Aristide Back in Caribbean Heat, Haitian Details 'Coup' by U.S.

[frank frankly]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A61549-2004Mar15?language=printer

<snip>

The mission to return Aristide to the region was organized by Rep. Maxine Waters (D- Calif.), Randall Robinson, former president of TransAfrica Forum, a Washington lobbying and research group, and Aristide's Miami attorney, Ira Kurzban. He was greeted at the Kingston airport by Jamaica's prime minister, P. J. Patterson.

<snip>

During the interview, Aristide gave a detailed account of what he alleged was "a coup and a modern day kidnapping" carried out by the United States. U.S. officials have disputed his account, made previously in telephone interviews and through intermediaries. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell has characterized his claims as "absurd." The deputy chief of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Luis Moreno, said in an interview earlier this month that Aristide willingly accepted the terms of departure and signed a letter of resignation.

Aristide's version of the events differed markedly from that of U.S. officials.

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

Thank you Maxine Waters!!!

:hi:

[frank frankly]

1. this is a big, big article

it is a detailed account of the kidnapping...

[Chicago Democrat]

2. Vive Aristide!!

He should definately assemble an army and re-invade his country! By January 2005 John Kerry will be in office and we can kick out these Bush appointed killers who stole democracy fromthe 90% of Haitians who love and support Aristide!!!

Vive Aristide!

Down with FRAPH!

[dax]

10. That is REDICULOUS-he doesn't need an army he IS the President!

Any countries respecting the agreements they have already made will review the thorough investigation, recognize that under domestic and international contract law, a resignation or any contract signed under duress is invalid. the US can go around and collect all the weapons they distributed to the rebels and arrest the ones who participated in the killings and those who were already convicted before and no longer need to be extradicted since they are now in the country. A detailed accounting of who funded the terrorists must be made and all the financial backers should be charged and tried and jailed if convicted under current Haitian and or international law-including Bush and Noriega if there is evidence they participated!!!! The world could then breathe a sigh of relief as the largest and most dangerous mob family to ever inflict misery on the world will begin to be dismantled.

[frank frankly]

3. kick

:kick:

[ConcernedCanuk]

4. I for one tend to wonder "Why would Aristide make this up" ? ?

.
.
.

I tend to believe Aristide myself,

I can see no motive for him to "stage" his own abduction, only to return . .

however, I can see plenty of motives for the BFEE, and the US is not exactly squeaky-clean keeping their noses out of other Countries internal affairs . .

From the Article:

"Aristide said Foley agreed that he should go with an American escort to a location where he could appear on television to appeal for calm.

"I wanted to talk to the press, as I did the night before for more than one hour and a half talking to the people through the national TV," Aristide said. "This was my responsibility. And I could do it again and again each time as was necessary."

But he said that by the time Moreno arrived at his residence on the morning on Feb. 29, U.S. troops were surrounding it. Aristide said he felt threatened by the Americans, who told him that "thousands of people including me would be killed."

/snip/

"Aristide said he left in a car with the Americans, who said they could provide security. "But instead of moving from where we were at my house" to meet with news media, Aristide said, "we went straight to the plane," which he described as an unmarked white aircraft with an American flag.

Aristide said he was obliged to board the plane, and was followed by a number of U.S. troops in full combat gear, who changed into civilian clothes and baseball caps once they were aboard the plane. Also on board with him and his wife were 19 members of a private security company contracted by the United States to protect Aristide.

Aristide's account was supported by two witnesses present on the evening of Feb. 28 and the morning of Feb. 29. One was Franz Gabriel, a pilot and aide to Aristide; the other was an American security guard

.........................................................

Geee -

just take a look at the big picture

The USA has guns, bombs, military, ships and subs all over the world,

AND THE WORLD IS A MESS

what should this tell us ? :shrug:

oh well

(sigh)

[bemildred]

5. Two witnesses corroborate the account.

What else do you need to know?

Edit: not ragging on you, my friend.

[frank frankly]

6. kick

:kick:

[lostnfound]

12. Actually, three -- there was also the caretaker in the Australian press

who witnessed Aristide being taken at US gunpoint.

[daleo]

7. A surprisingly objective article, I thought

I wonder if Aristide has the legal standing within the U.S. court system to bring kidnapping charges against the people who took him away, with conspiracy charges all the way to Powell, Bush, Rummy and the gang. It would make a nice counterpart to Saddam's trial - anyway it is amusing to dream.

[frank frankly]

8. I thought it was a good article, too, daleo!

very surprising to read from our (currently) terrible media

perhaps this may lead to trouble for BushCo???

fingers crossed

[tkmorris]

9. Good to see the Wash Post coverage

That will be the key to how this plays out I think. People need to be watching this on CNN, talking about it around water coolers etc to keep them even remotely honest. If no one is looking the Bush cabal can and will do anything to install their puppet in Haiti. This is an election year and there are limits, though far out on the horizon, to what the Bush team will do. Keep hammering the mails and phone calls out to your Congresspeople.

[Judi Lynn]

11. Really appreciated reading that article.

I continue to hope for Aristide's good health.

