17821: Esser: Mbeki's Helicopter Was Not Attacked in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. E s s e r <torx@joimail.com>


Mbeki's Helicopter Was Not Attacked in Haiti

BuaNews (Pretoria) NEWS January 6, 2004
Posted to the web January 6, 2004

By Thabo Mokgola Pretoria

Government today said President Thabo Mbeki and his
delegation were not shot at while attending the 200th
independence celebrations in Haiti last week.

"There was no danger whatsoever at any moment whilst we
were in Haiti until we returned...it is quite clear
it's a lie," explained Director-General in the
Presidency Frank Chikane.

Dr Chikane addressed the media at the Union Buildings
in Pretoria today about reports that President Mbeki's
helicopter was shot at in Haiti.

Reverend Chikane explained that President Mbeki was
stationed at Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, about
150 kilometres from Gonaives where the shooting took
place.

He also refuted reports that President Mbeki's advance
team and motorcade were shot at.

"I sat in a briefing with the commander who was
commanding that (helicopter) unit and there was no
report about any helicopter being shot at, in fact the
reports came from South Africa," he said.

Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Lindiwe Sisulu
affirmed Rev Chikane's assertion.

"We would like to place on record that no South African
helicopter was shot at, and not even a single shot was
fired at the South African contingent in Haiti."

Rev Chikane added that opposition parties in Haiti that
are calling for the resignation of President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide assured the South African
delegation of their commitment to a peaceful struggle.

President Mbeki visited Haiti to attend bicentenary
celebrations of the island's independence.

Haiti was the first Black republic to declare its
independence in January 1804 from French colonial rule.

Meanwhile, Rev Chikane implored the media to probe the
source of information that 'disinformed' them so as to
preserve the industry's integrity.

"If indeed a false report like that [the President's
life in danger] can be put on the wires and hits the
headlines in South Africa, which is totally false, then
you should have interest in finding out," he said.

He explained that there was no need for government to
conduct an investigation but the media was in a better
position as they received such information from their
source.

Copyright © 2003 BuaNews. All rights reserved.
Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

http://allafrica.com/stories/200401060334.html