19577: radtimes: Aristide hits back at opponents in radio address (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: radtimes <resist@best.com>

Aristide hits back at opponents in radio address

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/03/01/1078117367693.html

March 2, 2004

Deposed Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide hit back at his political
opponents yesterday for "chopping down the peace tree" in a radio address
soon after he arrived in the Central African Republic.

Mr Aristide, who arrived in Bangui yesterday, a day after he stepped down
from his post under international pressure, also thanked the leadership of
the Central African Republic for welcoming him.

He is expected to travel on to South Africa where he is to go into exile,
according to an official from the state protocol department in Bangui.

"I declare that, in overthrowing me, they have chopped down the peace tree,
but it will grow again as its roots are Louverturian," he said, referring
to Toussaint Louverture, who led the revolt of black slaves in Haiti in 1791.

Yesterday, South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was
holding talks on Mr Aristide's fate, said Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz
Pahad but he added hat no formal request for exile had been presented to
the Government.

Earlier, South African foreign ministry spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa told AFP:
"We are not aware of any such plan [for Mr Aristide to seek exile in South
Africa]."

When asked if Mr Aristide had made a request for asylum in South Africa, Mr
Mamoepa said: "We are not aware of any such request."

.