Under Pressure, Aristide Leaves Haiti...French now move in

[conjur]

UPDATE: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=589&e=1&u=/ap/20040319/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/haiti


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/29/international/americas/29WIRE-HAIT.html?ex=1078722000&en=59d53a98be675250&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Feb. 29 --- President Jean-Bertrand Aristide stepped down Sunday at dawn, resigning under intense pressure from the United States, according to Haitian and American officials.

Mr. Aristide was Haiti's first democratically elected president in the island?s 200 years of independence. But his presidency crumbled as armed rebels seized Haiti?s north this month and Washington adopted their position of ?Aristide must go? this weekend.

The rebels, led by veterans of Haiti?s army, disbanded by Mr. Aristide, had threatened an attack at the capital unless the president left power.

Mr. Aristide was a radical Catholic priest when he rose to prominence in the 1980?s as an opponent of military rule and political dictatorship in Haiti. He was expelled from his order for his politics in 1988 and became the leader of a political coalition seeking democracy. Elected president overwhelmingly in 1990, he was overthrown in a violent military coup in 1991 and fled into exile, first to Venezuela, then the United States.

He was returned to power in 1994 by a military invasion and occupation led by 20,000 United States soldiers. Haiti?s constitution barred him from succeeding himself as president, but he won a second five-year term in 2000.

Over the next three years, his power was eroded as political corruption in his government and political anger in the street grew out of control.

Many of his former supporters became his sworn enemies. With the legislature dissolved, Mr. Aristide ruled, erratically, by decree. His political base crumbled down to a dissolute and disgruntled national police force and a rabble of street gangs in the slums of the capital.

An armed rebellion erupted in Haiti?s north on Feb. 5, and several hundred of the rebels quickly seized half the nation and threatened to storm the capital, sparking fear and havoc.

As recently as July, the foreign policy of the United States toward Haiti was to let Mr. Aristide serve out his five-year term. ?The United States accepts President Aristide as the constitutional president of Haiti for his term of office ending in 2006,? Brian Dean Curran, then the United States Ambassador here, said eight months ago.

Things changed. The Bush administration clearly decided in the past three days, as a senior administration official said Saturday, that ?Aristide must go,? and that message was communicated directly to Mr. Aristide hours before he left this morning. France, Haiti?s colonial occupier, also called for the president to step down.

Haitian officials said that after landing in the Dominican Republic, Mr. Aristide might seek refuge in Morocco, Taiwan or Panama.

 

[BugsBunny1078]

Haiti is not capable of governing itself.Every leader of Haiti has been overthrown for hundreds of years. Most have also been murdered.
Haitis history is one military uprising after another. Constant violence for over two hundred years. These people need schooling and religion and some kind of national industry. Similar to other countries in South America all the industrous people leave for better opportunities instead of making something where theya re.
The result is there is nothing worthwhile in Haiti.

 

[Martin]

Now would be a good time for the UN to step in.

 

[ElFenix]

haiti isn't an island. i thought the NY Times had better editing than that

 

[freegeeks]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
haiti isn't an island. i thought the NY Times had better editing than that

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
Now would be a good time for the UN to step in.

And once again, The UN does nothing and the US marines ready to go in.

 

[alchemize]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
haiti isn't an island. i thought the NY Times had better editing than that

It is 1/2 an island Easily noted by the lack of trees.

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
Now would be a good time for the UN to step in.

And once again, The UN does nothing and the US marines ready to go in.

U.S. ambassador James Foley said the foreign force would arrive this week and appealed to Haitians to remain calm. "We are coming very, very soon with a military force," he told reporters at Mr. Neptune's official's residence. "We don't tolerate looting, we don't tolerate armed forces, we don't tolerate criminal acts."
Mr. Foley also appealed to a rebel force that has been threatening to attack the capital of Port-au-Prince to lay down its weapons. "Their credibility is entirely on the line," he said, noting that the insurgents had promised to end their rebellion if Mr. Aristide left.
He did not specify the makeup of the international force, but it is expected to include Canadian and French forces.

