19360: Lemiex:BBC: Haiti rebels close in on capital (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JD Lemieux <lxhaiti@yahoo.com>

  Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/3491278.stm

Published: 2004/02/27 20:16:04 GMT


Haiti rebels close in on capital
Haitian rebels have moved closer to the capital
Port-au-Prince with the capture of Mirebalais, a town just
60km away.
Law and order in the capital has broken down, as supporters
of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide barricade the streets
in preparation for a final stand.

The French foreign minister on Friday apparently added his
voice to growing pressure on Mr Aristide to resign.

Three US naval vessels have been put on standby to go to
Haiti as a precautionary measure, officials said.

Defence officials told the BBC that the ships - with the
potential to carry 2,000 marines - would be used to
evacuate of US embassy staff and other citizens if
deployed.

But they stress no decision has yet been made.

BBC Pentagon correspondent Nick Childs says there is no
appetite either in the Pentagon or the Bush administration
for direct intervention in the crisis in Haiti unless there
is a political settlement first.

Capital isolated

The rebels, who have overrun most of the north with little
prolonged resistance in recent weeks, have now virtually
cut off the capital.

One rebel leader, Guy Philippe, has said he wants to
celebrate his 36th birthday on Sunday in Port-au-Prince.


The rebellion now also appears to have infected the south,
with the seizure by separate rebels of Haiti's
third-largest city, Les Cayes.
In Port-au-Prince, belligerent armed supporters of the
president have set up barricades across the city and are
vowing to defend the presidential National Palace, though
it is not known whether Mr Aristide is inside.

One of them was quoted as saying: "[The rebels] say they
are coming. So we are waiting for them."

The bodies of 10 or 12 victims of the disorder can be seen
lying in the streets, and most residents have retreated
indoors.

There has been widespread looting, with reports that
equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars has been
stolen from the city's port.

But some of the looting is being done by desperate
Haitians, who have been denied access to basic necessities
by poverty and the unrest, says the BBC's Claire Marshall.

'Heavy hint'

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin met a Haitian
government team led by Foreign Minister Joseph Philippe
Antonio for an hour on Friday.

The suspension of Air France flights to Haiti prevented any
Haitian opposition representatives going too.

A spokesman for Mr de Villepin said he proposed a
"government of national unity" without Mr Aristide to be
put in place.


"It's for President Aristide, who bears a heavy
responsibility in the current situation, to draw the
conclusions from the impasse," said the ministry in a
statement afterwards.
The Haitian delegation left without commenting.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Mr
Aristide had had "difficulties" in his presidency including
corruption, cronyism and inefficiency.

"Whether or not he is able to effectively continue as
president is something he will have to examine carefully in
the interests of the Haitian people," he told reporters.

The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has renewed its
call for Haiti's neighbours to grant asylum to people
fleeing the ongoing crisis there.

Earlier, the US Coastguard said it had intercepted some 500
people in boats fleeing Haiti in the past few days.

President Bush has warned Haitians they will be sent home
if they try to flee to the US.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/3491278.stm

Published: 2004/02/27 20:16:04 GMT

© BBC MMIV


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