Anarchy Sweeps Haiti's Capital As Aristide Faces End

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 2-26-2004 | Marcus Warren

[blam]

Anarchy sweeps Haiti's capital as Aristide faces end

By Marcus Warren in Port-au-Prince
(Filed: 26/02/2004)

Anarchy arrived on the doorstep of the US embassy in Haiti's capital yesterday. As in countless other spots across Port-au-Prince, the street belonged to gangs of thugs, who used violence and intimidation right under the noses of the marines guarding the mission.

Beyond the embassy's 15-feet-high walls, youths with their faces masked by shirts knotted around their heads, stones at the ready, chased away anyone who approached, including us.

A marine guards the US embassy in Port-au-Prince

Inside the compound, the marines, less than two days in the country, watched the drama unfold from behind their sandbagged machine-gun posts on the roof.

The thugs' intentions were not clear, but at a distance of only a few paces it was obvious that they would hurt anyone within range. They were not interested in a leisurely discussion of the nuances of Haiti's politics.

As we edged closer to the junction they controlled, they struck the favourite poses of the Haitian slum gangster, taunting fingers raised, arms flexed to hurl stones and mouths shouting hate. We fled.

The scene was replayed throughout the city yesterday, a vivid lesson for the marines in the perils of any larger intervention in the turmoil.

Everywhere youths loyal to President Jean-Bertrand Aristide erected barricades of burning tyres, cannibalised car parts and boulders to stop traffic and show their defiance of rebels closing in his regime. "Long live Aristide," they chanted. "This is a war."

Cars venturing too deep into territory controlled by the gangs were surrounded by the mob and their drivers threatened, roughed up and robbed.

There were reports of armed men in black choreographing the street violence, rarely spontaneous in Haiti and usually the work of ringleaders taking orders from Mr Aristide's Lavalas party.

Foreigners rushed to the airport for what they feared were the last international flights out of the Caribbean country, but the roads on the route were slowly becoming urban battlefields.

One American was seen abandoning his vehicle in the face of the barricades and trying to reach the airport on foot, suitcase in hand.

The upsurge in chaos - which followed a Port-au-Prince carnival universally described as the worst ever - seemed to herald the Aristide regime's death agony. It faces the threat of a rebel army controlling the north and heading for the capital.

The former priest was the Country's first democratically elected leader but his rule is now discredited by his use of thugs to terrorise enemies and allegations of corruption and complicity in drug trafficking.

The democratic opposition, which is separate from the rebels in the north, appealed last night for foreign help to ensure Mr Aristide's "timely and orderly" departure.

[ambrose]

Clinton Legacy bump.

[genefromjersey]

Ah, "progressive" policy at its best...

[cyborg]

I wonder if this will be in the book!

[MarkT]

Now, now, folks, the solution is easy - send Madeline Albright (or if she is too busy, Warren Christopher) and she/he will explain that Aristede is best for the country since the Black Caucus of the U.S. is in support of Aristede....in the alternative, it's all Bush's fault and wait until big John K can carry the day...let them all have a wonderful revolution - maybe the Dems will suggest that there are WMD's down there and we should invade...

[John Beresford Tipton]

I'm going have to flp open my copy of "The Emperor Jones."
Yo, Aristide, what you sow so shall you reap.

[CzarNicky]

Maybe the rebels can give Mr. Aristide a necklace.

[small voice in the wilderness]

Yep. It will be in the chapter titled: Really Big Problems I Could Have Solved If The Republicans Had Let Me Get Back To The Work Of The American People.

[cyborg]

yeah he'll blame the pubbies for sure

[rodguy911]

It could be along siege in haiti, some insiders actually want baby doc back.

[76834]

The scene was replayed throughout the city yesterday, a vivid lesson for the marines in the perils of any larger intervention in the turmoil.

Love this part, they REALLY DONT WANT TO GET ON THE BAD SIDE OF OUR MARINES
I think they better damm well know this....

[hedgetrimmer]

A US Marine escorting an unidentified OAS officer, runs toward his car outside the organization's building in Petion Ville just outside of Port-au-Prince, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

***
Our Marines protecting members of the OAS? It doesn't seem right.

[blam]

"It could be along siege in haiti, some insiders actually want baby doc back."

It's enough to make you want to hijack a ship and leave, huh?

[John Jorsett]

Interesting how the Black Caucus is calling for our unilateral intervention in THIS particular case. How about we sit this one out and let your buddies the French handle it fellas?

[blam]

"Interesting how the Black Caucus is calling for our unilateral intervention in THIS particular case."

Screw the Black Caucus.

[Guillermo]

But you see, Clinton's heart was in the right place, and, since Haiti posed no national security threat to the US, his military action was jusitified (because the motives were pure).

[rodguy911]

The whole thing is real sad over there. I spent 5 years in and out of there doing business and at least with duvalier their was no fighting violence and many more jobs than now. THe downside of course was there was lots of repression and really no freedom. We like to think our form of govt. will work every where but somemtimes there is one hell of a lag time.

[Maynerd]

Given your experiences what would you do with that mess?

[Solamente]

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin urged the "immediate" establishment of an international civilian force.

"This international force would be responsible for guaranteeing the return to public order and supporting the international community's action on the ground," Villepin said. "It would come to the support of a government of national unity."

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

On another level, it sounds like the Haitians are having a good time.

Also, if they are into voodoo, they can cast hexes on each other and wipe each other out at the same time. Problem solved.