Amy Goodman reports the delegation has landed in CAR to meet Aristides.

[diamond14]

Updates:

Sunday afternoon: Amy Goodman reports the delegation has landed in the Central African Republic to meet with the Aristides.

Saturday, approx. 8 p.m.: Amy Goodman's first report filed moments before the plane took off.


http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/03/13/1835255

------------------------------------

It's a short report, but worth noting that the delegation has safely landed in the Central African Republic (no small feat).....GO AMY !

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

1. Time to start a pool

on which country the plane crashes in if she takes him out?

Bloodless? Perhaps.
Cynical? Yes.
Reality? Most definitely.

No apologies.

[diamond14]

2. these brave American Patriots have taken all precautions.....

my own good thoughts are with them....God Speed....this is Democracy in action....


An Irish Blessing....

May the road rise to meet you.
May the winds be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

[diamond14]

3. another update (link)...Bozize wants to meet the delegation....

Updates:

Sunday afternoon: Amy Goodman reports the delegation has landed in the Central African Republic to meet with the Aristides.

Reuters is reporting that a government official in Bangui said it was unlikely the delegation would leave before Monday as Central African Republic President Francois Bozize would want to see them. Monday marks the first anniverary of Bozize's presidency.


http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/03/13/1835255

[eablair3]

4. audio up - Goodman says they are leaving tonight (nt)

[diamond14]

5. it's a great report....she is standing outside Bozize's palace....

GO AMY !!!


it'll be a relief once they get back up in the air....

according to the audio, there is a 'meeting' going on now, inside the palace, where the Aristides are held captive....Rep. Maxine Waters, Randall Robinson, an emmisary of the Jamaican prime minister, and Aristide's lawyer, Ira Kurzban are all inside the palace with Central African Republic President Francois Bozize.....

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/03/13/1835255

[eablair3]

6. website at link - says "Stand-off" now underway

Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman is now in the Central African Republic where she is reporting that there is a stand-off underway over the fate of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and his wife Mildred. Aristide has just come out of a meeting with the president of the CAR, Gen. Francois Bozize. Amy Goodman reports that Aristide was surrounded by "military." President Aristide just told Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman that Aristide "thinks that President Bozize must consult with those who called Bozize before Aristide was taken to the CAR—the US, France and Gabon—to decide whether Bozize should allow Aristide to leave the country."

Rep. Maxine Waters and an emissary of the Jamaican Prime Minister were also in the talks. Amy Goodman was allowed into the meeting for a few moments at the beginning and is now just outside the Presidential Palace. Goodman reports that President Bozize has said he will announce in an hour (approximately 7 pm EST) whether or not Aristide and the delegation that has come to the CAR to escort him back to the Caribbean will be allowed to leave Africa tonight as Aristide wants.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/03/13/1835255

[eablair3]

7. this kind of seals the deal -- he was is being held captive

they showed up to take him and he wants to go, but they are not letting him leave.

case closed.

I'd imagine that Bozize will call his handlers and that they will have to tell Bozize to let Aristide go, or else their story falls apart. Interesting though, that he is not being allowed to leave now.

[bemildred]

8. It certainly will be interesting.

If they won't let him go, they have to admit he's a captive.
If they do let him go, he will be out of their control.
Tsk.
I'm sure that was the whole point of this exercise.

[eablair3]

9. audio link now up of the "stand-off"

at the website- audio under the 6pm report.

The attorney Ira Kurzban is saying or asking "Is Aristide a prisoner or not?" "Is he free to go or not?"

Goodman reports that she spoke with Aristide's head of security for Aristide, Franz Gabriel, ... Gabriel confirmed Aristide's story. Gabriel said he was in the meeting, and that the U.S. representatives told Aristide that he was being taken to a press conference when they instead took him to the airport in Haiti on Feb 29

Bozize said he will decide in the next hour if Aristide can go or not.

Waters is supposedly contacting the State Dept.

[proud patriot]

10. Watching this very closely it's about time for an update

:grr:

[eablair3]

11. it's obvious why they took some media members with them

They took Amy Goodman of Dem Now and Peter Eisner of the Washington Post.

Good thing the media is there to report this and put some pressure on.

[Just Me]

12. I simply cannot get over the absolute audacity of this administration!!!

They have turned the world inside-out and ripped us all apart,...and I can't stop myself from hating them.

[eablair3]

13. Website says CAR says they will be taken to airport and allowed to leave

**BREAKING NEWS**
SENIOR CENTRAL AFRICAN OFFICIAL TELLS DEMOCRACY NOW! ARISTIDE AND US DELEGATION WILL BE TAKEN TO THE AIRPORT AND ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY

[bemildred]

14. "Trust the force Luke."

