HAITI'S FIRST ELECTED LEADER FORCED OUT FOR SECOND TIME
1 March 2004

Reports now indicate Jean-Bertrand Aristide is in exile in the Central African Republic, possibly with plans to seek asylum in South Africa. Yesterday, following his departure, supporters ruled the streets, decrying the change of power as a violent and illegitimate coup d'état. Today, the Chief Justice of Hait's Supreme Court has been sworn in, 500 US Marines have occupied the Presidential Palace, and Guy Philippe's rebel forces have entered the capital, Port-au-Prince.

In a phone call to the US Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Aristide alleged that he had been abducted by 20 US Marines, along with his wife. According to TBWT, "a security guard at Aristide's home said that the Marines came and escorted him away at gunpoint. 'He did not want to go,' the security man told reporters."

The White House has vigorously denied the charges, calling them ridiculous and saying they were told he had chosen to leave the country in order to bring peace to his people.

Even as his supporters recede from view, for fear of reprisals, allegations spread that Aristide was forced from power. Aristide has reportedly told supporters he did not leave willingly. NPR reports today that demonstrators yesterday had alleged Aristide was kidnapped and escorted from the country. The almost total meltdown of civil structure in Haiti is now the story. The ties between opposition political leaders, armed rebel groups and foreign powers are difficult to assess, especially with the sudden rapport among them, following Aristide's departure.

The formerly reviled elite are seeking redemption in the notion of a classless liberation struggle, but though Aristide was a political opponent of the economic ruling class, the concentration of wealth in Haiti remained at crisis levels throughout his term in office. Aristide was Haiti's first democratically elected leader, and was deposed in a violent coup after only one year in office. The United States returned him to power after three years of brutal persecution of the civilian population.

Upon his return, Aristide disbanded the military, which had been responsible for war crimes and other acts of oppression, during the dictatorship from 1991 to 1994. This led to a softening of financial backing from the US, which often ties its aid to military spending and security. By the time of his second depature, Aristide was refused any financial assistance from the US and from other international donors.

Aristide had proposed broadening the freedom of worship for Haitians by establishing Voodoo as an officially recognized religion, on a par with Catholicism (Aristide was himself a Catholic priest). This prompted Christian groups, particularly evangelical Christians, to allege that Aristide was engaged in a "pact with the devil" and that he was trying to force this pact on the Haitian people. In fact, while most Haitians classify themselves as Catholic (80%) or Protestant (16%), Santeria and Voodoo are widely practiced as parallel spiritual traditions, along with Christian sacraments.

South Africa has said it would consider an application by Aristide for political asylum, and the Central African Republic has stated that it has received Aristide as "a humanitarian gesture". In an address to the public, after arriving in Africa, Aristide proclaimed "In overthrowing me, they cut down the tree of peace... But it will grow again, because the roots are well-planted." [For more: CBS]

The Haiti Support Group, founded in the aftermath of the military coup d'état of the early 90s, has been tracking reports, allegations and evidence of efforts to undermine the Aristide government, since the 2000 parliamentary election. Many observers believe the current crisis began during the 2000 elections, when Aristide's party swept to power, amid allegations by the opposition of misuse of vote counting procedures and other irregularities.

In the end, the fact that stands out is that 2004 is the bicentennial celebration of Haitian independence, and the great event of this year has been the resignation of its only elected president, fleeing the country in the face of the second military uprising during his term in office. The job of securing Haiti should be seen on a par with the unique and tragic nature of its political history, not in light of promising statements being made about the intentions of its rebel leaders. [s]