- WASHINGTON (UPI) -- Haitian
activists Friday accused the Bush administration of covertly supporting
opposition forces to oust President Aristide from power.
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- "The Bush administration is again engaged in regime
change by armed aggression," former U.S. attorney general Ramsey Clark
said. "This time, the armed aggression is against the administration
of the democratically elected president of Haiti."
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- Activists at a Friday press briefing outlined what they
believe to be a well-crafted plan by the Bush administration to overthrow
Aristide. Former Haitian military members, drug dealers and militants were
armed and trained in the Dominican Republic thanks to military support
from the United States. They have now crossed the border into Haiti, activists
said.
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- The rebel insurrection that erupted three weeks ago has
left roughly 80 people dead, nearly half of whom were police officers.
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- U.S.-supported coups in Latin America and Africa during
the Cold War were referenced by many as models for what they perceive to
be the Bush administration's current strategy in Haiti.
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- "Policy is being engineered, just like when the
U.S. wanted to overthrow the Sandinista government," said Ben Dupuy,
secretary-general of the National Popular Party of Haiti. Covert CIA operations
in Guatemala, the Dominican Republic and the Congo were also mentioned
by activists, who repeatedly called for the United States to cease any
involvement in the Caribbean nation.
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- The crisis in Haiti has been looming since flawed legislative
elections were held in 2000 during which Aristide's party claimed victory
with an overwhelming majority of votes. In response, international donors
froze millions of dollars in aid, cutting off a vital lifeline for one
of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.
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- In addition, Aristide, who became Haiti's first freely
elected leader in 1990, has been accused of not doing enough to alleviate
poverty, condoning corruption, and using violence to quell political opposition.
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- Activists blamed the American government for the failure
of Aristide's social programs.
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- "The U.S. brought this about by keeping an embargo
on the country since 1994. How could Aristide have succeeded?" former
attorney general Clark asked. "His goal has always been to move the
people of Haiti from a state of poverty to a state of dignity."
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- Participants pointed to differing ideologies on democracy
as the motivating force behind the Bush administration's alleged support
of opposition forces.
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- "The U.S. talks about democracy, but it's their
democracy, not the people's democracy," Dupuy said.
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- Using Venezuela as an example, Dupuy and Clark accused
the administration of not supporting governments that replace any group
of ruling elites. "Any government that has the support of the majority
of its people will have a problem with the United States," Dupuy said.
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- Regarding evidence linking the U.S. government with opposition
forces, Kim Ives, an activist and journalist working in Haiti, said that
he had proof of collaboration between Special Forces in Haiti and the Dominican
military. He said the Pentagon has sent military aid to the Dominican Republic,
including 20,000 M-16 rifles.
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- "It's not unlikely that some of those M-16s are
some of the hardware we see in the hands of the rebels today," Ives
said.
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- "It is clear that the rebel forces crossed the Dominican
border heavily armed with equipment that even the former Haitian military
did not have, which could not have been done without the knowledge of the
Dominican army," another participant said. "We also know that
the Dominican government would not have allowed this to happen unless it
had clearance from the United States government."
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- As Aristide supporters presented their case for covert
U.S. support of insurgent groups, the Haitian president's fate was being
discussed in Paris at a meeting between Dominique de Villepin, the French
foreign minister, and a representative of the Haitian government.
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- France is pressuring Aristide to step down and cede to
a transitional government.
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- Strengthening the French government's position and further
distancing the White House from the Haitian leader, Secretary of State
Colin Powell said Thursday that Aristide should make a "careful examination"
of whether he should step down.
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- So far, the Bush administration remains committed to
a political solution, and would be supportive of an international security
force going into Haiti only after a political agreement has been reached,
White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said Friday.
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- Participants at the National Press Club briefing had
harsh words for both the French and U.S. governments regarding the resignation
of the embattled leader. "We call on the Bush administration and the
French government to cease their efforts to overthrow a democratically
elected government and to allow democracy and freedom to continue,"
said Ray Laforest, director of Haitian Constituency U.S.A.
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- Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, who said he was a personal friend
of Aristide, spoke on behalf of the Haitian government adding, "I
protest the actions of the United States government -- especially Secretary
Powell."
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- Some Aristide loyalists do, however, see a role for the
United States in the days to come. "People must compel the organizations
that are relevant to immediately demand that the rebels stop and be held
accountable, and that they stay out of Port-au-Prince. The United States
government must say that out loud," Clark said.
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- Roger Ervin, a consultant to the Haitian government,
pointed to three actions the U.S. should take to address the crisis in
the Caribbean nation: join those in the international community who want
to send a security presence to restore order before a peace agreement,
publicly choose a side, and send humanitarian assistance.
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- "A wink and a nod from the U.S. is not going to
get us anywhere," Ervin said.
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