TransAfrica calls for investigation and return of Aristide

TransAfrica Forum
News
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TransAfrica Forum Urges Congressional Investigation into Aristide’s Ouster
amid Claims that the U.S. Forced the Haitian President to Leave

TransAfrica Forum President Bill Fletcher Jr. expressed grave concern that
Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide reportedly was forced to leave the
country by the U.S. administration. He is calling for a Congressional
investigation into the circumstances that led to Aristide’s abrupt departure from
Haiti.
TransAfrica Forum is one of the nation’s foremost policy and advocacy
organizations focusing on Africa and the Caribbean; the organization issued the
following statement today:

President Aristide’s departure from Haiti is a tragic statement on the
ability of sovereign nations to rule under constitutional democracy. Whether
the U.S. administration has forcibly removed Haiti’s president is not clear, but
the combination of a de facto U.S. blockade lasting several years and other
recent developments set in motion the crumbling of Haiti’s constitutional
democracy. These factors include U.S. backing of sections of the civilian and
armed opposition. While President Aristide’s own serious errors may have
contributed to the problem, the Bush administration’s doctrine to follow its lead or
be removed seems to be at the core of the current crisis.

TransAfrica Forum remains opposed to the unconstitutional removal of
President Aristide from office. The Bush administration outlined in its September
2002 National Security Strategy Doctrine, that it maintains its right to
remove opponents anywhere. Through its on-going assistance to elements of the
opposition, and its refusal to crackdown on right-wing Haitian terrorists in the
U.S. and cutoff sources of training and weaponry for the armed opposition, the
administration has undermined democratic rule in Haiti.

Despite President Aristide’s significant concessions to the International
Monetary Fund, World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, the White
House seemed unrelenting. The role played by Secretary of State Colin Powell is
particularly troubling. Secretary Powell could have pressured Haiti’s civilian
opposition to ensure a political compromise. Instead, he leaned on President
Aristide who had already demonstrated willingness to compromise.

Secretary Powell also failed to convey to the military opposition that a coup
would be rejected by the U.S., and met with diplomatic, political and
economic isolation. Instead, the opposition was given no incentive to compromise.

While President Aristide was reinstated by the United States in 1994
without the supports to ensure democracy would flourish, he made significant
errors that undermined his own efforts at transforming Haiti. A full accounting of
the situation in Haiti must address why President Aristide lost important
sections of his own base and why key political allies turned against him.
Something broke down in the organized relationship between President Aristide and
his supporters. While he clearly retains impressive support in Haiti, Aristide’
s own political actions, human rights abuses, and alignment with gangs all
undermined his efforts to build Haitian democracy.

Democracy can only flourish when regular people wrestle control over their
lives and work to reshape their own conditions and futures.

Finally, this situation reminds people of conscience in the U.S. that
their actions or inactions directly impact U.S. policy. The failure of a greater
outcry and demand for support for Haitian democracy and self-determination
provided the conditions under which U.S. malevolent intentions and activities
could be realized.

In light of the current circumstances, TransAfrica Forum urges:

• President Aristide should be restored to power and be permitted to
fulfill the remainder of his term in office.
• The ouster of President Aristide, a de facto coup, should not be
condoned.
• An immediate Congressional investigation should commence to determine
the role that the U.S. played, directly and/or indirectly, in supporting the
civilian and military opposition movement.
• A multilateral force, not controlled by the U.S., should be deployed to
stabilize the situation and immediately disarm the military opposition.
• The Bush administration should commit to an emergency economic
development package to rebuild the Haitian infrastructure.
• Free and fair democratic elections should be permitted without the
interference of the U.S. or its allies.
• One standard of treatment for all refugees should be in place. Haitian
refugees should receive admission to the U.S. and be supported during this
period of crisis.
• Rescind President Bush's unprecedented directive to the U.S. Marines to
thwart all efforts of Haitian asylum seekers to reach our shores.