Haiti's rebels stick to their guns

The rebels are also accused of human rights violations and drug trafficking - accusations a smiling Philippe, who is married to an American, denies.

Over the past decade Haiti has become an important transfer point in the Caribbean drug trade, supplying an estimated 20 percent of the cocaine entering the US. And while the political opposition to Aristide had a role in his downfall, in the end it was the rebel force, in a mortal fight with Aristide militias (and, many Haitians believe, with at least moral support from the US) that forced out the embattled president.

Aristide, in exile in the Central African Republic, has caused a stir by his claim that he did not "resign" his post and leave Haiti voluntarily, as the US claims, but was taken by force from his home and put on a plane. Several Democratic members of Congress say the US "kidnapped" Aristide, while insisting that the rebels are criminals and "thugs" that cannot be allowed any role in Haiti.

But Luis Moreno, deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Haiti, says that he's "very disappointed" in Aristide's claims. Mr. Moreno says there was no force involved in Aristide's departure. He says he was cordially greeted Sunday when he arrived at Aristide's house, where bags were already packed. "I said to the president, 'I'm sorry it has come to this.' He says Aristide replied, 'Sometimes life is like that.' "

Just what form Haiti's new security forces will take remains unclear. Some Haitians argue disbanding the army was a bad idea. And the unilateral reestablishment of the Haitian Army is another sign that disarming the rebels may be difficult.

"We won't put down our arms until the chimères are disarmed and are no longer terrorizing the people," says Revix Remissantte, a captain in the rebel force.

Obviously well-known in the capital's law enforcement circles, Mr. Remissantte was greeted with bear hugs and smiles as he arrived Monday at the national police headquarters - supposedly a focal point of the rebels' enemies.

US Ambassador James Foley says the "credibility is on the line" of rebel leaders like Philippe who promised during the insurrection that they would lay down their arms once Aristide left.

But the rebels have other plans. "We think we would need an army of 15,000, to complement a national police force of 20-25,000," says Faustin Miradieux, a rebel leader from the city of Gonaives. "But it would be a professional army," he adds, "not like what we had before."

Sitting down to a meal of Creole fish filet in a hotel restaurant, Mr. Chamblain - a convicted leader of death squads in the early 1990's - says it is not for the US to decide whether Haiti will have an army. "There are deep divisions in the country, among the people as well, and those divisions cannot be allowed to be settled by violence,' he says as he eats. "It's not even for us to decide if there should be an army to guarantee order. That's for the people to decide."

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