Aristide has left Haiti..c-span 4:05 am ...2/29/04(now what ??)

[SoCalDem]

link here
http://msnbc.msn.com/ID/4244322


Residents of Port-au-Prince walk under a banner of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, on Saturday. With burning barricades set up by Aristide loyalists and gasoline stations closed, residents of the capital walked to work.
The Associated Press
Updated: 7:00 a.m. ET Feb. 29, 2004PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - President Jean-Bertrand Aristide left Haiti on Sunday, bowing to pressure from a rebellion at home and diplomats from abroad, his Cabinet minister and close adviser Leslie Voltaire told The Associated Press.


At least three other sources confirmed the information, including diplomats and a security aide said to have accompanied Aristide.

Voltaire said Aristide, Haiti's first freely elected years in 200 years of independence, was flying to the Dominican Republic and would seek asylum in Morocco, Taiwan or Panama.

Aristide left as fighters in a popular rebellion that erupted three weeks ago came within 25 miles of Port-au-Prince, the capital, and threatened to attack unless he resigned.

France, Haiti's former colonizer, and the United States, which sent 20,000 troops to restore Aristide after a coup in 1994, had called for him to step down for the good of his Caribbean nation of 8 million people.

...snip

---

Former backers of Aristide now in fear for lives
Palm Beach Post, FL - 7 hours ago
... of the scarier people in the hemisphere: Haitian street gangs known as chimeres --
ghosts or monsters -- who are aligned with President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. ...

[R Hickey]

1. One more regime change for Bush

He's on a roll.

[SoCalDem]

2. Who is position to take over?? If it's left like it is

and no one responsible takes over, things will only get worse??

Is Baby Doc still alive?? I think I read that he was dead, but heaven help us if he's alive and decided to "come back and save his country"..:(

[SoCalDem]

3. Jean Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier...Dictator for hire

This website is a satire, but judging from things Bush has done, I would not put this past him :(

---

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http://www.dictatorforhire.com/duvalier.shtml


Jean Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier
Country Ruled: Haiti

Years Ruled: 1971-1986

Current Residence: France

Biography:

At age 19, Jaen Claude Duvalier was proclaimed president for life upon the death of his father, Francois Duvalier. Under great pressure from the United States to moderate the corrupt and dictatorial regime of his father, he made a show of introducing reforms, replacing some of his father's cabinet ministers, and freeing a number of political prisoners. For a time, he managed to improve Haiti's international image, although substantively his rule did not markedly differ from his father's tyranny. Known as Baby Doc, he was strongly influenced by his mother, Simone Duvalier, and by his young wife, Michele Bennet, whom he married in 1980. In 1986, antigovernment demonstrations toppled Duvalier's regime; he fled into exile in France.

News Clippings:

Ex-Haitian President Jean-Claude Duvalier goes on TV to `explain myself'
1Up Info article on Jean-Claude Duvalier
Availability:

Mr. Duvalier is currently available for immediate assignment.

[Sugarbleus]

4. They want him to step down for

"Corruption"? Inability to govern? Inability to reduce poverty? Heavy handed tactics? (all paraphrased by me)

Hey, can we storm the WH and get Bush outta there like they did in Haiti??????

:eyes:

[SoCalDem]

5. No.. we would never be allowed to protest in any numbers

they "corral" US protestors into pens...blocks away from anyoone "important"..:(

[Sugarbleus]

6. No doubt......visions of Tianamin Square come to mind....

The hypocracy of terms coming from the WH just knows NO BOUNDS!

I still feel really sad for the Haitian people in anycase.

[MaineDem]

7. Exactly...what happens now?

From what I've heard...and that's not much actually ... the "rebels" are not the political opposition. Who are the opposition party members? What are they saying about this?

I don't know for sure but I don't think this is going to be resolved easily or quickly. And, of course, I don't trust the US administration to do the right thing.

So sad. The people in Haiti are the poorest in the western hemisphere.

[lostnfound]

8. Here's some detail on opposition members

http://www.haiti-progres.com/eng02-25.html

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. Aristide had no choice

once the WH completely abandoned any support for him. This is beyond belief.

