22279: Haiti Action Committee: Sri Lankan news item: Haiti once again in US grip (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Haiti Action Committee <info@haitiaction.org>


http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2004/06/06/new15.html

Haiti once again in US grip

Soon a contingent of the Sri Lankan Army will leave for Haiti to part
in a United Nations Peace Keeping operation there. This is the first
time the Sri Lankan army will engage in a peacekeeping task. Sunday
Observer foreign news desk takes a look at the current turmoil in
Haiti that necessitated the UN peacekeeping role.

Haiti, one of the poorest nations in the Caribbean plunged into
crisis early this year with confrontation between the government of
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the Opposition taking a violent
turn.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has already worked out a formula
for a negotiated solution to the crisis. This plan approved by the
Organization of American States (OAS) proposed to transfer police
powers to the Prime Minister, holding of free and fair parliamentary
elections in the near future and the Presidential elections in 2006
at the end of the present President's term.

It also proposed to reorganize and train the 5000 strong police force
under UN and OAS control. It was also proposed to appoint a Council
of three persons to represent President Astride, the Opposition and
the international community.

This Council was to name an independent Prime Minister. On February
29, however, President Aristride was forced to leave Haiti as a
multi-national force of nearly 1000 troops led by the USA arrived in
Port-au-Prince, apparently to disarm the armed rebel groups and
restore order.

A former police Chief, Guy Phillipe, who even earlier in 2001 tried
to overthrow Aristride, headed these rebels. Phillipe had returned
from exile in the Dominican Republic and had become the
self-proclaimed leader of the Haitian Armed Forces. (Haiti does not
have an army.)

The multi-national forces did not disarm the rebels and they were
allowed to retreat to the North. General Ronald Coleman, Commander of
th multi-national forces was reported to have said that "disarming
the rebels is not our mission".

#######

Haiti - Fact file

Location: Western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, in the
Caribbean, bordered on the East by the Dominican Republic.

Area: 27, 750 sq. km

Climate: Tropical semi-arid

Population: 7, 527,817 (July 2003)

Life expectancy at birth: 51.61 years

Ethnic groups: Black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% Others 4%

Languages: French (official), Creole (official)

Capital: Port-au-Prince

National Day: January 1

Population below poverty line: 80% (2002)