19907: (Chamberlain) Aristide supporters denounce Haiti occupation (later story) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     By Ibon Villelabeitia and Jim Loney

     PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, March 5 (Reuters) - Thousands of furious
supporters of exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide poured out of Haiti's
slums and into the streets on Friday, marching on the U.S. Embassy to
denounce the "occupation" of their homeland and demand Aristide's return.
     The formation of a new government moved ahead with the appointment of
a council of seven "wise men" charged with picking a prime minister for a
transitional government.
     A crowd estimated at more than 10,000 materialized suddenly, seething
at Aristide's flight to Africa five days ago, hurling slurs at U.S. Marines
and calling President George W. Bush a "terrorist."
     Hundreds held up their hands, with fingers extended, shouting
"Aristide five years," the rallying cry of those who wanted him to finish
his term. Heavily armed U.S. troops watched from the embassy rooftop as the
crowd marched past.
     "Bush terrorist! Bush terrorist!," they chanted, waving Haitian flags
or in T-shirts bearing photos of Aristide.
     Supporters of Aristide, a former Roman Catholic priest whose fiery
oratory from the pulpit helped galvanize a popular revolt that dislodged
the Duvalier family dictatorship in the 1980s, had been relatively quiet
this week, stunned by his departure.
     They had stayed largely in Cite Soleil, La Saline and other teeming
Port-au-Prince slums as the armed rebels who helped push their hero from
office roamed the streets, hunting for Aristide's armed "chimere"
supporters.
     But as the rebels withdrew from the capital after a pledge from their
leader, former police chief Guy Philippe, to lay down their arms, Aristide
partisans vowed to demonstrate daily for his return.
     They blamed Haiti's wealthy elite, Bush and French President Jacques
Chirac for what they called the "foreign occupation."
     "The bourgeoisie joined with the international community to occupy
Haiti and get rid of President Aristide," a demonstrator screamed. "The
bourgeoisie never did anything for us, the masses. Now they took away our
president."
     "If Aristide doesn't come back, life will be hell here."
     Five days after Aristide was ousted by a bloody rebellion and foreign
pressure, a seven-member "Council of Wise Men" was named to start building
a new government. At least four of the seven are aligned with Aristide's
political opposition.
     Haitian and foreign officials have been struggling to install interim
president Boniface Alexandre, who according to the constitution must be
ratified by the legislature. No one could say when a formal ceremony would
be held at the palace.
     Haiti's legislature has been largely defunct since early January.
     U.S., French, Chilean and Canadian troops in Haiti numbered about
2,000, according to the commanders of the multinational force approved by
the United Nations to restore order. Days of looting and shooting followed
Aristide's flight to exile in the Central African Republic on Sunday.
     U.S. special forces reconnaissance teams moved into Cap Haitien and
Gonaives, cities taken by the rebels during a month-long revolt in which
over 100 and perhaps up to 200 people died.
     U.S. Gen. James Hill, commander of the U.S. Southern Command, visited
Haiti on Friday and told reporters the impoverished Caribbean country does
not need to revive its army.
     Philippe has called for the reestablishment of the military, which had
an abysmal human rights record as it propped up Haiti's dictators.
     "There is no need for a Haitian army," Hill said. "What we need to do
today is to reestablish a professional, working and effective police
force."

   (Additional reporting by Joseph Guyler Delva)