Speaking on Pacifica Radio's "Democracy Now" Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D,CA) and Randall Robinson, Director of Transafrica, both reported conversations with deposed Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide, in which Aristide denied he had resigned and said he had been forcibly removed from the Country. According to Robinson, Aristide was able to make the phone calls only after having a cell phone smuggled to him.
The report appears to clear up the mystery of why Aristide ended up in the tiny Central African Republic. Though Aristide said he wanted to go to South Africa, the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/01/international/americas/01DIPL.html
is reporting that South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, a close friend of Aristide's, did not want to grant entry for fear of controversy according to an unnamed State Department official. This highly unlikely scenario has been contradicted South Africa's Deputy foreign Minister who has told the Associated Press that South Africa has not received any request from Aristide for asylum.
The Central African Republic, which reportedly has close ties with the Bush administration, seems an unlikely place for Aristide to go. According to AP
"It was not clear why Central African Republic was the choice for at least a first stop in exile. A former French colony, Central African Republic stands today as one of Africa's most turbulent countries, weathering nine coups and coup attempts since independence in 1960.
Current military ruler Francois Bozize took power in a March 2002 coup _ himself ousting an elected but increasingly unpopular leader. Bozize has been courting international support as he tries to restore aid and stability to his country."
This is not a country the American citizens are encouraged to visit.
http://travel.state.gov/central_african_republic.html
"The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to the Central African Republic. Americans in the Central African Republic are urged to exercise caution and maintain security awareness at all times. On March 15, 2003, rebel forces operating in the countryside outside Bangui took over the capital and seized power from the government. Although the situation in Bangui is calm, the security situation in the countryside remains unstable."
The scenario for the coup was eerily reminiscent of the failed coup attempt in Venezuela. Venezuelan Hugo Chavez also was reported to have submitted a resignation letter, a "constitutional" succession process was proclaimed and the Organization of American States quickly announced recognition of the new government. Chavez, who had been held incommunicado on a military base was freed by supporters after two days and exposes the fake resignation while reclaiming control of the government.
The succession in Haiti, already recognized by the OAS, is being described as constitutional, even though the Haitian Constitution requires parliamentary ratification of a presidential succession. The illegal succession is obviously window dressing. Reuter makes clear that it is the U.S. that is calling the shots.
http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/79744|top|03-01-2004::10:07|reuters.html
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States scrambled on Monday to create a "council of elders" to run Haiti, organize early elections and disarm rebels after Washington pressured President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to quit in the face of a deadly revolt, a U.S. official said.
"There's going to be a tripartite commission, made up of the opposition, the government and the international community, who will form a sort of 'council of elders,"' said a State Department official, who asked not to be named.
This State Department spokesman is one of a line of US officials claiming the authority to speak on behalf of Haiti as NPR's Martin Kaste reported yesterday from the Haitian capital
http://www.npr.org/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=2&prgDate=29-Feb-2004
"It's hard to shake the impression that the U.S. has taken charge of this government as Boniface Alexander waited in the Prime Minister's official residence for a judge to swear him in as the new President, he was under the watch of heavily armed security agents form the US State Department. And it was (U.S.) Ambassador Foley not the Prime Minister who was laying out the game plan for a transitional government."