19978: (Chamberlain) Unseen Aristide says he is well-treated (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     BANGUI, March 7 (Reuters) - Ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide said in a message read out by a Central African minister on Sunday
he was being well-treated in the African state to which he fled last week.
     But the government of the Central African Republic refused to let
Aristide's wife speak to reporters at a press conference called to reassure
public opinion that the ex-president was not being held a virtual prisoner.
     "We have been very well received at the Renaissance Palace
(presidential palace) by his Excellency President (Francois) Bozize, his
government and our brothers and sisters of the Central African Republic,"
said the brief message handed by Mildred Aristide to Foreign Minister
Charles Wenezoui in front of reporters.
     But Wenezoui also said the government had reminded Aristide, who has
accused the United States of forcing him from power, that he had an
obligation to keep a low profile.
     He refused repeated requests from reporters to allow Aristide's wife,
who looked calm but slightly uncomfortable, to address the press conference
in the capital Bangui.
     The United States has repeatedly dismissed Aristide's contentions that
he was kidnapped when he left Haiti. The U.S. administration blames the
crisis in Haiti on Aristide, who was restored to power a decade earlier by
U.S. troops after his ouster in a military coup.
     Aristide said in the statement that he agreed to go to avoid a
bloodbath as a rebellion swept his Caribbean nation. But he said he was
forced to sign his letter of resignation and did not know he was going to
the Central African Republic until shortly before landing there on March 1.