We invaded a sovereign nation to get rid of a dictator and to bring democracy and freedom to a country that wasn't even thinking about civil war. Yet, we refuse to help the democratically elected president of a sovereign nation in our how hemisphere, who begged for our help, while 'terrorists' took over his country in 3 short weeks.

Now what is going to happen?. You think things were bad in Iraq when Saddam fell, you ain't seen nothing yet. 1000's of people will probably die while the chosen one in the WH, barely notices.

Just add this to George's list of crimes against humanity.

[Toots]

11. 'terrorists' took over his country in 3 short weeks.

Anyone wonder why now? Why did they wait til now to do this? IMHO it is because they know Bush* is toast. In nine months we will have a leader who will support Democracy and not armed insurrection. This is very bad for Haiti but in a small way it gives me added hope that even in Haiti they believe Bush* will not be re-elected. This was their golden opportunity because they know Bush* is on their side and not on the side of Democracy so would not prevent the overthrow. They were correct, Bush* did nothing to save Democracy. Remember in America if we don't like our leader we have what's called a Recall election . Anyone here familiar with that term. Think Governor Ah-nold. I guess a recall election is not for other Democracies especially if the one you want to be leader hasn't a chance in hell of ever being elected by the people. Armed insurrection is the way it is done now in Democracies according to Bush*

[DoYouEverWonder]

13. Interesting POV

but then who is funding the rebels? Especially, since Haiti has an arms embargo. Where are they getting their guns, new uniforms and support?

[htuttle]

14. Who paid for the guns, grenades and uniforms?

You and I did.

I'd give 10-1 odds that Jodel Chamblain tries to go back to Haiti.

[SoCalDem]

38. I think I read somewhere that they were getting weapons from Africa

can't find the link , but I think that's what I read.. There is no shortage of countries that will gladly sell weapons.. The merchants of death have many customers :(

[Aidoneus]

26. they tried this before

a couple years ago, much the same people tried much the same things--ex-army detachments & rightwing gangs crossed over from the D.R., but on that occasion popular resistance beat back their invasion. These people and the wealthy castes backing them cheered when "W" was selected.

The D.R.'s army claims to have seen them training for this just recently.

[NashVegas]

10. Now the Man with Nice Teeth Takes Over

:)

[trumad]

12. Otto Reich

His fingerprints are sure to be left behind...

[NashVegas]

15. I Was Thinking

this guy

[Laughing Mirror]

17. Yes, he does have nice teeth, nice smile for a drug dealer

I'd like to have a look at that Bill of Sale on those, what are they, M-16s or M-60s?

[Judi Lynn]

29. One of the links someone has posted today

states he was trained by U.S. Special Forces.

I'll bet he was connected to Bush the Elder's admin. during the early '90's.

Just for anyone's curiosity's sake, here's a photo I just found rummaging around, of the dragon himself, Francois Duvalier, and his wife, Simone:

[SoCalDem]

30. Aristide's police were trained at the School of the Americas

http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/43a/195.html

Date: Wed, 5 Jul 1995 20:28:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: Bob Corbett <[e-mail]>
Subject: This Week in Haiti 13:15 07/05/95
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 1995 22:19:36 -0400 (EDT)
From: NY Transfer News Collective <[e-mail]>
To: transfr![e-mail], nica news <transfr![e-mail]>
Subject: This Week in Haiti 13:15 07/05/95

Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit

New School of the Americas for Haiti's police
Haiti Progress, This Week in Haiti,
Vol. 13, no. 15, 5 - 11 July 1995
With only token opposition from the government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, 400 future Haitian police officers were sent last week to a US Army base for two months of intensive instruction. The training camp at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri is in essence a Creole-speaking version of the infamous School of the Americas, the US military facility at Fort Benning, Georgia where hundreds of ruthless Latin American military officers have been trained over the past decade and which is the object of a growing protest movement in the United States calling for its elimination.

