Aristide wishes to return to Haiti

[Say_What]

Two interesting articles that may shed more light on the coup.

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HAVANA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide said in Bangui on Thursday he wished to return to Haiti, a Haitian radio station in the capital city of Port-au-Prince reported.

Aristide said he was not officially resigned as the president and hoped he could return to Haiti, the report cited Aristide as saying on Thursday.

Aristide also blamed France for acting as an accomplice to the United States in "kidnapping" him out of Haiti.

In a telephone interview with the Cable News Network on Monday from the Central African Republic, Aristide denied he stepped downout of his own will, and accused the United States of forcing him out of office in a "coup d'etat."

He also claimed someone made changes to his resignation letter,thus turning it into a fake document.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-03/05/content_1346929.htm

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Haiti's Aristide accuses France

Haiti's former President Jean Bertrand Aristide has accused Paris of colluding with the US to remove him from office.

In a phone conversation with a French writer Mr Aristide said he had not officially resigned and still planned to return home.

...In the telephone conversation with Haiti specialist Claude Ribbe, Mr Aristide said that he had signed a document to "avoid a bloodbath" but that there was no formal resignation.

...Officials in the CAR now say Mr Aristide only knew of his destination 45 minutes before the plane touched down, and that he and his entourage were guarded by 60 US marines.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3534781.stm

[Say_What]

1. Haitian Counsel General in NY still recognizes Aristide as president!!

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...The South African President, Thabo Mbeki, was one of the few world leaders to attend celebrations in Haiti on New Year's Day, to mark the 200th anniversary of its independence. And according to South African news reports, the country recently sent weapons, ammunition and bulletproof vests to help Mr Aristide defend himself against an armed rebellion led by former army commanders and paramilitary death squad leaders from the 1980s and early 1990s. But the shipment did not arrive before Mr Aristide's departure last weekend and its exact whereabouts are unknown.

South Africa has said it would offer Mr Aristide asylum if it was asked. The Central African Republic made a similar offer yesterday, but said it was in no position to pay for his upkeep in the long term.

Meanwhile, the Haitian consul general in New York has taken the position that Mr Aristide is still the country's legitimate president.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=498045

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

2. Maybe he can cash in those CIA frequent flier miles.