Amiot Metayer (“Cubain”), the head of the Cannibal Army, says he has broken from the Lavalas government. He accuses Jean-Bertrand Aristide of betraying him. He has launched an all-out campaign to overthrow the government.
The Cannibal Army is occupying various neighborhoods in Gonaives. Meanwhile, the police continue to search for the prisoners.
Metayer said that as regards the conflict between Raboteau and Jubile, the people of both Raboteau and Jubile had reconciled, and now said they and Cubain were like father and son. President Aristide had kidnaped him as part of the many kidnapings of journalists and other people that had taken place in the country. The people knew how he had fought for Aristide’s return. He did not fight just to be kidnaped by President Aristide. He hd fought while dogs and pigs were eating people in Raboteau.
Metayer said that now Prime Minister Yvon Neptune was calling the people of La Fossette, Raboteau, Cite Soleil, and La Saline criminals. All these were the people who brought Aristide back. Aristide forgot that. That was ingratitude.
He said that the people of Gonaives wanted free elections to be held in the country. The people had often voted for people who had betrayed them. This was not what they had fought for. Under the military, dogs and pigs used to eat their bodies. How could they allow the same thing to happen again? Motorcycle riders were shooting at people, they were putting out the eyes of motorcycle riders. We did not fight for that.
He said that the people of Gonaives wanted to do as Jean-Jacques Dessalines had done, because they were ready to die. That was not a problem. The nine departments would rise up against Aristide. He would pay.