Haitian opposition faces 'serious consequences' if it rejects peace plan

by Matthew Lee

Monday, February 23, 2004

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): International diplomats on Sunday stepped up pressure on Haiti's political opposition to drop demands for embattled President Jean Bertrand Aristide's ouster, as armed insurgents press on in their rebellion against the government.

Officials told AFP Haiti-based diplomats from the United States, Canada, France, the Organization of American States (OAS) and Caricom would spend the day urgently lobbying opposition leaders to agree to a plan to end the country's escalating political crisis, which is seen as the best and possibly last hope to prevent Haiti from descending into anarchy.

"There will be a lot of phone calls and meetings here but also between Port-au-Prince and the various capitals," said a senior western diplomat who was involved in talks Saturday with the opposition as part of an emergency mission to convince both sides to accept a power-sharing plan.

The political opposition, which has formally rejected the armed insurrection, has until Monday afternoon to meet a deadline for accepting the proposal but thus far has showed no inclination to drop their insistence on Aristide's departure, even after hours of heated talks with international diplomats seeking a compromise, they said.

At least 57 people have been killed since the rebels took the northwestern town of Gonaives February 5. Dozens of Aristide's political foes and journalists have also been wounded, some seriously, as Lavalas Family gangs have boosted their activities since January.

Aristide, who has repeatedly rejected calls for his resignation, on Saturday embraced the plan although it calls for the creation of a new, independent government and post of prime minister to which he must cede major powers, including control of a revamped internationally trained police force.

But the opposition is notably concerned about attacks on its members by armed pro-Aristide groups and is vehemently opposed to any proposal that allows the president to serve out his current term that ends in February 2006.

"We cannot accept this plan without the departure of Aristide," said Rosemond Pradel of the socialist opposition party, Konakom. 

"If we accept the plan without his departure, we are going to disappear as an opposition."

Several diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were losing patience with the opposition's refusal to endorse any proposal that does not include Aristide's ouster, particularly after the president accepted the plan and as the armed insurgency also demanding his removal grows.

"They got some powerful messages delivered to them," the senior western diplomat said.

"The point was made but it doesn't look good at the moment," a second diplomat said.

"It's looking pretty grim. I wouldn't say it's hopeless but the opposition looks like it could very well blow a remarkable opportunity that the international community presenting. They risk losing the support of the international community."

"The opposition really needs to take a deep breath and consider the extremely serious consequences if they don't say 'yes' on Monday," said a third diplomat.

"They are facing the violence from street gangs and the possible onslaught of a force led by massive rights violators and killers."

The diplomat referred to militant supporters of Aristide's Lavalas Family political party, blamed for numerous attacks on the opposition and armed insurgents who now control several towns in Haiti's north and center and are threatening to march on other localities unless the president steps down.

Without the approval of the political opposition, which is to have a say in the naming of the new institutions, the plan is doomed to fail, according to diplomats privy to details of separate discussions between senior US, Canadian, French, OAS and Caricom officials.

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