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Posted on 03/04/2004 3:06:13 PM PST by Shermy
In Bangui since February 29, the former Haitian president accused France of complicity with the United States in his removal. He let it be known he wants to return to his palace. On the spot [sur place], the tripartite committee began their first meetings as foreign troops settled into Port-au- Prince, in particular the Chilean contingent, a few months before the Brazilian contingent.
Aristide accuses France of "complicity" with the United States. In Bangui (Central Africa) since February 29, the former Haitian president affirmed Thursday that he wanted "to return" to his palace because "there was no formal resignation according to norms'", in a telephone conversation recorded with a close friend/relative [proche] and French writer specializing on Haiti, Claude Ribbe, from whom AFP obtained a copy. For Aristide, this "political removal was the price to pay to avoid a blood bath". _ "If it be necessary make a stopover in South Africa, I will do it, before I return home [chez moi]", he added.. He also accused France of "complicity in his political removal" with the United States, by affirming that Paris had acted in retaliation to his request for restitution of the "debt of independence" (ie, reparations for French colonialism). "It is more than clear, I had asked for restitution of this debt in the name of the nation, to which it had a right", he continued. "On their side, they (the French) answered with spite, persecution, systematic misinformation, and their complicity in this political removal", he underlined.
First meeting of the tripartite committee about the Haitian presidency. The tripartite committee - the Opposition, the Lavalas Party, and the international community -, whose creation was planned by an international rules for the crisis in Haiti, held its first meeting Thursday. Formed by ex-senator Paul Denis of the Democratic Platform for civil society and of the opposition parties, by the Minister for Haitians living abroad, by Leslie Voltaire, for the Lavalas party, and by Adama Guindo, Haitian coordinator of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), for the international community, the committee placed alongside the interim president, Boniface Alexandre. It is empowered to designate a council of charged to indicate a council of "Sages" of dozens of people, representing the diversity of the Haitian society. A provisional government, with a new Prime Minister, will then be formed, before the organization legislative elections to be taken later, perhaps simultaneously with a presidential poll.
European assistance urgently of 1,8 million euros. The European Commission urgently released humanitarian aid in the amount of 1,8 million euros for Haiti intended to relieve the local population vis-a-vis with the crisis. The largest part of this sum (1,5 million) is intended for medical care of the victims of the recent violence in Haiti, according to the Commission, which emphasizes the gravity of the medical situation. The recent events in Haiti harmed the health services, the majority of the hospitals and private clinics do not function because their equipment was destroyed and the medical personnel often fled, emphasized the European Commission.
"A crushing stop to the spiral of violence". As of Sunday the arrival of almost 800 French soldiers, made it possible to give a "crushing stop to the spiral of violence" in this country, the staff of the French armies asserted Thursday. "The mission to protect foreign nationals remains a priority, even if the international force gave a crushing stop to the spiral of violence", Colonel Christian Baptist asserted at the weekly press conference of the Ministry for Defense. The Minister for Defense, Michele Alliot-Marie, is for her part congratulated on the "very great reactivity and aptitude int the face of a difficult situation" on behalf of the French soldiers, who intervened as of Sunday evening, specified the ministry spokesman, Jean-Franççois Bureau.
Warning. The situation in Haiti, however, remains "volatile" because "laying down arms is not to say surrendering them", asserted Colonel Baptist making a reference to the insurgents of ex-police chief Guy Philippe, who specifically agreed Wednesday under the pressure of the United States to lay down the weapons.
Arrival of 120 Chilean soldiers ih Port-au-Prince. This first Chilean contingent - eventually 340 Chilean soldiers will be dispatched - arrived in the capital Thursday to join the international peace force in Haiti. Transported by a Boeing 707 which departed from Santiago (Chile), the soldiers will form part "of the special forces which will be incorporated into units made up of American, Canadian and French soldiers", according to the Chilean ambassador in Haiti, Marcel Young. The creation of the international force in Haiti was approved Sunday by the United Nations Security Council.
And also Brazilians. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced this Thursday with his French counterpart Jacques Chirac. Brazil would to contribute 1, 100 soldiers to UN multinational peace force Haiti, who will be in place in two or three months
Yeah, I never trusted those Sphagetti-O's. ;^ )
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Yeah, the Clintons and the CBC knew that a decade ago. Lots of other people did to.
I'm sure that could be arranged. His safety, however, is another matter.
Ingrate.
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