Aristide arrives for African exile
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After a few days, Aristide is expected to head for South Africa.
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BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) -- Looking pale and exhausted, Jean-Bertrand Aristide arrived to hastily arranged exile in Africa Monday, across the Atlantic from rebels who forced him from power as Haiti's first elected president.
Aristide, his wife, and a handful of others landed just after daylight in the Central African Republic, a nation as impoverished and nearly as coup-prone as the one he fled a day earlier.
Authorities in Bangui said the United States, France and the west African nation of Gabon negotiated Aristide's asylum in the Central African Republic. State radio said it would last only a few days, with South Africa possibly a permanent stop.
In his first public remarks since fleeing Haiti on Sunday, Aristide condemned the armed insurgency that forced him out -- yet said nothing about returning.
"In overthrowing me, they cut down the tree of peace," Aristide declared, in a short address played on state radio here. "But it will grow again, because the roots are well-planted."
Earlier, government ministers stood by as Aristide descended from a white jet, in a rumpled suit and a firmly knotted tie. His wife, appearing extremely worried, accompanied him as the sun rose over this capital of squat buildings.
The Associated Press reported that a videotape of Aristide's arrival showed no red carpet and greeting from the host head of state usually afforded dignitaries.
Officials drove the couple to the palace of Central African Republic's leader -- Gen. Francois Bozize, who himself came to power in March 2002 by overthrowing this country's elected but increasingly unpopular leader.
Aristide appeared to remain in the palace throughout the day. Soldiers were out in heavier than usual numbers around the presidential compound, and turned back an AP reporter who tried to approach it.
In Pretoria, South Africa's capital, Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad said Monday he knew of no formal asylum request, but said his country did not "in principle, have any opposition" to taking in Aristide.
"Our biggest wish now is that the killings must stop, stability must be restored, the interests of the people must be taken into consideration," Pahad told reporters, speaking of Haiti.
Western diplomats in South Africa also said they had no indication that Aristide was heading to that country.
It was not clear how the Central African Republic came to be Aristide's first known stop. Bozize, however, has been courting international support and aid as he tries to restore stability to his country.
"He's here with his wife and we've granted them asylum for the beginning, and then we'll see what happens," Communications Minister Parfait Mbaye told AP, adding the ex-Haitian leader's ultimate fate could be known "in the days to come."
Earlier in his flight from Haiti, Aristide told a Caribbean official on the island of Antigua that he was bound for South Africa, the official said.
In his radio address, Aristide thanked authorities Central African authorities, and saluted Africa and its people -- "because Africa is the father of us, Haitian men and women."
Although rich in gold, diamond and other resources, the impoverished nation of 3.7 million is habitually unable to make its civil servants payroll, helping spark incessant strikes, unrest and coup attempts. The country has weathered nine coups or coup attempts since independence from France in 1960.
So cash-strapped it has been unable to make civil servants' payroll for months, Central African Republic said it hoped for international help footing the bill for Aristide's stay.
"It's good to get Aristide here in Central African Republic," said Pierre Eibone, a policeman in his 40s patrolling bullet-scarred Bangui. "But Central African Republic isn't a paradise for dictators."
Copyright 2004 The
Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
