US lawyer: Aristide still in Haiti

[Mika]

According to his US lawyer -Ira Kurzban

Troops still guarding the presidential palace, where Aristide still is.

No link, just heard him on a local TV news/phone interview in Miami.

Kurzban said that the violent "rebels" uniforms have US flags on the lapel, and they are using newly aquired US weapons.

[htuttle]

1. Whoa! Total Venezuela Flashback!

So did he actually resign or not?

[Mika]

2. Miami local TV is spinning rumors like a top

Nothing is sure yet.

US press seems to be outputting State Dept crank.

[found object]

11. Aristide captured by US forces, maybe?

Send in Special Forces, apprehend their president and send him into exile. These rebels over the past week have terrorized the nation of Haiti forcing many to flea the country and the US in return have capitulated by ousting a democratically elected president making the "war on terror" and the "spreading of democracy" a total sham. This is nothing less than complete shite. The international community should see this for what it is and should consider taking serious action.

[Chicago Democrat]

16. France?? Two faced jerk.

I so agree. Sadly the "liberal" leader of the Non-USA "international" community, FRANCE , is worse that the USA. They probably have as many rich Haitian exhiles who are used to having their way for 200 years.

Make no mistake these "exiles" are mostly white, rich and still have plantations and businesses on Haiti. They know if Aristides' reforms ever get off the ground their bread and butter, which is many based on ignorance, repression and exploitation of the Haitian people, will be terminated.

The Group of 184, Haitian exiles are behind this coup in total cooperation with the Bush administration and France!!

Not exactly the kind of raapprochment I wanted with France!

[Ediacara]

3. Aparently Aristide has traveled into the 5th dimension

Being in the Dominican Republic, Morocco, and Haiti at the same time! Ok, in all seriousness, this is reminding me of Venezuela as another poster stated, which makes me less suspicious of US involvement....

[nolabels]

4. From the other thread they have this line from msnbc

Leader bows to pressure from U.S., France as rebellion rages

So you must be correct, they are not involved

[Ediacara]

6. I wasn't clear, sorry

I meant previously, I was very suspicious of people claiming US involvement, now I'm much less suspicious.

[nolabels]

8. It was SARCASM, he he

I pretty much believe nada that spews from the pipes of the B.S. monster that is Corporate Media, unless unless they have many unbiased witnesses, lots of pictures and stone tablets with the words of the story inscribed (9/11 comes to mind here).

[Ediacara]

9. ok, then I guess I misunderstood you too :-)

[Mika]

5. Youe missed on - he's on his way to S. Africa too

:shrug:


I really distrust the US media on all of this.

[Chicago Democrat]

17. What about the HUGE drug bust this morning in Florida

Which the US blamed on Aristide: 200+ pounds of cocaine.

Oh yes, the big lie is in play.

[NYC]

7. Kurzban quotes from Miami Herald.

Ira Kurzban, Aristide's Miami-based representative, told The Herald on Sunday morning that he could not comment on Aristide' whereabouts, but said that he believed U.S. intelligence agencies were involved in his ouster.

He said that one rebel leader on the island -- Louis Jodel Chamblain, a notoriously brutal leader of a paramilitary group that supported Haiti's 1991-1994 military dictatorship -- likely worked for the CIA.

Kurzban added that Guy Phillippe, the most visible rebel leader during the current insurgency, would now likely be arrested.

''This was a major operation by the intelligence agencies of the U.S.,'' Kurzban said. ``Eventually, the truth will come out.''

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/world/haiti/8071818.htm

[nolabels]

10. Removed by U.S. intelligence agencies , that would be a surprise (not)

Can't get him to leave voluntarily, must use force, sounds like democracy in action to me

Btw Venezuela had a lot more weapons in country, which way do you feel safer?

[nolabels]

24. Louis Jodel Chamblain + CIA

Such nice people the spooks are funding, what was that about terrorism again?

http://news.electromagnet.us/h_contras.html
Double Game in Haiti

by Tom Reeves
WORLD CRISIS WEB(02-17)

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.

