Caricom demands inquiry into Aristide’s flight

Caricom leaders are not satisfied that former Haitian President Jean Aristide left Haiti of his own free will, and is calling for an independent body to do an investigation on the circumstances leading to the former Haitian President demitting office, Prime Minister Patrick Manning said last night. Manning had just returned from Kingston, Jamaica, following an emergency Caricom summit which had as a prime objective finding out the facts, but Manning said Caricom was not yet able to determine whether Aristide’s demission was engineered, or not. However, he said  Caricom was firm that it would not participate in meetings in which the rebel forces were involved.

The leaders plan to meet in the next fortnight to determine the status of Haiti in Caricom. Manning said Caricom would not participate in the multi-national interim force on the island. He said: “We are satisfied that there is no shortage of countries, or troops to go to Haiti”. He also pointed out  that because it was a voluntary force, the question of cost arose, and that each country would have to foot its own bill. Manning said Caricom felt that the resources of its member States would be better utilised in an economic recovery plan. He said a Task Force has been set up to determine the best way to use the resources for the reconstruction of the troubled member State. Caricom which took note of the lawlessness in Haiti is calling on the international forces to disband the rebel troops. According to Manning, Caricom is also insistent that the rebel leaders not be included in any future government.

The TT Prime Minister stated that the UN resolution which was passed on Sunday called for a UN stabilisation force in three months time, and Caricom felt that they could and should participate in this stabilisation force. Manning stated that Caricom also believed that a long-term commitment to Haiti by all parties, including the international financial institutions was important. He reported last night that Aristide spoke via a conference phone to the leaders in Jamaica.  It was clear, Manning said, that Aristide was in good health, in comfortable surroundings and that Caricom leaders had no reason to be concerned about his safety. However, Manning said out of deference to the country which was his host, Aristide made no mention of whether he was kidnapped or not. But Manning reiterated that the statement of Aristide which had been broadcast internationally has cast enough doubts on the process by which he left Haiti. He added that Aristide had spoken to the Foreign Minister of Jamaica at 8 pm Saturday, but gave no indication that  he had intended to leave Haiti. Manning last night re-emphasised Caricom’s insistence that there was no role for the rebel forces in Haiti.

Caricom he said, was firm on this, and that it was contrary to the principles outlined in the Charter of Civil Society — a Caricom document — to seek to remove a constitutionally elected leader by unconstitutional means. “It is the ballot; not the bullet,” he declared. Manning noted that Caricom along with Canada, the US, the OAS, and the European Union had approved a plan for bringing normalcy to Haiti weeks ago. He said the most important element of that plan was that there be no attempt to remove Aristide from office. He said Caricom remained disappointed that it was unable to secure UN approval for its initiative to put a peace-keeping force in Haiti last week in circumstances where there was a breakdown of law and order when Aristide was asking for assistance. He noted that three days later the UN approved a similar initiative, but it was done after Aristide had left.