CNN Interview already being reported: A victim of coup d'etat: Aristide

[Renew Deal]

From AFP and AP correspondents in Washington
02mar04

FORMER Haitian president Jean Bertrand Aristide has told CNN that his removal from power was a "coup d'etat".

Aristide, interviewed by CNN by telephone from the Central African Republic, said: "I call it again and again a coup d'etat."
This follows his claims to The Associated Press in a telephone interview that he was forced to leave Haiti by US military forces.

Aristide was put in contact with AP by the Reverand Jesse Jackson after a news conference, where the civil rights leader called on the US Congress to investigate Aristide's ouster.

When asked if he left Haiti on his own, Aristide quickly answered: "No. I was forced to leave.

"Agents were telling me that if I don't leave they would start shooting and killing in a matter of time," Aristide said during the brief phone interview that was interrupted at times by static.

When asked who the agents were, he responded: "White American, white military.

"They came at night ... There were too many, I couldn't count them," he said.

Jackson said Congress should investigate whether US, specifically the CIA, had a role in the rebellion that led to Aristide's exile.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,8844795%255E1702,00.html

[fearnobush]

1. Cooper just said Aristide is accusing the US , of

Kidnapping him in a coup de e'tat!!!!

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[htuttle]

3. We have proof that Bush lies

Why believe him?

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[htuttle]

9. 'Wannabe dictator of Haiti'

WHO is to decide that but Haitians? Is it appropriate for our military to kidnap democratically elected leaders?

BTW, Ramesh Powar looks like he'll do well this year, don't you think?
(Juuuust testing a theory...)

[AZCat]

13. LOL! n/t

[pinto]

14. ho ho ho, htuttle... n/t

[CaptainClark23]

16. Ramesh Powar

C'mon now...anyone with ANY knowledge of the subject KNOWS that Dayanand Namdem has far superior skills, with none of the "extra-curricular" issues that that scrub Powar has...

Powar...pfft.

[AZCat]

17. Aaaaahh!

How can you forget about Aqarkar?

ffft!

[sam7]

40. Well, if he says he was kidnapped

I suggest we send him right back. He'd be nothing but stems and pieces in a matter of hours. Talk about ungrateful.

[joeunderdog]

10. Bush sent Marines AFTER the regime change. Tells you something.

He sought stability only after the "resignation". So much for preserving the democratic process (he was never a big fan of that anyway.)

He also blocked a group of 25 US bodyguards from getting to the compound before the "resignation," delaying their flight 2 very conveeeeeeint days.


(sigh) maybe I'm just reading into this...

[radfringe]

30. don't forget - bush* is a "WAR" pResident

doesn't know squat about diplomacy or negotiation -- just knows how to give attack/invade orders

and, oh yeah, how to give taxcuts to his wealthy-fare buddies

[CBHagman]

44. Exactly, joeunderdog.

You can bet your bottom dollar that if rioting and looting were going on in, say, D.C., Bush's ass would be the very first one protected, and he wouldn't hesitate to lay on the troops (of any sort).

Basically, what the administration has done is give tacit approval to the rebels' actions. Remember that it was the rebels' refusal to play ball that set this in motion; Aristide was willing to discuss compromises.

The Bush administration has, in effect, rewarded the rebels. Not veryu responsible or pro-democratic of them.

And remember how the Bush administration could barely contain its glee when Chavez was temporarily tossed out? This administration doesn't work on democratic principles, it works for A) money and B) some goofball Bush ideas about personality (rooted in money and power, more often than not). These are people who would sell the lot of us down the river if they thought it would wring them out a few more bucks/power.

And it's the people of Haiti who are paying for it.

[nolabels]

48. They have been funding them throught the CIA

Another story on this

http://zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=2&ItemID=3337
Haiti and the US Game
by Tom Reeves
ZNet
March 27, 2003
returned from a week in Haiti just as the American president began his rain of destruction on Iraq, in the name of freedoms he diminishes in the "homeland." I'd been to Haiti under Baby Doc, and several times during military rule after the ouster of Jean Bertrand Aristide. From reading "progressive" as well as mainstream press, I suspected Haiti was in worse poverty and repression than ever, under a corrupt and isolated Aristide, quite different from the lowly priest the people overwhelmingly chose in 1991. As a Canadian journalist said when I asked him why he called Haiti's government a tyranny. "Everybody knows that."

