Haiti changes cop’s outlook

From page 24

Even though some cops are
honest, the foree remains rife
with corruption.

Cops are paid $300 a
month, a good wage by
Haitian standards. Bur when
families are starving, a $300
pay cheque still leaves a lot of
room for bribes, said
Farahbaknchian.

Haitian police are afraid to
go into the streets, afraid to
put up roadblocks, and afraid
of their bosses, who — after
all — could easily be one of
the many corrupt cops,

Other problems plague the
force. When the police cars are
donated trom other countries,
the Haitian police don’t know
how to drive them, or they
can’t be repaired in Haiti.

“Just a mess ”

At times, said
Farahbakhchian, the Haitian
police are simply “pinheads,”
causing, problems and com-
mitting crimes. Through
incompetence, they lead the
UN forces into danger.

For example, on May 15, a
call came into
Farahbakhachian’s — detach-
ment of a riot in downtown
Port-au-Prince. Cars were
burning. The justice tribunal
building was also in flames.

Farahbakhchian went to
the scene with a few Haitian
cops. When they got there, the
UN asked them to move in.
Farahbakhchian said no ws
it’s too dangerous. ‘Then, ‘a
few Haitian police began
shooting into a crowd,

More shouting.
Farahbakhchian became
scared and saw a 19-year-old
member of Canadian Army
who was as white as a sheet.

Then, the crowd started
calling the UN cops murderers
because the Haitian cops had
been shooting and killing. The
UN, vou see, is supposed to be
in charge of the Haitian cops.

“I can feel the hear.
They’re getting more and
more agitated.”

A Haitian cop grabbed
Farahbakhchian and _ said,
‘Let’s go.’ They did.

But Farahbakhchian did
feel he made inroads. He was
able to help make changes
inside the Haitian police force
and make friends with some
police officers.

He showed them the
basics, such as how to stop 3
car and how to stay safe. He
helped start a crossing guard
program that prevents kids
from being killed as they cross
roads.

To escape from what he
saw on the job, he and other
Canadian officers tried to keep
their lives as normal as possible
when they were away from
work. For Farahbakhchian,
home was a smart townhouse
he shared with six others. It
was located in a fenced com-
plex in a better area of Port-
au-Prince.

After 30 days of work,
Farahbakhchian received six
days off. He and other
Canadian cops would take to
the country roads, which
threaded through hills picked
clean of their vegetation.

In the small towns, people
were much friendlier, said

hbakhchian. But problems

sted even there and offi-
still had to be careful.

t the private beaches, the
foreign officers paid their
money and relaxed by the
tropical sea. But as time wore
on, even Cluo Med, mostly
patronized by rich H tians,
wasn’t enough of an escape for
Farahbakhchian.

wanted to go home.”
Most Haitians are friendly
and vet life can go on around

“The UN will
have to stay
there for a very
long time.
Haiti is not
ready to be on
its own.”

the body of a murdered man.
Poverty grips the island yet
proud kids go to school

£iCes $0]
Ow, its |
ue

dressed smardy in uniforms.
> it’s not surprising that
Farahbakhchian savs Haiti is a
basket case where he suffered
but his) mission

’ spernience and he
would still like to go on anoth-
er.

“T got eversthing TE wanted
out oft,” he said. “FE still chink
it’s an important cause.”

Now back home, working
in North Vancouver and living
with his wife in Surrey, he
that his Haitian experience has
made him realize he’s here for
a short time and he'd better
make the best of it.

“Tt really changed my

whole perspective.”
Still, he'd rather not go on
a second mission to Hain.
The frustrated constable
felt he wasn’t able to do
enough in Haiti and the coun-
try is in too much of a mess.
“[ think it’s hopeless. The
UN will have to stay there for
avery long time. Ifthe UN is
not there f think this place
would go into chaos,” said
Farahbakhchian.
“Over there people have
ing. You could lose your
ily tomorrow.
not ready to be on
its own. T think Pve seen
enough of it.”

Photo submitted

NORTH Vancouver Const. Tony Farahbakhchian witha~
Haitian investigator Yadaire Desrasiers.

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