A close associate of Chamblain, Emmanuel “Toto” Constant, has admitted its CIA funding and direction. Chamblain was revealed in documents reviewed by the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York as one of those present during the planning, with a USA agent, of the assassination of the pro-Aristide minister of justice, Guy Malary, in 1993. The USA refuses to release documents it seized from FRAPH during the 1994 USA invasion - presumably to cover up the CIA ties to FRAPH. Philippe and Chamblain were among those from the Haitian opposition, recognized by the USA - the Convergence - who organized conferences in the Dominican Republic, funded and attended by USA operatives from the International Republican Institute.
(snip)

[Darranar]

12. So what happened?

Where is Aristide? Has he resigned?

What are US helicopters doing over Port-Au-Prince?

[bemildred]

13. As near as I can tell, no.

The SC Justice read a statement of resignation purported to be
by Aristide, and claimed "power".

Aristide apparently made a statement that he would not resign on
TV this morning. One fellow said the TV station was then bombed.

Who knows where Aristide is? One thinks of Chavez refusing to
resign for two days on that island. This could take days, or not,
stay tuned.

The situation would seem to be in flux. I am guessing that the
coupsters hand was forced and they are attempting to get their
ducks in a row before the public dog-and-pony show installing the
new regime.

Edit: I would guess that Aristide's whereabouts and fate depend a
good deal on that high-priced security detail that he has.

[Darranar]

20. Thanks, bemildred...

Brings back memories of Venezuela...

What do you know of this SC Justice?

[Robb]

14. The various Murdoch agencies now reporting

He's "in the air", flying to an undisclosed location. :eyes:

[Tinoire]

15. Shades of Venezuela again!

Right down to the "mass protests" in the US.

Miami Protesters Demand Aristide Step Down
As Many As 300 Rally In Protest

POSTED: 4:10 p.m. EST February 22, 2004

<snip>

In Miami's Bayfront Park on Saturday, about 200 to 300 people rallied in protest -- far short of the 80,000 organizers had predicted would attend.

The protest was a coalition of Haitian, Venezuelan and Cuban groups that also demanded the ouster of Fidel Castro and President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

http://www.nbc17.com/news/2865437/detail.html

[Aidoneus]

18. 200-300 out of 80,000 predicted

that's uh.. um.. oh.

The protest was a coalition of Haitian, Venezuelan and Cuban groups that also demanded the ouster of Fidel Castro and President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

Yes, I thought some of this looked familar. May it have the same non-result in the end.

[Chicago Democrat]

19. What is status of this story?

Where is Aristide?

[brads]

21. Still no evidence of Aristide's resignation or location

I still have not found any evidence of Aristide willingly resigning, or where he is or who has taken him away.

Very much reminds me of Venezuela last April. I hope the truth comes out before it's too late.

[htuttle]

22. Live report: Aristide's lawyer has not seen any resignation documents

He also says he has been unable to determine where he is right now. Aristide's security people do not know where he is. Says that LAST NIGHT Aristide gave no indication that he had planned to resign.

Thread on KPFA ongoing live report here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x390915

[muriel_volestrangler]

23. BBC: Canadians hold airport, US marine will deploy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/americas/3520625.stm

US President George Bush says he has deployed US Marines to be the "leading element" in an international force to be sent to help stabilise Haiti.
Early on Sunday, Haiti's President Jean-Bertrand Aristide flew out of the country in an unmarked jet, following a three-week rebellion against him.
...
Meanwhile, reports from Haiti quoting police there, said Canadian special forces had taken control of the airport at Port-au-Prince and had begun patrolling the capital to restore order.
...
Several hundred US marines would form the first phase of the international force, US officials said.

[Darranar]

25. I hate Bush...

now he's going to try and install a US-puppet government in coalition with the "peaceful" opposition.

[eablair3]

26. the Canadiens are assisting in this one??