23501: Esser: South Africa, Haiti diplomatic row deepens (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser <torx@joimail.com>

afrol News
http://www.afrol.com/

October 18, 2004

South Africa, Haiti diplomatic row deepens
By staff writer


- The Sunday claim by interim leadership of Haiti that President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is organising violence from his exile South
Africa with South Africa's blessing has caused furious reactions from
Pretoria. The South African government today "rejected with contempt
the attack on the integrity of President [Thabo] Mbeki," saying Haiti
was using President Mbeki as "a scapegoat" to its own problems.

Haiti's non-elected interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue on Sunday
alleged that ousted Haitian President Aristide was organising
violence in Haiti from within South Africa. Mr Latortue accused South
African President Mbeki of "not respecting international law" by
endorsing President Aristide's alleged violent actions. President
Aristide is in South Africa following an invitation of President
Mbeki, who has strongly condemned the US-supported coup in Haiti.

The South African Department of Foreign Affairs today issued a
strong-worded statement, condemning Mr Latortue's allegations. The
comment "has no factual basis," says Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad.

The South African government had agreed to host President Aristide as
a visitor of the government "pending the resolution of the political
situation in Haiti," Minister Pahad recalled. "This followed a
request by CARICOM through the AU and in full consultation with both
the UN, USA and France," said the Deputy Minister.

- The South African government has always maintained the view that
none but the people of Haiti acting in dialogue among their political
representatives and assisted by CARICOM, can develop a long lasting
solution to their current political and economic problems, Mr Pahad
said. "Accordingly, South Africa and indeed President Mbeki cannot be
used as a scapegoat for failure by the interim Haitian authorities to
bring about peace and stability to Haiti."

In this regard, the Haitian interim authorities "would do well to
create a climate conducive for the restoration of democracy and for
the voice of the people of Haiti to be heard," continued Deputy
Minister Pahad. Haiti's last democratically elected leader was indeed
President Aristide.

- The South African government rejects with contempt the attack on
the integrity of President Mbeki and dismisses the insinuation that
its territory is being used as a springboard by President Jean
Bertrand Aristide to destabilise Haiti through violent means, Mr
Pahad added. "No evidence exists to back up the claim that President
Aristide is involved in any activities aimed at the destabilisation
of Haiti," he concluded.

The strong-worded statement by Mr Pahad came after South Africa's
main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), had called for
an "immediate reply" to the interim Haitian leadership and an
investigation into the charges. "The President must provide a full
account of Mr Aristide's activities since his arrival in South
Africa," a statement by DA leader Tony Leon said.

Mr Leon on several occasions has strongly criticised the South
African government's apparent solidarity with President Aristide,
"who is currently enjoying safe haven at the expense of the South
African taxpayer," as the DA leader emphasises.

- President Mbeki has made clear where his sympathies lie, Mr Leon
criticised the Head of State. "He backs the pro-Aristide
demonstrators and supports the triumphant return of Mr Aristide to
power in Haiti," the DA leader said, in accordance with the interim
leadership in Haiti. "The question has now been raised as to whether
that moral support for Mr Aristide's restoration has also been
translated into material support," he added.

The DA recalled that President Mbeki had dedicated his weekly letter
to the nation on 23 July to the cause of President Aristide. "The
President wrote a romantic account of demonstrations that 'demanded
the return of Titid – President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, an honoured
guest in our country'," Mr Leon recalled. "The poor of the slums of
Bel Air, Cité Soleil and elsewhere in Haiti will achieve their
liberation," President Mbeki had written.

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