March 26, 2004
Leaders call for Aristide kidnapping investigation
Caribbean nations are calling for an U.N investigation into the coup that removed Jean-Bertrand Aristide:
Caribbean leaders said the U.N. General Assembly should investigate Jean-Bertrand Aristide's claims that the United States staged a coup in Haiti and forced the ouster of the country's first democratically elected president.Posted by Norwood at March 26, 2004 10:35 AMThe 15-nation Caribbean Community also said it was considering rejecting the U.S.-backed government of Haiti.
At the first day of a two-day summit Thursday, Caribbean leaders said they were focusing on whether to recognize a government that praises the rebels who helped oust Aristide.
Jamaican officials said Aristide will take permanent asylum in South Africa, but not until it holds general elections next month. Aristide has been in temporary exile in Jamaica since March 15, despite protests from U.S. and Haitian officials.
Caribbean leaders are ``still upset and uncomfortable'' about Aristide's departure, and made that clear to U.N. special envoy Reginald Dumas when he listened to their debate, St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Denzil Douglas told The Associated Press.
``We are prepared to discuss the possibility of identifying exactly what were the circumstances,'' Douglas said. ``We are taking this matter to the U.N. General Assembly for clarification.''
Conference officials said the 15-nation regional bloc wants the General Assembly to investigate rather than the Security Council, where the United States or France could veto the proposal.
The Caribbean can expect support from the 53-member African Union, which last month echoed its demand.
The officials say Aristide has told Caribbean leaders that he was abducted at gunpoint by U.S. agents and put on a U.S.-chartered aircraft that carried him to the Central African Republic.