Of course, the US government already created, trained, and equipped the previous version of the Haitian army -- originally called the Garde d'Haiti (Guard of Haiti) and then the Forces Armees d'Haiti or FADH (Armed Forces of Haiti) -- from 1934 to 1994. Many FADH officers were also trained individually or in small groups on various military bases around the US.

But the US government's desire to train large numbers of Haitian cadets in the US is the most ambitious and flagrant effort yet to control the future Haitian army, which may end up just being called police. The US government already insists on monopolizing the training on Haitian territory of the new police force through the International Criminal Investigations Training Assistance Program (ICITAP).

The taking of Haitian trainees to the US underscores two facts about the present situation in Haiti: first, the almost total control of Haitian affairs by United States since its Sept. 1994 military intervention; and, second, the Aristide government's complete submission to Washington on any matter of substance.

The US government's stated rationale for training Haitian police officers in the US is because they want a large enough armed force on the ground before the withdrawal of US/UN troops tentatively scheduled for February 1996. This concern is understandable because Washington always needs local actors on whom to rely since exposing US troops in foreign interventions carries domestic political risks. Hence, the US wants to leave as many US-trained police in place as possible. Training cadets in the US will raise the number of permanent police officers from 4,000 to 6,000 by the time the UN military mission pulls out, US Embassy spokesperson Stanley Schrager told the Associated Press June 26.

The Aristide government went through its usual motions of whining but yielding on the matter. We rammed it down Aristide's throat, and he had to accept it, one US official told The Washington Post this week. In a gesture typical of his government's feigned resistance to US strong-arming, President Aristide squeaked that he would like to see a Haitian delegation sent to Missouri to keep people informed about what the training entailed.

more............

[Darranar]

31. Interestingly...

one of those police officials trained in the SOA happens to be a rebel leader...

Coincidence? I doubt it.

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. US Forces are on the way to Haiti

and a judge named, Boniface Alexandre has taken over, according to the latest report on Yahoo:

Yahoo News

"President (Jean-Bertrand) Aristide made a decision for the good of the Haitian people," Foley said. "International military forces including U.S. forces will be rapidly arriving in Haiti to begin to restore a sense of security."

<snip>

Three hours after Aristide's departure, Supreme Court Justice Boniface Alexandre declared he was taking over as called for by the constitution. He urged calm after more than three weeks of violence.

[htuttle]

18. I'd prefer to hear a statement from Aristide himself that he resigned...

After Venezuela, I don't believe anything Bush's 'diplomats' say.

[SoCalDem]

21. This might be a "dry run" for Venezuela

We all know how * likes to "help" the downtrodden people :eyes:

[SoCalDem]

19. Is he related to Al Haig??

:)

[einniv]

20. Now "the Families" take over and make sure they get an

even bigger cut of Haiti's limited wealth.

(At least) One of Haiti's primary political parties is the same as the family's name. How nice, your family's own political party!!

I'm sure this a "bipartisan" effort. Wouldn't expect to hear anything but praise here in the states.

[SoCalDem]

22. Haiti overview.. from encarta

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761576153
How to cite this article:
"Haiti," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2004
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
© 1993-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.



Article Outline
Introduction; Land and Resources; Population; Economy; Government; History

I Introduction
Print Preview of Section

Haiti, independent republic of the West Indies, occupying the western third of the island of Hispaniola. Haiti became the first independent black-led republic in the modern world in 1804, after the Haitian Slave Revolt. Throughout its history, the country has been divided between a small wealthy elite and a large underclass of people with little economic or political power. The country also has had a long history of political instability with dictators, most notably François Duvalier (known as Papa Doc), stifling any political opposition. At the beginning of the 21st century, Haiti has struggled to establish the legitimacy of its government and to improve the economic and social conditions of its people.

II Land and Resources
Print Preview of Section

Haiti is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by the Dominican Republic, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the Windward Passage, a channel that separates the country from Cuba. Its area is 27,750 sq km (10,714 sq mi). Port-au-Prince is Haiti’s capital and largest city.

