19479: Lemieux:BBC: Aristide Leaves Chaos (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JD Lemieux <lxhaiti@yahoo.com>

 Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2004/02/29 17:38:43 GMT


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/3520457.stm

Published: 2004/02/29 17:38:43 GMT

By Claire Marshall
BBC correspondent in Port au Prince

As the barricades burned in the capital city around him,
and with a rebel army on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince,
Jean-Bertrand Aristide fought for his political life as
Haitian president right until the end.

Alone, he negotiated with senior US officials until the
early hours of this morning, insisting that he should
remain until the end of his elected term in 2006.

Just hours before, he had gone on local television to say
that his resignation was "out of the question".

But, the pressure from the international community was too
much, and he was escorted to the main airport by US Marines
at dawn.

According to one source, he resisted even while going up
the stairs to the aircraft alongside his wife and some 40
aides.

'Smoke is billowing'

He has left behind a country in chaos. The streets of
Port-au-Prince are lawless.

Most people are holed up inside their homes, while armed
gangs roam the streets. Petrol stations are ablaze, and
police stations are being ransacked.


THE ARISTIDE YEARS
1990: Haiti's first democratically elected president
1991: Overthrown in military coup; exiled to US
1994: Reinstated; forbidden from standing for second
consecutive term
2000: Wins contested elections
2004 - Jan: Haiti celebrates 200 years of independence,
amid growing political protests
Early Feb: Exiled rebel leaders cross back into Haiti;
capture north of country
29 Feb: Aristide leaves Haiti
There are regular bursts of gunfire heard over the city,
and smoke is billowing into the skies over the presidential
palace.

People are not sure yet whether or not to celebrate.

One man told the BBC, "This is terrible. Now we have no
leader, and we have two groups at war with each other."

Another said, "Jean-Bertrand Aristide is solely responsible
for undoing this presidency. He armed people which created
a very tense situation - he had no choice but to go."

Speaking from outside a house in a suburb of the city,
listening intently to the radio for the latest news,
another woman said, "This is good news for everybody. The
situation here couldn't have been sustained.

"Things may not be better today, but at least things may
now have a chance to get better in the future".

Power vacuum

Prime Minister Yvon Neptune said in a news conference that
President Aristide had left to 'avoid a bloodbath', but
added that these were "dangerous times for Haiti".


The houses of two senior government members have already
been targeted by looters. Many are now said to be
converging at the embassy of the Dominican Republic looking
for an escape route.

Helicopters are currently swarming over the embassy
building - apparently evacuating people.

Adverts put up in one hotel in the capital say that seats
on a helicopter out of Haiti to Santo Domingo can be bought
for $2,500.

The biggest fear for people here is what will come out of
the current power vacuum. There is no obvious leader to
succeed Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

The remnants of his government have announced that a
Supreme Court Judge, Boniface Alexandre, will take over as
president.

According to the Haitian constitution, this needs to be
ratified by Congress. However the Haitian congress was
disbanded earlier this year as no elections had been held
to select its members.

Armed gangs

A US-led peacekeeping force is reported to be on its way to
Haiti to try to restore some kind of order.


HAVE YOUR SAY
The departure of President Aristide will leave a vacuum
that will be very hard to fill
Georges, Cayes, Haiti

The people living here hope that it won't be too late.

One man said to the BBC; "The Americans really have to take
matters in to their own hands now.

"We have heavily armed gangs in the streets, which is not a
good thing. The security situation here needs to be
addressed straight away".




© BBC MMIV


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