[News] Haiti: UPI story on Haitian activists

[News at freedomarchives.org]

Bush accused of supporting Haitian rebels  (please note the source is very 
pro US policy)

By Isabelle D. Lindenmayer
Published 2/27/2004 6:47 PM

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Haitian activists Friday accused the Bush 
administration of covertly supporting opposition forces to oust President 
Aristide from power.

"The Bush administration is again engaged in regime change by armed 
aggression," former U.S. attorney general Ramsey Clark said. "This time, 
the armed aggression is against the administration of the democratically 
elected president of Haiti."

Activists at a Friday press briefing outlined what they believe to be a 
well-crafted plan by the Bush administration to overthrow Aristide. Former 
Haitian military members, drug dealers and militants were armed and trained 
in the Dominican Republic thanks to military support from the United 
States. They have now crossed the border into Haiti, activists said.

The rebel insurrection that erupted three weeks ago has left roughly 80 
people dead, nearly half of whom were police officers.

U.S.-supported coups in Latin America and Africa during the Cold War were 
referenced by many as models for what they perceive to be the Bush 
administration's current strategy in Haiti.

"Policy is being engineered, just like when the U.S. wanted to overthrow 
the Sandinista government," said Ben Dupuy, secretary-general of the 
National Popular Party of Haiti. Covert CIA operations in Guatemala, the 
Dominican Republic and the Congo were also mentioned by activists, who 
repeatedly called for the United States to cease any involvement in the 
Caribbean nation.

The crisis in Haiti has been looming since flawed legislative elections 
were held in 2000 during which Aristide's party claimed victory with an 
overwhelming majority of votes. In response, international donors froze 
millions of dollars in aid, cutting off a vital lifeline for one of the 
poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.

In addition, Aristide, who became Haiti's first freely elected leader in 
1990, has been accused of not doing enough to alleviate poverty, condoning 
corruption, and using violence to quell political opposition.

Activists blamed the American government for the failure of Aristide's 
social programs.

"The U.S. brought this about by keeping an embargo on the country since 
1994. How could Aristide have succeeded?" former attorney general Clark 
asked. "His goal has always been to move the people of Haiti from a state 
of poverty to a state of dignity."

Participants pointed to differing ideologies on democracy as the motivating 
force behind the Bush administration's alleged support of opposition forces.

"The U.S. talks about democracy, but it's their democracy, not the people's 
democracy," Dupuy said.

Using Venezuela as an example, Dupuy and Clark accused the administration 
of not supporting governments that replace any group of ruling elites. "Any 
government that has the support of the majority of its people will have a 
problem with the United States," Dupuy said.

Regarding evidence linking the U.S. government with opposition forces, Kim 
Ives, an activist and journalist working in Haiti, said that he had proof 
of collaboration between Special Forces in Haiti and the Dominican 
military. He said the Pentagon has sent military aid to the Dominican 
Republic, including 20,000 M-16 rifles.

"It's not unlikely that some of those M-16s are some of the hardware we see 
in the hands of the rebels today," Ives said.

"It is clear that the rebel forces crossed the Dominican border heavily 
armed with equipment that even the former Haitian military did not have, 
which could not have been done without the knowledge of the Dominican 
army," another participant said. "We also know that the Dominican 
government would not have allowed this to happen unless it had clearance 
from the United States government."

As Aristide supporters presented their case for covert U.S. support of 
insurgent groups, the Haitian president's fate was being discussed in Paris 
at a meeting between Dominique de Villepin, the French foreign minister, 
and a representative of the Haitian government.

France is pressuring Aristide to step down and cede to a transitional 
government.

Strengthening the French government's position and further distancing the 
White House from the Haitian leader, Secretary of State Colin Powell said 
Thursday that Aristide should make a "careful examination" of whether he 
should step down.

So far, the Bush administration remains committed to a political solution, 
and would be supportive of an international security force going into Haiti 
only after a political agreement has been reached, White House Press 
Secretary Scott McClellan said Friday.

Participants at the National Press Club briefing had harsh words for both 
the French and U.S. governments regarding the resignation of the embattled 
leader. "We call on the Bush administration and the French government to 
cease their efforts to overthrow a democratically elected government and to 
allow democracy and freedom to continue," said Ray Laforest, director of 
Haitian Constituency U.S.A.

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, who said he was a personal friend of Aristide, 
spoke on behalf of the Haitian government adding, "I protest the actions of 
the United States government -- especially Secretary Powell."

Some Aristide loyalists do, however, see a role for the United States in 
the days to come. "People must compel the organizations that are relevant 
to immediately demand that the rebels stop and be held accountable, and 
that they stay out of Port-au-Prince. The United States government must say 
that out loud," Clark said.

Roger Ervin, a consultant to the Haitian government, pointed to three 
actions the U.S. should take to address the crisis in the Caribbean nation: 
join those in the international community who want to send a security 
presence to restore order before a peace agreement, publicly choose a side, 
and send humanitarian assistance.

"A wink and a nod from the U.S. is not going to get us anywhere," Ervin said.

Copyright © 2001-2004 United Press International


The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://freedomarchives.org/pipermail/news_freedomarchives.org/attachments/20040227/48f09d50/attachment.htm>