Haiti consists of two peninsulas, which are separated by the Gonâve Gulf. Much of Haiti’s land is mountainous. In all, five mountain ranges cross the country. The Chaîne du Haut Piton, which runs along the northern peninsula, reaches a height of 1,183 m (3,881 ft). The Massif de la Selle, which begins just southeast of Port-au-Prince, reaches a height of 2,680 m (8,793 ft) at Pic la Selle, the highest point in Haiti. The Massif de la Hotte reaches a height of 2,347 m (7,700 ft) at the extreme western end of the southern peninsula. The other chains, which include the Massif des Montagnes Noires and Chaîne des Cahos, and the solitary peak of Montagne Terrible, range between 1,128 and 1,580 m (3,701 and 5,184 ft) high.

The Gonâve Gulf contains the largest of Haiti’s offshore islands, the island of Gonâve. The other islands include Île de la Tortue (Tortuga) and Grande Cayemite. Haiti’s shoreline is irregular, and there are many natural harbors. The numerous rivers—most of which are short, swift, and unnavigable—have their sources in the mountains. Only the Artibonite River, the country’s largest, is navigable for any length. Haiti’s inland areas include three productive agricultural regions, the Plaine du Nord, the Artibonite River valley, and the Cul-de-Sac Plain. Saumâtre Lake, a saltwater lake in the Cul-de-Sac, is the nation’s largest lake, while Péligre Lake, formed by a dam on the upper Artibonite River, is the largest freshwater lake.

A Climate

Haiti has a tropical climate. The distribution of mountains and lowlands affects temperature and rainfall, causing significant climate variations from place to place. Rainfall varies from a high of 3,600 mm (144 in) on the western tip of the southern peninsula to 600 mm (24 in) on the southwest coast of the northern peninsula. Most of the rain in the southwest falls in early and late summer. Port-au-Prince, located at sea level, has a yearly average temperature of 27°C (80°F). In Kenscoff, located just south of Port-au-Prince at an elevation of 1,430 m (4,700 ft), temperatures average 16°C (60°F). The mountains surrounding the Cul-de-Sac trap air in the valley, making the air hot, dry, and stagnant. Haiti is vulnerable to hurricanes and occasionally hit by destructive storms.

B Plants and Animals

Clearing forests for farms and wood for charcoal has stripped Haiti of most of its valuable native trees. Only some pine forests at high elevations and mangroves in inaccessible swamps remain. Semidesert scrub covers the ground in drier zones. Environmental deterioration has had a severe impact on Haiti’s plants, animals, soil, and water resources. Tropical reefs surrounding the country are threatened by the large quantities of silt washed down from the eroding mountainsides. Coffee and cacao trees spread across the mountains in scattered clumps, while sugarcane, sisal, cotton, and rice cover most of the good farmland. Most of Haiti’s native animals were hunted to extinction long ago. Caiman and flamingo are the most common wildlife seen today. Haiti’s large population and the degree of deforestation already present seem to preclude the reestablishment of wildlife, although the climate would be hospitable to any tropical plants or animals.

C Natural Resources

Some 33 percent of Haiti is cultivated or used for plantation agriculture, even though years of poor farming techniques have depleted the soil. Bauxite was Haiti’s most valuable mineral but extraction has ceased to be profitable in recent years. Small quantities of copper, salt, and gold exist but are not considered commercially viable.

III Population
Print Preview of Section

About 95 percent of Haitians are of African origin. The remaining 5 percent are mulatto and other races. The mulatto population makes up about half of the country’s elite. French and Creole, which uses both French colonial and West African phrases and words, are the official languages, the latter attaining that status in 1987. The poorer class (about 90 percent of the population) speak Creole, while the elite speak modern French. About 80 percent of Haiti’s people are nominal Roman Catholics, many of them combining an African animism called Vodou or Vodun (commonly spelled voodoo) into their religious beliefs and ceremonies.

A Population Characteristics

The population of Haiti is 7,527,817 (2003 estimate), giving the country an overall population density of 271 persons per sq km (703 per sq mi). In arable areas, however, there are about five times more people than the average. Some 64 percent of the population lives in rural areas.