He's really courageous, to put it mildly. His love of his country's poor people has caused him to move beyond simple self-preservation.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. The ring of truth...

Aristide said he was obliged to board the plane, and was followed by a number of U.S. troops in full combat gear, who changed into civilian clothes and baseball caps once they were aboard the plane.



Cut to the CAR..."Look honey, there's Aristide in the middle of that casually dressed group of young American men. I don't see any military. It must not have been a coup."

[frank frankly]

14. a kick for Maxine Waters

:kick:

[seemslikeadream]

15. Overthrow of President Aristide Leaves Haiti in Chaos

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2004 Contact: Ron Dungee
[phone]


Overthrow of President Aristide Leaves Haiti in Chaos


By Rep. MAXINE WATERS

"I didn't leave Haiti because I wanted to leave Haiti. They forced me to leave ... It was a kidnapping, which they call coup d'état. It wasn't a resignation. It was a kidnapping and under the cover of coup d'état."

-President Jean Bertrand Aristide
March 8, 2004
Deposed President Jean-Bertrand Aristide of Haiti spoke during a press conference on Monday. He told the world that he was being guarded by soldiers from the Central African Republic (CAR); that he had been confined to one room with his wife, Mildred; and that he was not free to move around. He said that, after being allowed to hold Monday's press conference, he was told by the government of CAR that they did not like the attention of the media, and he has been asked to refrain from making public statements.

Prior to the press conference, about 100 journalists gathered in that African nation's capital city, Bangui, insisting they be allowed to talk to Aristide, but their demand was denied. CAR authorities allowed President Aristide to hold the press conference only after a delegation of visiting U.S. peace activists revealed that the Haitian president was being held under lock and key like a prisoner.

During the press conference, President Aristide maintained that he is still the legitimate president of Haiti; that his government was being replaced by a U.S.-sponsored government of occupation; and that only his return to Haiti will bring peace. He accused France of colluding with the United States to remove him from office, saying the two countries organized a "political kidnapping."

The United States government, after delivering President Aristide to CAR, has not since communicated with President Aristide. The Bush Administration has not attempted to engage him in a discussion about his future or the future of Haiti. The Bush Administration was involved with replacing him in Haiti and supported the swearing in of a new president, Boniface Alexandre, in violation of Haiti's Constitution. They are putting in place people who they believe will be responsive to the United States government and the elite class in Haiti.

Why did the Bush Administration refuse to commit the U.S. military to stabilize the violent uprising by the heavily-armed thugs, many of whom are former members of the Duvalier-era military or members of the feared death squad known as the Front for the Advancement and Progress of Haiti (FRAPH)? FRAPH members were responsible for a multitude of human rights violations during the three years following the coup d'état in 1991.

Why did the Bush Administration's reluctance to commit U.S. forces disappear as soon as President Aristide was escorted out of his country? Were the Haitian people unworthy of protection from murderous criminals who invaded Haiti, killed Haitian police officers and occupied the cities of Gonaives and Cap-Haitien prior to President Aristide's departure?

These are some of the questions I and members of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House International Relations Committee put to Ambassador Roger Noriega, the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs. Noriega is the former chief of staff for Senator Jesse Helms and one of the principal architects of the Bush Administration's flawed Haiti policy. In his testimony, Noriega tried to avoid the issues, but under intense pressure confirmed the obvious: The condition that had to be met before the Administration deployed U.S. armed forces to stabilize Haiti was the departure of President Aristide.

As we all know, prior to President Aristide's departure, the only concern of President Bush was to make sure that all Haitian refugees were turned back at sea before they could reach the United States.

I demand to know if the U.S. government armed and trained the former Duvalier military officers and death squad leaders who carried out the coup in Haiti. I want this Administration to explain why U.S. officials directed President Aristide, who had agreed to a peace plan worked out by the international community, to resign and leave his country.

Whatever their reasons, this Administration's inaction to preserve a democratically-elected government in Haiti has left that country in a state of chaos and anarchy, much as their violent action to impose democracy in Iraq has left that country in an anarchic state. It is the inevitable consequence of this Administration's shoot-first, ask-questions-later foreign policy that fails to make any plans to deal with the bloody aftermath of its actions.

There has been a tremendous outpouring of support for President Aristide from the people of Haiti and Lavalas, the political party he represents, but the international press has not given adequate coverage to that side of the story. Instead, they cover the opposition that worked with the criminals and the United States to pull off the coup d'état.

President Aristide is consulting his attorney, Ira Kurzban, and other international lawyers to determine what his options are. Leaders from Haiti, South Africa and the Caribbean countries are discussing ways to support President Aristide. Kurzban says President Aristide is considering bringing criminal charges against the United States.