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040228.whaiti0228_2/BNStory/International/

 

[arsbanned]

The island is Hispaniola, with Haiti occupying the western end and the Dominican Republic the eastern end. I've been to the DR and the weather is spectacular but most people live in abject poverty. However, they do not overthrow their gov every 6 months, for some reason.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
Now would be a good time for the UN to step in.

And once again, The UN does nothing and the US marines ready to go in.

U.S. ambassador James Foley said the foreign force would arrive this week and appealed to Haitians to remain calm. "We are coming very, very soon with a military force," he told reporters at Mr. Neptune's official's residence. "We don't tolerate looting, we don't tolerate armed forces, we don't tolerate criminal acts."
Mr. Foley also appealed to a rebel force that has been threatening to attack the capital of Port-au-Prince to lay down its weapons. "Their credibility is entirely on the line," he said, noting that the insurgents had promised to end their rebellion if Mr. Aristide left.
He did not specify the makeup of the international force, but it is expected to include Canadian and French forces.

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040228.whaiti0228_2/BNStory/International/

Nothing in there about the UN.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
Now would be a good time for the UN to step in.

And once again, The UN does nothing and the US marines ready to go in.

U.S. ambassador James Foley said the foreign force would arrive this week and appealed to Haitians to remain calm. "We are coming very, very soon with a military force," he told reporters at Mr. Neptune's official's residence. "We don't tolerate looting, we don't tolerate armed forces, we don't tolerate criminal acts."
Mr. Foley also appealed to a rebel force that has been threatening to attack the capital of Port-au-Prince to lay down its weapons. "Their credibility is entirely on the line," he said, noting that the insurgents had promised to end their rebellion if Mr. Aristide left.
He did not specify the makeup of the international force, but it is expected to include Canadian and French forces.

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040228.whaiti0228_2/BNStory/International/

Nothing in there about the UN.

The UN doesn't have a standing army.

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
Now would be a good time for the UN to step in.

And once again, The UN does nothing and the US marines ready to go in.

U.S. ambassador James Foley said the foreign force would arrive this week and appealed to Haitians to remain calm. "We are coming very, very soon with a military force," he told reporters at Mr. Neptune's official's residence. "We don't tolerate looting, we don't tolerate armed forces, we don't tolerate criminal acts."
Mr. Foley also appealed to a rebel force that has been threatening to attack the capital of Port-au-Prince to lay down its weapons. "Their credibility is entirely on the line," he said, noting that the insurgents had promised to end their rebellion if Mr. Aristide left.
He did not specify the makeup of the international force, but it is expected to include Canadian and French forces.

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040228.whaiti0228_2/BNStory/International/

Nothing in there about the UN.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4464124

UN Approves US-Led Multinational Force for Haiti

The U.N. Security Council on Sunday approved the deployment of a multinational force to restore order in Haiti after President Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned in the face of an armed rebellion. A resolution adopted unanimously by the 15-nation council calls for all sides in the conflict in Haiti to cease all violence and authorizes the force to "contribute to a secure and stable environment" across Haiti for up to three months, after which a follow-on U.N. stabilization force would take over.
The United States and France have already ordered troops to the Caribbean nation as part of the international force, and other governments including Canada and Brazil are also expected to contribute soldiers, U.N. diplomats said.

You were saying ...?

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
Now would be a good time for the UN to step in.

And once again, The UN does nothing and the US marines ready to go in.

U.S. ambassador James Foley said the foreign force would arrive this week and appealed to Haitians to remain calm. "We are coming very, very soon with a military force," he told reporters at Mr. Neptune's official's residence. "We don't tolerate looting, we don't tolerate armed forces, we don't tolerate criminal acts."
Mr. Foley also appealed to a rebel force that has been threatening to attack the capital of Port-au-Prince to lay down its weapons. "Their credibility is entirely on the line," he said, noting that the insurgents had promised to end their rebellion if Mr. Aristide left.
He did not specify the makeup of the international force, but it is expected to include Canadian and French forces.

