Aristide to fly to Jamaica next week

Friday, March 12, 2004

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): Deposed Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is set to visit Jamaica next week from exile in the Central African Republic, media said Thursday, citing Jamaican Prime Minister P. J. Patterson.

In a statement, Patterson said Aristide had expressed a desire to return to the Caribbean and to be united with his children who are at present in the United States.

Patterson said he had informed his Caribbean Community colleagues of Aristide's request, and that the ex-president of the embattled Haitian republic will arrive in Kingston early next week.

The deposed president may spend eight to 10 weeks in Jamaica, according to the reports, but, said Patterson, it should not been be seen as the granting of political asylum.

According to the statement, Patterson said Aristide was making final arrangements for permanent residence outside the region. However, South Africa, originally said to be his final destination, is "not sure" whether it can take him in.

Aristide fled Haiti early on February 29, ending weeks of violence that left at least 70 people dead after opposition and rebel forces demanded his resignation, alleging mismanagement and corruption.

He has claimed he was flown out of Haiti into exile as part of a plot managed by the United States and backed by France. Washington and Paris have strongly denied the claims.

However, Caribbean leaders have called for an inquiry into Aristide's accusation.

The US ambassador to Trinidad, Roy Austin, meanwhile, said Thursday that Caribbean countries should not wait three months to send peacekeeping troop to Haiti.

"They should do so now because Haiti needs assistance," he said in an interview with a local radio station as he defended the US role in the strife-torn nation.

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