24826: (news) Chamberlain: Aristide says there is "black holocaust" in Haiti

[sak-pase@bimini.ws]

Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

(News24.com, South Africa)

'Black holocaust' in Haiti

Pretoria, April 19 (SA) - Ousted Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide
described himself on Tuesday as that country's legitimately elected leader
and the fate of his supporters as a "black holocaust" perpetrated by the
West. 

A "huge majority" of Haitians wanted him back, and those saying otherwise
were "mental slaves" lying for their masters, he told reporters in
Pretoria. 

"I am still the only elected president of the country," said Aristide, who
has been living in South Africa as a guest of the government since leaving
Haiti last February following what has been termed a popular revolt. 

He called a media conference on Tuesday to lay out what he saw as the steps
required for Haiti's return to constitutional order. 

In 1994, Aristide said, free and fair elections would not have been
possible in South Africa had leaders like Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki and
Oliver Tambo been in jail, exile and hiding. 

Blames the US 

The same applied to his country today, with "thousands" of supporters of
his Lavalas Family party unable to return home, Aristide said. 

Freeing them was the first step to repairing the "tragic mistake" of his
ousting, which Aristide described as a kidnapping and coup d'etat. 

He called for "the repression" that he claims had killed more than 10 000
people since his departure from Haiti to end immediately, followed by
genuine national dialogue. 

This should culminate in free, fair and democratic elections "organised in
an environment where the huge majority of Haitian people is neither
excluded nor repressed as they have been up until today". 

Aristide said "peaceful demonstrations" calling for his return and the
restoration of constitutional order should be heeded. 

"Racism should not maintain a black holocaust in Haiti," he added. 

Asked who was perpetrating the holocaust, Aristide said they were "the same
ones behind the coup... the Americans and others". Pressed on the point, he
included the French in the group. 

Aristide implied racism on the part of the United Nations, accusing the
world body and other global powers of suppressing the voice of the majority
of Haitians. 

"They elected their president and then the coup happened, and it is almost
as if it were nothing," he said. "They are dying to have free and fair
elections and it is almost as if it were nothing." 

He dismissed claims that his own party was behind some of the recent
violence in Haiti as lies told by people "to change the focus". 

He also rejected as "completely false" allegations that he was
orchestrating some of the violence and instability from South Africa. " 

Asked if he would "relinquish" power to any other person elected
democratically, Aristide insisted he was the preferred candidate.