Haiti president calls for calm as protests mount

by Dominique Levanti

Tuesday, January 13, 2004

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): Haiti's President Jean Bertrand Aristide appealed for calm Monday as deadly unrest and constitutional troubles mounted in the impoverished Caribbean republic.

Aristide who faces mounting opposition calls to stand down, called for "peace" in an address to the nation before leaving for the Summit of the Americas in Mexico where the troubles facing Haiti are expected to be raised.

The former Roman Catholic priest left Haiti with the legislative process grinding to a halt as the mandate of its 83 deputies and two thirds of its 27 senators ends Monday night because no new elections have been called.

Aristide has promised elections in 2004 but not set a date for them.

Students held a new demonstration on Monday, a day after between 20,000 and 30,000 people took part in one of the biggest rallies yet against Aristide in Port-au-Prince. A supporter of Aristide's ruling Lavalas party was killed in the northern town of Miragoane.

In his speech, Aristide, said: "let light and peace shine everywhere in the country with wisdom."

"On my return we will intensify this indispensable peace," he added, without giving details. Aristide said that while at the summit, in the Mexican town of Monterrey, he would "defend the interests of the Haitian people as usual."

The Haitian capital has seen mounting tension in recent months as the campaign to remove former priest Aristide from office has gathered momentum. This week two protesters were killed and about 30 people were injured during protests.

The unrest overshadowed celebrations on January 1 of the 200th anniversary of Haiti's independence from France.

The opposition accuses Aristide of corruption and mismanagement since legislative elections in May 2000, which the opposition said were fixed by Lavalas. The president still has two years of his five-year term to serve and refuses to step down. The parliamentary collapse adds to his concerns.

"Fifteen senators will remain in their functions from midnight on Monday," said Lan Clones, an influential senator for Lavalas. "As the quorum is 14, the 15 senators can run the commissions and full sessions and the government will not have to rule by decree," he told AFP.

No laws can now be passed but Clones said he hoped new elections would be organised as soon as possible.

The Organisation of American States has tried to mediate but the government and opposition have been unable to agree new elections. The new Haiti crisis is expected to be discussed at the Summit of the Americas.

Aristide offered his condolences to the families of the Lavalas supporter killed in Miragoane and to the family of a police official, whose body was found early Sunday at Cap Haitien in the north.

After the killing of the Aristide supporter during rival demonstrations, Lavalas members in Miragoane tried to burn alive an opposition supporter who was taken to hospital in critical condition. 

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