Britain, US advise nationals: Stay out of Haiti

SPECULATION of possible military intervention in Haiti heightened yesterday as the British and American governments strongly urged their nationals against travelling to the troubled Caribbean nation. In its security intelligence update yesterday, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) stated: “We advise against all travel to Haiti because of the highly volatile security situation that prevails throughout the country at the present time. If you must enter Haiti despite this advice you should exercise extreme caution due to the breakdown in law and order and civil unrest, which is currently sweeping the country. British nationals in Haiti should regularly review the situation and consider whether their presence is essential.”

Meanwhile, the US Department of State maintained its warnings to American citizens that “there are no safe areas in Haiti” at this time. “US citizens who feel they must visit Haiti should exercise extreme caution and are strongly encouraged to register at the Consular Annex of the US Embassy immediately upon their arrival,” the State Department said. Violence flared up again in Haiti on Saturday after police flushed out rebels who attacked a northern town and blocked a main road leading to the neighbouring Dominican Republic. The nine-day insurgency in Haiti has so far led to 50 deaths.

Last week, US Secretary of State Colin Powell warned that any move to overthrow Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide would not be tolerated by the Bush Administration and hinted that peacekeepers could be sent to Haiti. Powell also urged Aristide and the Haitian Opposition to adhere to the terms of a Caricom-brokered peace initiative. Prime Minister Patrick Manning, a major player in that initiative, said Caricom was against military intervention in Haiti but peacekeepers were an option once this met with the approval of the Haitian authorities. Last week, Manning remained optimistic that Caricom’s efforts in Haiti would be successful. TT soldiers were part of a 6,000 person United Nations peacekeeping force to Haiti in 1994. That mission replaced US troops who were dispatched to Haiti by then US President Bill Clinton as part of Operation Uphold Democracy.