African Union seeks role in troubled Haiti

AFP ^ | 01-18-2005

[Tailgunner Joe]

PRETORIA (AFP) - The African Union is ready to help restore stability and pave the way to elections in Haiti, "an African country outside Africa", AU Commission chairman Alpha Oumar Konare said.

Speaking after a meeting with South African President Thabo Mbeki and deposed Haitian leader Jean Bertrand Aristide in Pretoria, Konare said he was wrapping up talks to see what role the 53-member body could play in troubled Haiti.

"Haiti is an African country outside of Africa," said Konare who visited the Caribbean nation last month.

"The AU wants to help create conditions in which a new government can be democratically elected in Haiti," he told reporters at a press briefing.

The UN Security Council said last week it was willing to keep peacekeepers in the country, from which Aristide fled into exile after a popular and bloody revolt which left scores dead in February last year.

Violence has continued to plague efforts at national reconciliation ahead of November polls.

"We want to create a framework for non-violent national dialogue and a situation where none of the political forces are excluded," Konare said adding that "we should work so that the transition in Haiti does not extend beyond its normal term."

"Mr Aristide has agreed to such a mission and he understands the role the AU can play with other organizations like CARICOM (the Caribbean Community) and the United Nations," Konare said.

The exiled Haitian leader said "Haitians would have liked to be here to thank Konare and Mbeki for their efforts."

"I'm committed on behalf of the Haitian people to move with the AU to achieve peace and constitutional order in Haiti," he said.

Mbeki recalled that it was at the behest of the AU and CARICOM that South Africa had taken in Aristide who is being treated as a guest of his government.

"The critical thing in Haiti now is to begin a national dialogue - a process of negotiation to find a political solution and prepare for free elections so the people of Haiti can elect any government of their choice," Mbeki said.

"All the political parties in Haiti have asked the AU to intervene to assist in that that process of negotiation," he said.

"South Africa is ready to undertake such actions as the AU would indicate." said Mbeki.

[Bombardier]

Haiti has the worst of all worlds: A French colonial past and a history of slavery. No wonder it's been screwed up for two-hundred plus years.

[LibertarianInExile]

Read "We see that Kofi is getting a huge Swiss account, and before you get to thinking you're the only greedy scumbucket from Africa on the planet that got away with it, Annan--we want our cut."

[garyhope]

Wow, this sounds like such a great idea! Bring hundreds of years of African genocide, maddness and failure to hundreds of years of Hatian genocide, maddness and failure. That way we can double up on insanity. Sounds like a plan to me.