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040228.whaiti0228_2/BNStory/International/

Nothing in there about the UN.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4464124

UN Approves US-Led Multinational Force for Haiti

The U.N. Security Council on Sunday approved the deployment of a multinational force to restore order in Haiti after President Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned in the face of an armed rebellion. A resolution adopted unanimously by the 15-nation council calls for all sides in the conflict in Haiti to cease all violence and authorizes the force to "contribute to a secure and stable environment" across Haiti for up to three months, after which a follow-on U.N. stabilization force would take over.
The United States and France have already ordered troops to the Caribbean nation as part of the international force, and other governments including Canada and Brazil are also expected to contribute soldiers, U.N. diplomats said.

You were saying ...?

I stand surprised and corrected...

 

[tnitsuj]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
Now would be a good time for the UN to step in.

And once again, The UN does nothing and the US marines ready to go in.

U.S. ambassador James Foley said the foreign force would arrive this week and appealed to Haitians to remain calm. "We are coming very, very soon with a military force," he told reporters at Mr. Neptune's official's residence. "We don't tolerate looting, we don't tolerate armed forces, we don't tolerate criminal acts."
Mr. Foley also appealed to a rebel force that has been threatening to attack the capital of Port-au-Prince to lay down its weapons. "Their credibility is entirely on the line," he said, noting that the insurgents had promised to end their rebellion if Mr. Aristide left.
He did not specify the makeup of the international force, but it is expected to include Canadian and French forces.

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040228.whaiti0228_2/BNStory/International/

Nothing in there about the UN.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4464124

UN Approves US-Led Multinational Force for Haiti

The U.N. Security Council on Sunday approved the deployment of a multinational force to restore order in Haiti after President Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned in the face of an armed rebellion. A resolution adopted unanimously by the 15-nation council calls for all sides in the conflict in Haiti to cease all violence and authorizes the force to "contribute to a secure and stable environment" across Haiti for up to three months, after which a follow-on U.N. stabilization force would take over.
The United States and France have already ordered troops to the Caribbean nation as part of the international force, and other governments including Canada and Brazil are also expected to contribute soldiers, U.N. diplomats said.

You were saying ...?

I stand surprised and corrected...

The UN has 19 ongoing peacekeeping operations + this new one in Haiti. You should do a little research before you talk of the UN doing nothing.

 

[Nietzscheusw]

Brainwashed US Americans discussing what the corporate media planted into their heads, unaware they are lies.

Mainstream Media Fails Itself
By Peter Phillips

On February 29, Richard Boucher from the U.S. Department of State released a press release claiming that Jean Bertrand Aristide had resigned as president of Haiti and that the United State facilitated his safe departure. Within hours the major broadcast news stations in the United States including CNN, Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS, and NPR were reporting that Aristide had fled Haiti. An Associated Press release that evening said "Aristide resigns, flees into exile." The next day headlines in the major newspapers across the country, including the Washington Post, USA Today, New York Times, and Atlanta Journal Constitution, all announced "Aristide Flees Haiti." The Baltimore sun reported, "Haiti's first democratically-elected president was forced to flee his country yesterday like despots before him."

However on Sunday afternoon February 29, Pacific News network with reporters live in Port-au-Prince Haiti were claiming that Aristide was forced to resign by the US and taken out of the Presidential Palace by armed US marines. On Monday morning Amy Goodman with Democracy Now! news show interviewed Congresswoman Maxine Waters. Waters said she had received a phone call from Aristide at 9:00 AM EST March 1 in which Aristide emphatically denied that he had resigned and said that he had been kidnapped by US and French forces. Aristide made calls to others including TransAfrica founder Randall Robinson, who verified congresswomen Waters' report.