Members of Congress are calling for an investigation and more public hearings about the role of the United States government in the illegal overthrow of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The people of the United States, whose sons and daughters in the armed forces are being sent into Haiti to stabilize the situation, deserve to know the truth.

http://www.house.gov/waters/pr040310b.htm

[tlcandie]

16. Democracy NOW! ...

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/03/15/1615213

<snip>
California Congressmember Maxine Waters (D-CA), who led the delegation that escorted Aristide back to the Caribbean, told Democracy Now!: "I am sure this is another effort directed at trying to make this government legitimate. The fact of the matter is President Aristide was democratically-elected by the people and this new government certainly . The president was not, so I just think it's just a meaningless gesture."
<snip>

[eablair3]

17. an American security guard supports Aristide's accout of coup

from the WPost article:

...

Aristide's account was supported by two witnesses present on the evening of Feb. 28 and the morning of Feb. 29. One was Franz Gabriel, a pilot and aide to Aristide; the other was an American security guard.

"I was at the house at 5 a.m. when Moreno came in to tell the president they were going to organize a press conference and be ready to accompany them," said Gabriel, who accompanied Aristide and his wife to Africa and to Jamaica. "We boarded to go to the embassy and we ended up at the airport. That's what Mr. Moreno wanted him to do."

The American security guard, speaking on condition he not be identified, described the U.S. security warning as a subterfuge to lure Aristide away. "That was just bogus. It's a story they fabricated," he said.

snip

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61549-2004Mar15_2.html
___________

I thought this was probably the most interesting thing about this story. Dem Now had reported about Gabriel before, but I hadn't seen where one of the American security guards was backing up Aristide.

There are too many people and too many facts involved here for the "story" of BushCo not to unravel. A little digging and talking to witnesses and participants and looking at some docs should really be enlightening. It's just whether anyone has the power to do that. If not, BushCO is definitely above the law. If they have nothing to hide, then BushCO shouldn't have a problem with an investigation. They are dirty on this, and they don't want an investigation.

[goclark]

18. Maxine..You Go Girl!

This wonderful and strong lady knows how to express herself like no one else! She is not the person that you mess with because her communication skills are TOPS!:toast:

She is a skilled politician and brave to stand up to this gang of thugs.

Once again, our old buddie Bowel protects Bush like no other person in the administration.

What in the world do they have on him? He is totally out of control lately.

[peacetalksforall]

19. Everytime you doubt the Aristede story, ask yourself

if the U.S. hadn't had this planned for a long time given the U.S. government and bank people who moved into Haiti in the weeks before the 'occurence', the training and payoff of the nuts who led the insurrection, the guns they used, the cooperation of the Dominican Republic for a staging ground, plus so-called insurgents who spoke Spanish, the concocted stories of impending massacres because of the concocted stories that the 'people' wanted him out, the growing claims of Aristede's corruption, the locking of aid, the closing of the medical school that he started. Take a look at who it is in our government who are leading this propaganda - Foley, Noriega, and a bunch of right wing Cubans under Otto Reich, plus everyone who wants to use the island - including the Navy who needs a new Vieques.

It is becoming more obvious that the only ones who wanted him out were people who were paid or misunderstood the English questions they were asked.

The United States removed an elected President. They cannot prove otherwise. Just ask them how long they've been in Haiti this time? It was a long time before the night of the overthrow by the U.S.

[AP]

20. One of the many things about this that gets me angry: NPR's voodoo series

the week before the coup.

A five day series on how backwards blacks in the Carribean and Africa are and about how they believe in voodoo. A story like that really has no place on NPR in times like this, much less a FIVE DAY series on vodoo!!!

It was so obviously coordinated to soften people up to the idea that these countries need some firm guidance.

[frank frankly]

22. that is unbelievable

stunning, AP.

how sickening and how evil.

justice will come someday...

[Character Assassin]

24. Riiiiiiiiight.....

It was so obviously coordinated to soften people up to the idea that these countries need some firm guidance.

Because, of course, NPR is in Rove's back pocket.

Unbelievable.

[TankLV]

25. Glad you're finally seeing the light.

And that bunkerboy and his gang of thugs will resort to ANYTHING to spread their lies.

In this case we agree. NPR WAS in Rove's (bunkerboy's) back pocket.

Way to go Maxine!

[AP]

27. I've criticized NPR's coverage of politics hundreds of times at DU,

and I've never seen you or anyone else credibly defend them. I've seen a lot of denial, just like this. But, not much by way of sophisticated rebuttal, just like in this reply.

[AP]

28. Furthermore, the NPR omnibus ADMITTED NPR's coverage of Haiti was crap

and tried to defend NPR by saying that Tavis Smiley had good coverage. Interestingly, Tavis is neither a news program, nor is it carried by very many NPR affiliates.

Nice of NPR not only to ghettoize their best, most honest show, but to ghettoize the truth.

At least they're starting to admit they do this.

[frank frankly]

30. AP, you are absolutely correct about this!

NPR loosens them up first and then there was a week of headlines accompanying pictures of riots in Haiti...

thank you, AP, for your clear vision on this. thank you.

[Just Me]

21. The most inspiring message towards hope for democracy,...

,...I have read in a long time. I am relishing this article.

[frank frankly]

23. its not just you, Just Me

this was a big article...

[frank frankly]

26. kick

:kick:

[Mika]

29. What does Jimmy Carter and Barney Frank think about this?

;-)