Let's hope that is it.

[mtnester]

15. Why do I get the most awful feeling...

We will see a headline news opening line that starts out...
"In a freak accident, the airliner carrying exiled Haiti President Aristide.....

[eablair3]

16. updated again - I guess they are leaving

BANGUI, Central African Republic--The Director General of State Protocol of the Central African Republic, Stanislas Moussa-Kembe, has just told Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman, who is inside the Presidential Palace in Bangui, that Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and his wife Mildred will be allowed to leave the Central African Republic immediately. He told Goodman, "You're headed to the airport."

Mildred Aristide told Goodman she is very much looking forward to reuniting with her two small daughters. The president of the CAR, Gen. Francois Bozize, presented the Aristide's with two gifts--one a picture made of thousands of butterfly wings, the other a piece of art made from rare wood from the CAR. Goodman reported that the pilots have been on-board the plane, awaiting word on whether they would be allowed to leave. "That answer has come and it appears to be yes," said Goodman.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/03/13/1835255

[eablair3]

18. several more audio links are up now at the Dem Now site (nt)

Goodman said "it looks like they will be allowed to leave"

Said it's at least a 17 hour flight.

Pilots are sleeping aboard the plane right now waiting to hear the outcome she reported.

[diamond14]

21. the gifts are a nice gesture.....still a dangerous route to go.....

it would be bold to shoot down American Citizens....Amy Goodman, Mildred Aristide, the WP Reporter and the Congresswoman are ALL American Citizens (and maybe more are too)....

to shoot down American Citizens would be BIG CRIME.....

lets hope for the best as they journey back.....

brave American Patriots...too bad shrub doesn't have that kind of backbone.....

[bemildred]

17. I'm cautiously optimistic.

It's a private plane, I expect it was checked.
They would have to shoot it down, and I expect
this was thought out very carefully. I don't expect
any of these people have any illusions about who they
are dealing with.

[proud patriot]

24. Woo Hoo

:D

[eablair3]

19. on their way to airport

Sunday March 14
**BREAKING NEWS**
ARISTIDE EN ROUTE TO AIRPORT IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
DEMOCRACY NOW!'S AMY GOODMAN IS WITH ARISTIDE


BANGUI, Central African Republic--Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman has just confirmed that President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and his wife Mildred are on their way to the airport in the Central African Republic. She just had an exclusive interview with Aristide, the transcript and audio of which will be posted on this site shortly.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/03/13/1835255

[eablair3]

20. I wonder what time it is there?

It's got to be the middle of the night there?

I think it is 2 a.m. there.

[lostnfound]

23. Aristides & Goodman are on the plane now.

Godspeed Goodwoman.

[Rex]

22. Is CAR still holding the Aristides under house arrest?

And if so, why? What marching orders did CAR get from Powell? I hope they allow him to fly out of the country and make it safe & sound to Jamaica.

How can anyone trust the BFEE after 911?

[diamond14]

25. The Aristides have left CAR in the plane with Goodman et al.....

BREAKING NEWS FROM AFRICA....brave American Patriots working to restore Democracy....real Americans in action....

BANGUI, Central African Republic--Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman has confirmed that Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and his wife Mildred have left the Central African Republic. They have begun the 17-hour journey back to the Caribbean, where the Jamaican government has offered to host them temporarily. Goodman is on the plane with the Aristides and the delegation of US and Jamaican officials that is accompanying Aristide on his return.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/03/13/1835255

[eablair3]

26. Aristide's words

Ultimately, after numerous meetings, the group was told they would be allowed to leave the CAR. Moments before they took off, Goodman conducted a brief, exclusive interview with Aristide. "Because they were so gracious in welcoming us here, it is natural that while we are leaving the first thing we say is thank you," Aristide told Goodman.

She then asked Aristide for his thoughts on his impending return to the Caribbean. "In the Caribbean family, we find the African diaspora too," said Aristide. "Now that we are in Africa, moving toward Jamaica, we are moving from one big family to the same family somehow. That’s why we will continue to do our best to promote peace, friendship for all of us as members of the same family, as brothers and sisters."

____________

Don't those words of the former priest who worked for and stood for the poor of Haiti sound like the words of a "thug", as the right-wing constantly demonizes him to be?

[WillyT]

27. Full Report Here:

Link: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/03/15/1829250

Thank You Amy, Maxine, All...

My government is an embarrassment to my country.

:mad: