# The Denver Post Haiti's rebels advance, seize 2nd-largest city By Paisley Dodds The Associated Press Monday, February 23, 2004 - CAP-HAITIEN, Haiti - Rebels captured Haiti's second-largest city with little resistance Sunday, claiming Cap-Haitien as their biggest prize in a two-week uprising that has driven government forces from half the country. The fighters shot celebratory rounds into the air as people looted and torched buildings, sending a pall of black smoke over the city of 500,000. Rebel leader Guy Philippe had vowed to take Cap-Haitien and Port-au-Prince during Carnival festivities that extend to Tuesday night. Philippe has told reporters there already are rebels in the capital, waiting for the signal to attack. President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, wildly popular when he became Haiti's first freely elected leader in 1990, has lost support since flawed legislative elections in 2000 led international donors to freeze millions of dollars in aid. Opponents accuse him of breaking promises to help the poor, allowing corruption fueled by drug trafficking and masterminding attacks on opponents by armed gangs - charges the president denies. The rebels say they have no political agenda beyond ousting Aristide, but the man who started the rebellion, Gonaives gang leader Buteur Metayer, on Thursday declared himself the president of liberated Haiti. The rebels have made no effort to install any kind of control, beyond halting a near-riot as people rushed to get food aid in Gonaives on Thursday. In taking Cap-Haitien on Sunday, rebels said their force of about 200 met resistance only at the city's airport. They said eight people were killed in fighting with militant civilians loyal to Aristide. Aristide supporters commandeered a plane from the airport, and witnesses said those who fled on it included seven police officers and former Aristide lawmaker Nawoum Marcellus, whose Radio Africa had been inciting violence against opponents. "We came in today and we took Cap- Haitien; tomorrow we take Port-au- Prince" the capital, boasted Lucien Estime, a 19-year-old who joined the popular rebellion from the hamlet of Saint Raphael, south of Cap-Haitien. "Our mission is to liberate Haiti," he said. The victory leaves more than half of Haiti beyond control of the central government. As that reality set in, panic began spreading Sunday in Port-au- Prince. Sources close to the government told The Associated Press that several Cabinet ministers were asking friends for places to hide in case the capital is attacked. On the highway leading into Port-au- Prince from the north, Aristide partisans set up flaming barricades Sunday to block any rebel advance. In Cap-Haitien, thousands shouting "Aristide fini!" - Aristide is finished - marched along with about 40 rebels in commandeered cars. Reporters saw three bodies on the streets, and doctors said a 12-year-old girl also was shot and killed. At least one rebel was wounded. Earlier, about 10 armed men stormed the police station and freed about 250 prisoners. The police fled and the prisoners armed themselves, witness Ordil Jean said. Haiti's ill-equipped and demoralized police force of less than 4,000 has been the main target of the insurgents, who have torched a score of police stations since the rebellion erupted Feb. 5. At least 40 officers are among the 70 people killed since then. In the past week, officers have been deserting their posts with no rebels in sight.