23518: Esser: South Africa and Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

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

The Star [South Africa]
http://www.thestar.co.za/

October 20, 2004

South Africa and Haiti
By the Editor

 From time to time heads of state and governments make statements
which, on the face of it, do not make sense. This is so because these
leaders are making their statements based on information to which
only they are privy. In recent months, we have seen such statements
made on the conflicts in, among other places, Iraq and the Middle
East. Later on, however, the leaders who made the statements have
been compelled to produce evidence to back their claims.

It would seem to us that interim Haitian Prime Minister Gerard
Latortue has landed himself in a similar situation. He has made
serious allegations against South Africa and President Thabo Mbeki.

In the main, Latortue's allegations are that South Africa was being
used as a base by former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to
organise violence in Haiti. Aristide and his family were given
sanctuary by South Africa following a request by the African Union
and the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

The allegations made by Latortue are of a serious nature. The South
African government has, in a strongly worded statement, rejected
these accusations. The interim Haitian prime minister now has to
prove his allegations. He has to publicly back his claims or forward
whatever information is at his disposal to Interpol and then allow
international law to take its course.

In the absence of any proof to back up his claims, Latortue will then
owe this country and its president a public apology.

On the other hand, Aristide needs to be cautioned that it would be
unwise for him to abuse South African hospitality by being involved
in acts that might be seen as prejudicial to the people of Haiti. Any
such act would bring this country into disrepute and the government
would then be forced to act accordingly.

If there is proof that Aristide has in fact played a part in the
violence that claimed the lives of more than 55 people in his
homeland in recent weeks, then he does not deserve to be here.

However, the first step must be that the claims against him have to
be supported by evidence.
.