20057: (Chamberlain) Aristide Exile (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By DANIEL BALINT-KURTI

   BANGUI, Central African Republic, March 8 (AP) -- Insisting he's still
Haiti's president, a defiant Jean-Bertrand Aristide appeared in public for
the first time in exile Monday, calling on supporters to wage a peaceful
resistance against rebels he derided as "drug dealers" and "terrorists."
   Looking composed, Aristide also spoke out against the United States,
reiterating allegations denied by Washington that America helped remove him
from power by force.
   "I am the democratically elected president and I remain so. I plead for
the restoration of democracy" in Haiti, Aristide told reporters in Bangui,
seated on an armchair next to his wife Mildred at the Foreign Ministry.
   "We appeal for a peaceful resistance," he added, as several dozen
journalists and one Central African Republic soldier toting an assault
rifle looked on.
   Aristide spoke despite a pointed, public request by Foreign Minister
Charles Wenezoui that he avoid talking about Haitian politics or
unidentified "friendly countries."
   The ousted leader has been in Bangui since March 1. As rebels advanced
on the capital, Port-au-Prince, Aristide fled his homeland Feb. 29 on a
plane arranged by the U.S. government. He is now housed in a presidential
palace apartment.
   Until Monday's press conference, the government had refused lawyers and
journalists access to Aristide and his wife, saying that comments made
directly and indirectly by Aristide to foreign media had created diplomatic
problems.
   Most problematic were allegations -- denied by Washington -- that the
United States forced Aristide from power.
   "It was in fact a political kidnapping. This political kidnapping
unfortunately opened the road to an occupation," Aristide said.
   He said he was removed from Haiti "not only by force, but they used lies
also."
   Aristide said he had been told by the U.S. ambassador to Haiti that he
would be taken to a press conference in Port-au-Prince on Feb. 29, but was
instead driven to the airport.
   "They put me in a car and I found myself at the airport. The airport was
under the control of the Americans," he said.
   There was no mention of the violence Sunday in Port-au-Prince in which
six people were killed when shots broke out during a protest demanding that
Aristide be prosecuted. It was the worst violence since Aristide was ousted
and U.S. and French peacekeepers were deployed.
   Aristide described those who precipitated his fall as "terrorists, drug
dealers." He cited rebel leader Guy Philippe, who last week declared
himself the new chief of Haiti's military, which was disbanded by Aristide.
   Asked about his plans, Aristide was ambiguous.
   "Where I'm going will depend on the circumstances. For the moment, I am
here, and I am very well," he said.
   Aristide said he had been "well looked after" by his Central African
hosts, backtracking on his lawyers' statements that he was "a prisoner" in
Bangui.
   "I have never been a prisoner here," he said. "On the other hand, I was
a prisoner ... in the plane where we spent 20 hours without knowing where
we were going."
   The United States, France and the West African nation of Gabon arranged
Aristide's flight to Bangui, Central African Republic authorities said,
although it remains unclear why the country was chosen. It remains unclear
if Aristide will stay.