18616: (Hermantin) Sun-Sentinel-Aristide vows to remain; U.S., others discuss helping H (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Aristide vows to remain; U.S., others discuss helping Haiti’s police

By Gary Marx
Chicago Tribune
Posted February 14 2004

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- With his nation engulfed in violence, embattled
Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide vowed Friday to serve out his term
and said his early departure would only bring increased bloodshed to this
impoverished Caribbean nation.

Dismissing critics who say he has become a repressive and authoritarian
leader, Aristide fired back in an interview by calling his opponents
terrorists and by pledging to protect Haiti's fragile democracy against
those seeking to oust him.

"I was fighting the dictatorship of Duvalier," said Aristide, referring to
former President Jean-Claude Duvalier, who ruled Haiti from 1971 to 1986. "I
couldn't tolerate a system rooted in dictatorship to be mine."

Aristide's comments came as Secretary of State Colin Powell warned the
opposition not to try to oust the president and said several nations were
discussing the possibility of sending reinforcements for Haiti's police.

Aristide also said he is implementing a plan for regaining Gonaives from the
control of rebels. Located along Haiti's main north-south highway, the
city's seizure has allowed rebels to prevent fuel and food from reaching
many parts of the nation.

32 coups in 200 years

Aristide said Haitian police had infiltrated Gonaives but refused to provide
details of the operation because of security concerns. "We have people on
the ground," he said.

Looking relaxed but firm in his office inside Haiti's colonial-era
presidential palace, Aristide, 50, denied allegations that he had armed and
unleashed gangs such as those who violently broke up Thursday's opposition
rally in the capital and torched buildings and killed opponents in other
cities.

He said Haitians falsely claiming to be his supporters were battling
anti-government militants and urged opposition leaders to begin negotiations
to quell the growing crisis in this nation of 8 million people.

"Moving from violence to violence is what we've had for the past 200 years
-- 32 coups d'etats," Aristide said. "Today we couldn't accept another coup
d'etat."

In Washington, Powell told reporters there was no plan at this point for
U.S. military intervention to quell the revolt, which erupted last week
after months of protests against Aristide's presidency. But he said the
United States, Canada and Caribbean nations were discussing whether
foreigners could be sent to help Haiti's 3,500-member police force.

Powell also expanded on his earlier comments warning the rebels against
ousting Aristide, who was restored to power by a U.S. invasion a decade ago.

"We will accept no outcome that is not consistent with the constitution,"
Powell said after meeting with representatives of other Western Hemisphere
countries at the State Department. "We will accept no outcome that in any
way illegally attempts to remove the elected president of Haiti."

He called on Aristide to "reach out to the opposition, to make sure that
thugs are not allowed to break up peaceful demonstrations."

Yet one key opposition leader said Powell's warning "won't change our
strategy at all."

"It's legitimate to revolt against this government that is oppressing us in
a systematic way," said the opposition leader, who asked not to be
identified.

Analogies to 9-11

Several times during the interview, Aristide drew parallels between the wave
of political violence gripping Haiti and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks on the World Trade Center.

He said the international community needed to know that the armed
anti-government militants are nothing more than "thugs" and drug
traffickers.

"This is terrorism, period," he said.

Opposition leaders have criticized the violence associated with the uprising
but said Haitians were carrying out a "legitimate insurrection" against an
authoritarian government. They also accuse Aristide of arming the gangs who
have turned against him.

Aristide's non-violent opponents include a broad coalition of students,
business leaders and others who have refused to negotiate with the
president, calling him a power-hungry dictator who has lost touch with his
humble roots. They have called for his immediate resignation and new
elections.

But experts say they lack the power to pressure Aristide into major
political concessions without aligning themselves with the armed gangs who
have spearheaded bloody rebellions in a dozen towns and cities.

Dealing with gangs

Aristide said he is committed to implementing a proposal by Caribbean
nations to defuse the crisis by disarming gangs linked to political parties,
choosing a new prime minister and forming a broad-based advisory council to
help run the country.

But Powell said Friday that the United States wants Aristide to act rather
than just provide "expressions and words of support."

Looking toward a possible flash point this weekend, Aristide guaranteed the
safety of opposition protesters attending a scheduled rally Sunday as long
as their leaders consult first with police.

One opposition leader said police had been officially notified of the event.

And, despite the ongoing rebellion, Aristide -- who escaped an assassination
attempt in 198 7-- said he does not fear for his life. In the end, Aristide
said he was willing to reach out to the opposition if they renounce violence
but would never give in to armed rebels.

"In any democratic society we need an opposition, and I respect the
opposition," he said. "But we don't need terrorists under the cover of
political opponents."

Copyright © 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

_________________________________________________________________
Find great local high-speed Internet access value at the MSN High-Speed
Marketplace. http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200360ave/direct/01/