What seems to be clear is that the United States government is playing the same game as in Iraq - pushing for "regime change" in Haiti. Their strategy includes a massive disinformation campaign in U.S. media, an embargo on desperately needed foreign aid to Haiti, and direct support for violent elements, including former military officers and Duvalierists, who openly seek the overthrow of President Aristide. What is more surprising is Canada's role. In late January, Canadian Secretary of State for Latin America, Denis Paradis, hosted an Ottawa summit of the Francophonie including France, and representatives of the E.U. and the United States to consider the "Haitian crisis." Significantly, Haiti was not invited. Paradis then leaked bits of information about the conference to L'actualité, in which he said the notion of a Kosovo-style "U.N. trusteeship" were considered. Paradis was also quoted as saying Canadians treated their animals better than the Haitian government treated its citizens, and that there was a need for international intervention to protect the Haitian people from tyranny. This so enraged Haitian public opinion and leaders that the Canadian Ambassador in Haiti denied most of the story, but L'actualité reporter Michel Vastel told me "every word is as Denis Paradis told me." Vastel also said it was clear to him that Canada and the others at the conference believed a regional (Caribbean, OAS) initiative to solve Haiti's crisis had failed. It will probably surprise most Canadians that Canada is running with the U.S. in yet another blatant attempt at "regime change," this time of a democratically elected government.
(snip)

[Say_What]

47. A FORCED resignation by the US *diplomats* n/t

[Skittles]

12. AS OPPOSED TO THE WANNABE DICTATOR OF AMERICA ???

:puke:

[tkmorris]

18. You're pretty funny.

You do know that Aristide is the only leader Haiti has ever had that is NOT a dictator right? Of course you do. You also know that he is the only ELECTED president they have ever had right? Of course you do. Otherwise you wouldn't express an opinion. I think.

:beer:

[jeter]

23. A "wanna be dictator of Haiti"

Who unlike Bush, actually won the popular vote in his country.

[Melinda]

4. Thank goodness for you, comrade!!

Finally, a voice of reason to lead us toward the light!! How's the pay on your end anyway? ~Ack~ Welcome ~cack~ to ~cough cough~ DU. (hairball, sorry) :hi:

[Just Me]

15. *LOL*

I so totally love the sense of humor maintained on this absolutely fabulous board!!!!

:bounce:

I am so totally grateful for both this board and its participants!!!

[DemBones DemBones]

19. LOL! Melinda,

:yourock:

[Bandit]

5. He ended up in south Africa with US troops and you say he lies.

Did you know Bush* is a devout Christian and knows the Beatitudes inside and out? Do you believe that also?

[Art_from_Ark]

32. Ah, yes, the Beatitudes...

There were four of them, right? There was, um, John, and Paul, and George, and, ummmm, that guy who wore all those rings, what was his name?

</Bu$h mode>

[Robb]

37. LOL!!!

:D Dopey, Sleepy, and... Papa Smurf? :thumbsup:

[not systems]

6. Thanks for leading the sheep to the light. n/t

[pinto]

11. MendedFence, my friend, this is about an elect leader of a foreign nation,

who claims to be forced out of office. You may see it as Bush bashing, that's all well and good. It is not. It is about the value of democracy. Please see beyond your particular party interest. Thanks for the post.

[Thucydides]

20. Oh, so the 21 billion US dollars in restitution from France was ....

bad for his people. Yeah, why would they need that much money. Just waste it on silly amenities like, schools, hospitals, etc.

Restitution by France to Haiti
for the Ransom Paid for its Independence

A Radio Solidarity Interview With Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Joseph Philippe Antonio

Port-au-Prince, April 10, 2003 (Translated from Creole)

RS: Good morning Mr. Joseph Philippe Antonio. Welcome to Radio Solidarity.

JPA: Good morning, thank you.

RS: On April 7, 2003, which marked the 200 anniversary of the death of Toussaint Louverture, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide made a statement in his speech where he asked France to pay restitution to Haiti in the amount approximately $21 billion U.S. because France had forced Haiti to pay 90 million gold francs in order to recognize Haiti's independence and for all of the transgressions France perpetrated against Haiti during the colonial period. Today the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dominique de Villepin responded that there is no way this would happen. What is your reaction as Haiti's Minister of Foreign Affairs?


http://www.haitiaction.net/News/Rest3.html

[Art_from_Ark]

33. Ninety million gold francs

would be equal to about 18 million gold dollars at the time (5 francs = 1 dollar), or about $3 million more than the price that France received for the entire Louisiana Purchase!

