president, Reginald Boulos. He said Reginald Boulos, had "distributed arms to the police and had called on others to do so in order to provide cover to his own actions." Boulos is currently a member of the board of Interim Haiti Recovery Commission which is an initiative of former President Bill Clinton. IHRC is in charge of the billions of money donated to reconstruct Haiti after the January 12, 2010, earthquake.

The May 27, 2005, WikiLeaks report was made available to Haïti Liberté, a Haitian weekly newspaper. Haïti Liberté, is working together with The Nation to produce a series of reports on US and UN policy towards Haiti.

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