Haiti police chief goes into exile

By Stephen Gibb BBC correspondent in Havana

Great hopes had been pinned on Faveur

The new police chief of Haiti has abruptly resigned and gone into self-imposed exile.

Jean-Robert Faveur, who took up the post just two weeks ago, said he was standing down because of government interference and threats to his life.

He was briefly the great hope for reform of Haiti's police force, but just two weeks into the posting he has left the country.

It is not clear where he has gone.

In a resignation letter addressed to the Haitian President, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, he said he had chosen the path of exile rather than to become corrupt and subservient.

He accused the government of handing out appointments within the police force without his consent and he added that he had been warned that his life was threatened.

Like his predecessor who was in the post for just two and a half months, Mr Faveur has apparently failed to clean up Haiti's police force - which has been accused of human rights abuses and brutal repression of political dissent.

Both the Organization of American States and opposition groups within Haiti say that a non-corrupt professional police service is vital if the country is to hold fair elections.

Haiti's economic and political stability has deteriorated dramatically since the last elections were held in the year 2000 which opposition groups say were rigged by President Aristide.

Mr Aristide says he is acting to bring in reform, but will not stand down.