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Leader of Haiti's 'Cannibal Army' Found Shot to Death
VOA News
23 Sep 2003, 22:01 UTC
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Haitian police have fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators who blocked streets and burned tires to protest the killing of a former ally of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

The clashes erupted in Gonaives Tuesday, one day after the bullet-riddled body of Amiot Metayer was discovered on a sidestreet. Authorities say Metayer had been shot in the eyes and through the heart.

Metayer was a political militant and gang leader. He broke out of the Gonaives prison in August of last year, when his supporters known as the Cannibal Army bulldozed their way into the facility to free him and 158 other inmates.

Metayer had been implicated in acts of violence against Aristide opponents, including a December 17, 2001 assault on the Gonaives residence of politician Luc Mesadieu. One of Mr. Mesadieu's bodyguards was killed in the attack.

Since his escape from prison, Metayer had accused President Aristide of betraying Haiti's people and called on them to rise up against the government. He was quoted as saying the future of the country is "a Haiti without Aristide."

Haiti is mired in a long-running dispute over legislative elections and has lost foreign aid as a result.

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.

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