20201: (Chamberlain) South Africa refused to take Aristide (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

(WashTimes, 9 March 04)


S. Africa refused to take Aristide

By Nicholas Kralev


    The United States had understood that former Haitian President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide had secured refuge in South Africa and did not wait
for Pretoria's formal consent to accept him before a U.S. plane took off
from Port-au-Prince with Mr. Aristide on board on Feb. 29, U.S. officials
said yesterday.
    The former president, who has been in exile in the Central African
Republic for eight days, called on his supporters yesterday to resist
peacefully Haiti's "occupation," a day after at least five Haitians and a
foreign journalist were killed in a massive demonstration in the capital
celebrating his departure.
    On the day that Mr. Aristide left the country, Washington, which had
contacted the South African administrative capital, Pretoria, while he
still was on the ground, was certain that the response from the government
of President Thabo Mbeki, a strong supporter of the former Haitian leader,
would be positive.
    "We took off with the understanding that South Africa would accept
him," one U.S. official said. "But there was no confirmation from the South
African government that they were willing to take him."
    Asked whether Mr. Aristide said that he had made arrangements with
Pretoria himself, the official said Mr. Aristide was not specific.
    "He did say that his final destination of choice was South Africa, and
we had the impression that South Africa would say yes," the official said.
    "But 15-20 minutes into the flight, word was received that South Africa
said no," he added.
    The United States then began looking for any country that would take
Mr. Aristide, and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell managed to persuade
the Central African Republic to give him at least temporary refuge, U.S.
officials said.
    "Aristide did want to go to South Africa, but they said they were not
in a position to accept him right away," a senior State Department official
said. "What happens from now on is something between him and South Africa."

    Mr. Mbeki's government has been reluctant to accept Mr. Aristide before
elections on April 14 and has been vague about what might happen after the
vote.
    But another State Department official said the United States is
"working with the assumption that South Africa will take him once the
elections are over."
    In his first public appearance since he arrived in Bangui, the capital
of the Central African Republic, Mr. Aristide continued to reject
Washington's claim that he had resigned and insisted that he had been a
victim of a "political abduction."
    "This unfortunately has paved the way for occupation, and we launch an
appeal for peaceful resistance," he said at a press conference. "I'm
choosing my words carefully — for a peaceful resistance."
    Mr. Aristide yesterday had told The Washington Times through French
writer and Haiti expert Claude Ribbe that he still considered himself the
rightful leader of the half-island nation.
    The White House again reprimanded him for insisting he is still the
president of his Caribbean nation and warned him against divisive
provocations.
    "Mr. Aristide has resigned his office and has left the country. And now
the Haitian people are involved with grasping democracy and moving forward
on an interim government," White House spokesman Trent Duffy told
reporters.
    "And any comments that would stir up more division are not helpful, as
the Haitian people move toward a greater democracy."
    Mr. Aristide has said the letter he signed before his departure was not
a "formal resignation" and he plans to return to his country soon.