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Aristide Flees Haiti; Judge Claims Power
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26 minutes ago
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By PAISLEY DODDS and IAN JAMES, Associated Press Writers
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Haiti's beleaguered President Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned and flew into exile Sunday. Gunfire crackled throughout the capital as it fell into chaos, and the United States said international peacekeepers — including Americans — would be deployed soon.
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The head of Haiti's supreme court said he was taking charge.
U.N. diplomats said key Security Council members would begin to talk Sunday about a resolution to authorize an international force for Haiti, which erupted into violence three weeks ago when rebels began driving police from towns and cities in the north.
Though not aligned with rebels, the political opposition had pushed for Aristide to leave for the good of Haiti's 8 million people, angered by poverty, corruption and crime. The uprising — only the most recent violence in this Caribbean nation — killed at least 100 people.
Prime Minister Yvon Neptune told a press conference that Aristide resigned to "prevent bloodshed."
At the same news conference, U.S. Ambassador James Foley insisted the United States had not asked Aristide to resign. France, Haiti's former colonial power, had suggested that Aristide step down.
"President (Jean-Bertrand) Aristide made a decision for the good of the Haitian people," Foley said. "International military forces including U.S. forces will be rapidly arriving in Haiti to begin to restore a sense of security."
There were conflicting reports on where Aristide was headed. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said South Africa was the country most often mentioned. Seretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) conferred on Saturday with South African President Thabo Mbeki about the situation.
Radio reports on the island of Antigua said Aristide's jet had refueled there en route to South Africa, but officials in Johannesburg said there had been no recent contact with Aristide nor an offer of asylum.
Powell also spoke by telephone with the foreign ministers of Argentina, France, Jamaica and Panama. The official declined to discuss details of the conversations.
Other reports said Aristide would go to Morocco, Taiwan or Panama. But officials in Taiwan said there were no plans to shelter the ousted Haitian leader, and Morocco said he was not welcome. Panamanian officials would not address the issue.
Three hours after Aristide's departure, Supreme Court Justice Boniface Alexandre declared at a news conference that he was taking over as called for by the constitution. He urged calm.
"The task will not be an easy one," Alexandre, a former jurist in his 60s with a reputation for honesty. "Haiti is in crisis. ... It needs all its sons and daughters. No one should take justice into their own hands."
Despite Alexandre's declaration that he was in charge, the Haitian constitution calls for parliament to approve him as leader and the legislature has not met since early this year when lawmakers' terms expired.
Port-au-Prince was in chaos Sunday as news emerged of the president's departure.
Angry Aristide supporters roamed the streets armed with old rifles, pistols, machetes and sticks. Some fired wildly into crowds on the Champs de Mars, the main square in front of the National Palace. Looters pillaged supermarkets and pharmacies.
Foley said he was confident leaders of the popular rebellion that helped force Aristide's departure would lay down arms. "I do think we saw a certain willingness on their part to allow an orderly transition," he said.
Half the country is in the hands of the rebels, including former soldiers of the army that Aristide disbanded during a political career tainted by alleged fraud.
On Saturday, the United States urged Aristide supporters to cease looting and robbing in Port-au-Prince and rebel fighters to halt their march toward the capital.
A top rebel leader, Guy Philippe, heeded the U.S. appeal, saying he would hold off attacking the capital for one or two days. Hours before he spoke Saturday, rebel fighters were seen within 25 miles of Port-au-Prince.
Another rebel commander, Winter Etienne, said the fighters — a motley group led by a former army death squad commander, one of Aristide's provincial police chiefs and a former pro-Aristide street gang — would disarm once a new government is installed.
As he spoke, rebels rode through the key northern port city of Cap-Haitien in trucks, waving at hundreds of people who took to the streets to dance and sing in celebration.
Crisis in Haiti under Aristide has been brewing since his party swept flawed legislative elections in 2000 and international donors froze millions of dollars in aid.
Opponents also accused him of breaking promises to help the poor, allowing corruption fueled by drug-trafficking and masterminding attacks on opponents by armed gangs — charges the president denied.
It was the second time the 50-year-old former slum priest fled his country. Aristide was ousted in a 1991 coup, months after he was elected president for the first time. He was restored to power three years later by U.S. troops.
President Bill Clinton (news - web sites) sent 20,000 troops to restore Aristide but insisted he respect a constitutional term limit and step down in 1995.
Aristide hand-picked his successor, Rene Preval, but was considered the power behind the scenes until he won a second term in 2000. Those elections were marred by a low turnout and an opposition boycott.
It was not clear where Aristide's wife was. The ex-president and Mildred Trouillot Aristide had sent their two daughters to her mother in New York City last week.