B Political Divisions and Principal Cities

Haiti is divided into nine departments, each of which is subdivided into the more politically important arrondissements and communes. Port-au-Prince (population, 1999 estimate, 990,558) is the only modern city and the country’s capital and principal port. Other cities and towns include Cap-Haïtien (113,555), an export center and seaport; Les Cayes (45,904), an important coffee export center and seaport; and Gonaïves (63,291), a seaport in western Haiti.

C Education

By law, education is free and compulsory in Haiti for children between the ages of 6 and 11. In practice, access to education is sharply limited by school location, language comprehension (classes are taught in French), the cost of school clothes and supplies, and the availability of teachers. As a consequence of limited educational opportunities, only 53 percent of the adult population is literate. The State University of Haiti, located in Port-au-Prince, has colleges of medicine, law, business, agronomy, social sciences, architecture, and engineering. Many university-level students attend foreign universities.

more

[Darranar]

23. Very bad news...

the most likely result of this is a takeover by the "peaceful" opposition, either through a fake election between allies or simply a military takeover. Expect a "pro-American" government happily selling its people to the interests of the American business elite.

The media is spinning this as a good thing for Haiti and its people.

[SoCalDem]

25. and lots of "willing employees"

Maquiladora, part 2..Haitian-style

[Darranar]

33. Exactly.

[Jack Rabbit]

24. BBC Link

From the BBC Online
Dated Sunday February 29 15:49 GMT (3:49 am PST)

Embattled Aristide quits Haiti

Haiti's President Jean-Bertrand Aristide has gone into exile after a three-week rebellion against him, saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed.
Celebrations broke out in rebel-held areas, but his supporters have been demonstrating in the capital.
International military forces would be rapidly deployed to restore security in Haiti, said the US ambassador.
The head of Haiti's Supreme Court has been sworn in as interim leader, as stipulated by the constitution.
Mr Aristide has reportedly arrived in the neighbouring Dominican Republic but his final destination is not known.

Read more.

For decades, the BBC has been a reliable source of news and information for those living in undemocratic nations without a free and independent press. That is why this American living in the age of Bush and corporate media reads the BBC online.

[Darranar]

27. Oh, great...

now they'll send in an international force to establish an unelected "transitional" government.

It will just happen to serve American interests... pure coincidence, I suppose.

[Jack Rabbit]

28. Yep

We could see it coming months ago. I'm just as guilty as most everybody else of being too preoccupied with PNAC-manufactured crises in other parts of the world to have spoken out this one.

The only thing that US Bush/PNAC primacy in Haiti accomplishes is a continued supply of cheap labor for US firms. As with most neo-liberal arrangements, it won't do the common people of an underdeveloped country a damn bit of good.

[Mika]

32. It has the stench of Otto Reich & Noriega, et al.

Its been a part of their Caribbean strategery from the git go.

Its far past time for DUers to realize that the US admin has so called "independent" agents working in Cuba on their plans on for that nation too. When the Cuban gov arrests these "independent" agents connected with the CIA/NED etc, both US political parties encourage a stepping up of such activities against Cuba. Hegemony with a bipartisan stamp of approval.




Only ONE candidate for US president
openly states that he would end the
unjust policy of sanctions and embargoes
against Cuba AND Americans.

That candidate is Dennis Kucinich.

-The Democratic Presidential Candidates on Cuba-
http://www.lawg.org/tools/prez-candidates1.htm

[Jack Rabbit]

36. It should surprise no one if Reich was involved in this

That man needs to be hauled in front of an international tribunal and made to sweat. It's time for thirty years of involvement in international subterfuge and war crimes to be called to account.

There has been some speculation about his involvement in the alternative press, but the mainstream media has been silent, as usual. Speculation is not proof; so let's hope the alternative press will start digging. It certainly looks like Reich's modus operendi.

[Darranar]

34. Perhaps this isn't true?

There are so many conflicting reports... Aristide said he wouldn't step down, what made him change his mind? Is he still in Haiti? Is he somewhere else? Is the US doing something there directly, instead of with proxies?

