Aristide backs church-proposed bid to end unrest in Haiti

by Dominique Levanti

Saturday, December 20, 2003

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): Haiti's President Jean-Bertrand Aristide has urged political rivals to adopt a compromise settlement proposed by the Roman Catholic leadership to defuse mounting tensions as Haiti's independence bicentennial looms.

Aristide, a former Roman Catholic priest, made the offer based on an Episcopal Conference proposal late Thursday in an interview on state television, after weeks of opposition calls for him to stand down amid mounting street violence.

Aristide said it was time to head off a power vacuum that would emerge as lawmakers in the lower house and two-thirds of the senate's terms expire on January 12.

On January 1, Haiti celebrates its 200th anniversary of independence from France. Aristide clearly had hoped to mark the event with positive international attention.

But the violence is causing international concern. The United States, which once intervened militarily to help the president, this week accused Aristide's government of suppressing peaceful demonstrations.

More than 30 people have been killed and dozens injured in political violence and clashes between demonstrators and police since September.

The church proposal, first put forth in November, calls for a congressional session in January to name a nine-member council to advise the president and meant to represent different groups in society, ahead of setting up a "consensus electoral council."

Environment Minister Webster Pierre on Thursday became the third member of Aristide's government to resign in recent days.

Aristide was re-elected president in 2001 for a five-year term. But violence has intensified as opponents have accused him of misrule and corruption and demanded he step down.

The church also has called on the opposition to reverse its refusal to take part in elections, and name representatives to the consensus council and presidential advisory board.

The nine sectors of society supposed to be represented are the High Court; the ruling Lavalas party; the opposition Democratic Convergence; remaining opposition parties; the Catholic Church; Protestant leaders; the Episcopalian Church; business leaders; and human rights groups.

Socialist opposition leader Micha Gaillard said the bishops' move was good but added that Aristide was in "a desperate bid to cling to power in the face of rising popular opposition activism across the country."

Monday, the United States accused the Haitian government of violently suppressing peaceful political demonstrations by paying "armed thugs" to crack down on crowds protesting Aristide's rule.

"The United States deplores the violent suppression of political demonstrations that have occurred in Haiti recently," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said in a statement.

"These demonstrations, led mainly by students, were legitimate and peaceful expressions of political views," he said.

"The government of Haiti acted in complicity with its hired armed gangs to suppress these demonstrations with violence, resulting in some injuries and deaths," Boucher said.

Protests, in which at least four people were killed in various parts of the country, prompted the State Department last Friday to urge US citizens to stay away from Haiti due to the uncertain security situation there.

Aristide should serve through 2006. He first came to power in 1991 but was ousted in a military coup. The United States intervened in the impoverished nation in 1994, returning him to office.

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