|
Aristide rebuked by us after insisting on staying in power Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/73212/1/.htmlhttp://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/73212/1/.html
Aristide rebuked by US after insisting on staying in power
PORT-AU-PRINCE : Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide received a harsh rebuke from the United States, which questioned his ability to govern as mobs looted the Haitian capital for a second straight day.
"This long-simmering crisis is largely of Mr. Aristide's making," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said a written statement issued in Washington.
"His failure to adhere to democratic principles has contributed to the deep polarization and violent unrest that we are witnessing in Haiti today," McClellan continued. "His own actions have called into question his fitness to continue to govern Haiti."
The public nudge from Washington came after Aristide repeated in yet another televised address earlier Saturday that his resignation, which the United States, France and Canada have called on him to consider, was "out of the question." He said hints he may step down were fabricated by his foes.
"These are baseless rumors spread by leaders of the opposition to provoke the population and cause disorder in the country," he said.
At least eight bodies lying in the streets bore witness to Friday's violence, which has been blamed on Aristide supporters, known as "chimeras" -- mythical fire-breathing monsters.
Hundreds of people, many of them armed, continued looting the capital's main port Saturday, after gangs of Aristide supporters on Friday terrorized motorists at flaming roadblocks set up across the capital.
One lifeless man, blindfolded with his hands tied behind his back, lay face down in a pool of blood outside the city's main hospital.
The bodies of five young men lay in the Carrefour suburb and another two were found shot dead in the capital's Petionville neighborhood.
Staff at the Adventist Hospital in Carrefour said Aristide supporters had stormed the hospital three times during the night, stealing money and medicine.
Sporadic gunshots could be heard during the night and the independent Radio Vision 2000 station was forced off the air after gunmen fired into its studios.
In the city center, virtually no cars circulated but pedestrians returned to the streets and most barricades were left unmanned.
In his address, Aristide urged his supporters to allow traffic to flow freely during the day, but to man the barricades at night, prompting a senior Western diplomat to warn "it is very possible we could see some horrible things tonight."
"Aristide is getting desperate," the diplomat said.
In his statement, McClellan said the United States will continue working with other countries to provide humanitarian assistance to the Haitian people.
But he warned that other nations "will not act until a viable political solution is in place."
"The United States is preparing to support a multinational interim security force in the context of a sustainable political solution in Haiti," the White House spokesman said.
He said the US military was ready to support efforts to interdict Haitian migrants at sea, to repatriate them and to assist in the evacuation of US citizens from Haiti, if necessary.
Rebel leader Guy Philippe has said his forces would be in the capital within days.
But Aristide, a former shantytown priest, urged people to return to work.
"I, as a civil servant, and the members of our government will be at our posts Monday," he said.
Foreign embassies, however, braced for more trouble and Canada sent three military planes to Haiti to bring home its citizens wanting to leave the violence-torn Caribbean nation, where most commercial flights have been suspended.
The US Coast Guard delivered to Port-au-Prince hundreds of Haitians who had tried to sail illegally to the United States in rickety craft. The US ships repatriated them after intercepting them at sea.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin discussed the crisis in Haiti Saturday in telephone consultations with US Secretary of State Colin Powell and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, his office said.
- AFP
AFP text, photos, graphics and logos shall not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP shall not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP content, or for any actions taken in consequence.
Copyright © 2004 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.
|
|