Perhaps he didn't resign at all, and the rebels are simply spinning it like they did in Venezuela?

[Mika]

35. The WH is spinning it w/media help (as usual)

I heard two reporters this morning on live local TV coverage in Miami (Mike Hirsch of Ch4 and Nancy San Martin of the Sun Sentinal) say that Aristide was on TV and radio this morning at 8 am saying that he would not relinquish his presidency of his own accord. Then they reported that the TV station had been bombed and burned about 30 minutes later.

I heard that live on local TV.

[Darranar]

37. Okay, thanks...

perhaps the US bombed the station, to secure the coup?

[windansea]

39. Aristade turned into a thug

direct Aristade quote

""Yes, we have less (support) than we had in
1990 ... but I think the 30,000 gangsters want
to keep me in power against the majority of
the Haitian people," Aristide said. "And if you
compare the millions Dollars I have and what
the one who comes behind me can get —
there you will see a huge margin of
difference."

http://www.oplpeople.com/message/1034.html

[rman]

40. your source

is a message on another forum, with no link in the message to the original source.

[Judi Lynn]

41. It looks as if it's a site for supporters of the Convergence Party

which, as I try to grasp it, is the "opposition."

Nice try, right? Jeez.

Here's something from within the site:

(snip)
people


Construisons ensemble un pays pour tous
CONVERGENCE DEMOCRATIQUE


Letter to the Honorable Members of the Congressional Black Caucus

February 16, 2001


Honorable Members of the Congressional Black Caucus
United States Congress
Washington, D.C.

Honorable Members:

For many years, the Haitian people have always welcomed your many fraternal feelings and expressions of solidarity during our difficult struggle for democracy.

As you know, today, Democratic Convergence, which represents an alternative government for our country, is comprised of a significant majority of parties and personalities that have closely followed your struggle for the return, in 1994, of constitutional order in Haiti.

Convergence, like you, has recognized how the support you gave to the legitimate president, as well as the efforts you exerted to assure the creation of a law-governed state and the well-being of our people, has not led to the desired results. On the contrary, the situation has recently been gravely deteriorating, in particular since the parliamentary and municipal elections, as a consequence of an antidemocratic policy which resurrects the worst practices of the past, in other words, a total incomprehension of the intervening changes in our country and in the world. This reality has exposed the truth about a power and character totally different from that which excited the hopes of the Haitian people and our foreign friends. It has shown how the opposition, in its entirety, was dispossessed of its electoral majority base, contrary to the affirmations and populist manipulations which the incorrigible Lavalas leadership would have the public believe. It is this which has forced President Preval to realize the most immoral machinations in the service of Mr. Arisitide; it is this which has led to the present crisis.

Faced with such a situation, Convergence made incessant efforts toward true negotiations with the (Lavalas) government. We have insisted that, beyond the simple questions of the accuracy of the count raised by the Organization of American States regarding the elections of May 2000, there must also be taken into account the irreversibility of an electoral process that was rotten to the core, conducted in an environment of governmental intolerance, and realized by an Electoral Council denounced by its own president, Mr. Leon Manus, all with the objective of assuring the illegitimate permanence of Lavalas in state power.
(snip)

http://www.oplpeople.com/home.html
DU'ers know our Republican Party is all the way up to its eyeballs in grabbing Haiti back from the state implemented by our last ELECTED President, Bill Clinton, and returning it to a state of obeisance to Republican interests.

[0007]

42. Your so right JudiLyn - The Convergence Party

is plastering this site with garbage.

[htuttle]

43. The Convergence Party?

OR perhaps our friends at NED, USAID, et al.

Seems that some of this garbage has the same source as the similar garbage that always shows up here whenever there is a coup attempt in Venezuela, as well.

I suppose a man's got to make a living, and I know the job market is tough, but....

[SoCalDem]

44. The callers to c-span this am did not "buy" our intervention

We have a long and troubled history with Haiti, and this intervention will produce bitter fruit as well :(