[tom_paine]

46. How grossly cynical.

How Fair Und Balanced.

:puke: :puke: :puke:

[Chicago Democrat]

7. The TRUTH shall set us free!!!

I So Believe in Truth!

Truth always...

[nolabels]

21. Louis Jodel Chamblain + CIA

http://www.world-crisis.com/more/416_0_1_0_M/
Double Game in Haiti

Tom Reeves

Not quite a year ago, after returning from Haiti, I wrote that “the United States government is playing the same game as in Iraq - pushing for “regime change” in Haiti. Their strategy includes a massive disinformation campaign in USA media, an embargo on desperately needed foreign aid to Haiti, and direct support for violent elements, including former military officers and Duvalierists, who openly seek the overthrow of President Aristide.” Events in Haiti today show how bloody the USA game has become.

Haiti’s bloody history of colonial rule, rebellion, sham independence, and corporate exploitation, has again been plunged into turmoil.

Even as Colin Powell insists the USA does not seek “regime change,” the attempt to oust the legitimate elected government of Jean Bertrand Aristide grows more violent by the day. During the past week, at least 50 people have been slaughtered, and probably far more, in Gonaives, Haiti’s fourth-largest city - most by those whom Powell and pro-USA media call “rebels.” The dead include three patients waiting for treatment in a hospital. Many of the 14 police killed had their bodies dragged naked through the street, ears cut off and other body parts mutilated.

Gonaives and several small towns remain in the hands of a brutal gang of thugs, with direct ties to the USA-recognized and Republican-financed “opposition” - the Convergence and the Group of 184, whose spokesmen are sweat shop owners and former military officers. This “opposition” seeks to distance itself from the violence, yet continue to insist that the “uprising” is justified. The USA Department of Homeland Security admitted it’s concern by announcing preparations for up to 50,000 fleeing Haitians in Guantanamo - indicating the USA is expecting to see carnage in Haiti on a grand scale.

Most recently, as the “rebels” blocked the road from the Dominican Republic and re-took two villages in the north, reinforcements arrived from across the border. According to Ian James of the AP, Feb. 14, twenty armed Haitian commandos, shot their way through the Dominican border, killing two Dominican soldiers. With them were former Cap Haitian police chief and army officer, Guy Philippe, and the head of the Duvalier death squad in the 1980s, Louis Jodel Chamblain. Chamblain was also a leader of the FRAPH, a group of paramilitary “attaches” during the coup years.
(snip)

Supporting people that cut off ears, shoot down innocent civilians and drag dead bodies through the street, what do they call that?

[CabalBuster]

22. knowing the pattern of lies of the US, then it is probably true

it would be the 1000th time that the US government intervenes and forces a solution to another country's internal problems.

[info being]

45. Of course it is. Why would he leave on his own will one day...

and say he was kidnapped the next?

[MasonJar]

24. I believe Aristide. This is exactly the same preemptive garbage

as Iraq. Aristide was not letting the US corporations make money there so he had to go. They are at it again in Venezuela. These people are so bad.

[nolabels]

25. The thing is they had to make stuff up to steal the place

You can see by carefully disecting this story of the outline of the operations that they want to deny so vigorosly. It's like the whole conversation happened on telephone on a party line. So much bull

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1078097705965

How Aristide fell so far and so fast
`Pick destination' president was told
But South Africa denies him haven

CHRISTOPHER MARQUIS
NEW YORK TIMES
(snip)
"It was as if he was the last guy in the world to figure out that the country would be better off were he to relinquish power," the official said.

Foley said he would call back with an answer, and he notified U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and other superiors of the progress. The ambassador later called back and spoke to Aristide, who was soft-spoken and polite as usual. The American reply was: "Pick your destination; it's up to you."

Aristide asked for time to confer with his wife, Mildred Trouillot, a Haitian American. After an hour, Aristide called Foley back. Shortly after midnight, Powell got the call: "He's ready to move tonight."

The news made its way to Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. national security adviser, who woke Bush sometime after 1:30 a.m. yesterday morning, and told him that Aristide would resign, according to a senior administration official; Bush then called U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and gave him authorization to send in the marines.
(snip)

It was so fast they even had the story made up before it happened

[leesa]

26. When will CNN report on the coup the US had in 2000?? Don't we rate?

[daleo]

27. Here is the score

Afghanistan - arguable, but at least they may have been harboring a serious threat to the U.S.
Iraq - illegal, but a tenuous case could be made that a dictator was overthrown.
Haiti - illegal, and a democratically elected leader ousted, from a country that posed absolutely no threat to the U.S.

