19980: Corbett: Profound concern on the status of Aristide

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

>From Bob Corbett:

Folks, we get all sorts of news reports and it's hard to know what to make
of them.

However, one thing is clear, and I submit DEEPLY DISTURBING.  Jean-Bertran
Aristide has not been heard from.  No interviews, no stories.  Nothing.

This is one of these things that transcends "sides."  Here is the
president of a nation.  He is not killed, arrested or driven out directly
by an uprising in his nation, but in the midst of such an uprising, the
United States appears in the middle of the night, Aristide disappears and
is now -- clearly and indisputably -- being held incommunicato.

I find this situation deeply disturbing and as a citizen of the United
States I am even more distraught at what role my own government has in
this situation.

I think all Haitians, even those who may wish Aristide gone and even wish
him the worst, still must recognize the dangers this represents not only
for Haiti, but for any nation on earth that the world's major super power
can just treat the head of state of an independent nation in this manner.

This is extremely distressing.

Bob Corbett