Mainstream corporate media was faced with a dilemma. Confirmed contradictions to headlines reports were being openly revealed to hundreds of thousands of Pacifica listeners nationwide. By Monday afternoon mainstream corporate media began to respond to the charges. Tom Brokaw on NBC Nightly News, 6:30 PM voiced, "Haiti in crisis. Armed rebels sweep into the capital as Aristide claims US troops kidnapped him; forced him out. The US calls that nonsense." Fox News Network with Brit Hume reported Colin Powell's comments, "He was not kidnapped. We did not force him on to the airplane. He went on to the airplane willingly, and that's the truth. Mort Kondracke, executive editor of Roll Call added, "Aristide, ?was a thug and a leader of thugs and ran his country into the ground." The New York Times in a story buried on page 10 reported that "President Jean-Bertrand Aristide asserted Monday that he had been driven from power in Haiti by the United States in "a coup," an allegation dismissed by the White House as "complete nonsense."

Mainstream media had a credibility problem. Their original story was openly contradicted. The kidnap story could be ignored or back-paged as was done by many newspapers in the US. Or it can be framed within the context of a US denial and dismissed. Unfortunately, the corporate media seems not at all interested in conducting an investigation into the charges, seeking witnesses, or verifying contradictions. Nor is the mainstream media asking or answering the question of why they fully accept the State Department's version of the coup in the first place. Corporate media certainly had enough pre-warning to determine that Aristide was not going to willingly leave the country. Aristide had been saying exactly that for the past month during the armed attacks in the north of Haiti. Aristide was interviewed on CNN February 26. He explained that the terrorists, and criminal drug dealers were former members of the Front for the Advancement and Progress of Haiti (FRAPH), which had led the coup in 1991 killing 5,000 people. Aristide believed that they would kill more people if a coup was allowed to happen. It was also well known in media circles that the US Undersecretary of State Roger Noriega for Latin America was a senior aide to former Senator Jesse Helms, who as chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs committee was a longtime backer of Haitian dictator Jean Claude Duvalier and an opponent of Aristide. These facts alone should have been a red flag regarding the State Department's version.

As a former priest and liberation theologist, Jean Bertrand Aristide stood for grassroots democracy, alleviation of poverty, and God's love for all human beings. He challenged the neo-liberal globalization efforts of the Haitian upper class and their US partners. For this he was targeted by the Bush administration. That the US waited until the day after Aristide was gone to send in troops to stabilize the country proves intent to remove him from office.

Mainstream media had every reason to question the State Department's version of the coup in Haiti, but choose instead to report a highly doubtful cover story. We deserve more from our media than their being stenographers for the government. Weapons of mass destruction aside, we need a media that looks for the truth and exposes the contradictions in the fabrications of the powerful.

Peter Phillips is a Professor of Sociology at Sonoma State University and director of Project Censored; a media research organization

http://www.projectcensored.org/

The Mission of Project Censored is to educate people about the role of independent journalism
in a democratic society and to tell The News That Didn't Make the News and why.



"Media criticism does exist in America. But by and large, it is not citizen-based criticism designed to make media a better source of information in a democracy. Instead, it is a cynical manipulation of the discourse designed to silence even the mildest dissent from the conservative, militantly pro-corporate dogma that has come to pass for news in an era when "reporters" brag about the size of their American-flag lapel pins."
- Robert McChesney and John Nichols

 

[conjur]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=589&e=1&u=/ap/20040319/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/haiti

 

[xxxxxJohnGaltxxxxx]

The U.N. is spread too thin to move in; they are still trying to keep the peace in Bosnia (failing; thousands are fleeing as I type), and they have people looking in the French bank accounts for the oil-for-food money that was stolen from the Iraqi people...they can't do everything.

 

[CaptnKirk]

The French will be able to protect the gardens in Hati as only the French can do . . .
by eating the snails that crawl there.

 

[xxxxxJohnGaltxxxxx]

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
The French will be able to protect the gardens in Hati as only the French can do . . .
by eating the snails that crawl there.

Rumor has it that the French troops have already surrendered; Chirac is now seeking a few U.N. resolutions to curb the violence and get his troops out of the quagmire.