Each one gets more blatant.
Who's next?
November is coming.

[notbush]

28. Were the elections

in 1994....on accepted as clean by the world community?

[Kool Kitty]

29. Was our election in 2000

accepted as "clean" by the rest of the world?

[Zhade]

31. Nope. They KNOW that George W. Traitor is illegally in power.

Too bad so many American citizens are so ignorant!

[Judi Lynn]

34. In 1994 Aristide was returned to office by ELECTED President Bill Clinton

There is NO question about the validity of his own election, whatsoever. NONE.

Please provide some of your references to his "dirty" election, if you would be so kind.

[Bandit]

41. Do you even know who was elected in 1994?

Ever heard of a man named Rene' Preval? :shrug:

[salin]

35. oh, in there you must include

our orchestrating rule in the failed coup in Venezuela - of course that one lasted less than 48 hours...

[Papa]

39. You forgot Venezuela

We tried a coup there and failed.

[roscoeroscoe]

43. don't forget they tried to overthrow chavez in venezuela

very blatant

[bushisanidiot]

36. Pres. Shitferbrains Doesn't Do Anything That isn't politically advantageou

s.. Look for AWOL to attempt to be the hero here in some way.. although I have to admit I'm baffled as to how he's going to do that by kidnapping a (black) democratically elected leader and supporting a coup to take over his government.

[PATRICK]

38. Memory hole swallowing truth faster

than it can be reported. No mention made of course of the EYEWITNESS groundskeeper who first told journalists(not our major league three monkeys) of the abduction. Powell flatly and categorically lies- again. It's his his job. South Africa confirms that sanctuary had not been granted because it was against their polity to deal only with a third party(Powell, presumably). This makes credible the earlier public claims by the Aristide government that the US had backed and armed the "revolt".

My guess: It is a prelude to encourage the disheartened weak sister Venezuela thugs to release the oil to help Bushco gas up the economy. They tried it first before the Iraq invasion, fearful perhaps that something might happen to destroy the oil and the market. As it turned out, the oil money was not forthcoming to provide the US with an election year boost- as our sluggish market sputters on. With prices rising and a tough election, they want obviously to take a run at Venezuela again by making the "encouragement" of the "opposition" there credible and show the guarantee of US support.

And that the US can pull off the kidnapping right this time.

These are very desperate and arrogant acts and they are not trivial revenge to satisfy a few wingnuts here. They want something very badly and the biggest prize is Venezuelan oil. Cuba they would settle for giving the exiles here the illusion we might do something there boldly too.

Another war crime by our junta by the way.

[nolabels]

42. The lawyer for Aristide was just on the air said quite a few crimes...

going on here. kidnapping an U.S. citizen in the person of the first Lady of the Republic of Haiti, The Honorable Mildred Aristide is just the first. He being held in incommunicado with his phone service cut off in the Central Republic of Africa, a country run by a dictator installed by the French. He spoke with Margaret Prescott on Radio station KPFK this morning. This is not going away

http://www.kpfk.org/

And another story here

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/03/02/1616214

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Psy-Ops Exposed, South Africa Rejects Washington's Claim Aristide Was Denied Asylum

(snip)
In a Democracy Now! exclusive, South African ambassador to the United Nations, Dumisani Kumalo, says President Aristide did not request asylum or exile in South Africa, nor did the South African government deny him asylum or exile as alleged by the US State Department and The New York Times. The US government/corporate media psychological operations campaign against Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide has been in full swing for weeks. Aristide has been portrayed as "fleeing Haiti" "abandoning his country" and "resigning" his post. Over the past 24 hours, a very different picture has emerged. As we have reported extensively on Democracy Now!, it is becoming very clear that Aristide was forced out of Haiti in what can only be called another U.S. coup; that he was threatened by US officials and that he was taken to Africa against his will.

Over the weekend, as Aristide's whereabouts were still unknown, the psy-ops campaign intensified. The New York Times and other corporate media outlets quoted unnamed "senior State Department officials" as saying that Aristide was denied exile in South Africa. In a front page article yesterday, the Times said President Thabo Mbeki did not want to provoke a political controversy in South Africa.

Democracy Now! has learned from the South African ambassador to the United Nations, Dumisani Kumalo, that President Aristide did not request asylum or exile in South Africa, nor did the South African government deny him amnesty or exile as alleged by the US State Department and The New York Times
(snip)