Haiti plunged into uncertainty after rejection of peace plan

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, February 26, 2004

Haiti plunged into uncertainty after rejection of peace plan

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Haiti has been plunged into uncertainty after the opposition rejected a peace plan offered by the international community to end the country's political crisis and violence might further escalate in the Caribbean nation.

The Democratic Platform, a coalition of opposition groups demanding that President Jean-Bertrand Aristide resign, rejected on Tuesday the plan presented by an international mission.

Under the plan, a tripartite commission, formed by the government, the opposition and the international community, will be appointed.

The commission in turn will name a group of nine to 15 members to be in charge of choosing a new prime minister acceptable to allsides.

The initiative also stipulates that the 4,000 ill-equipped local police officers would be under the command of the new prime minister.

During discussions in the past four days, Haitians hoped that the two opposing parties would accept the plan or at least reach consensus on a peaceful solution to resolve the problem.

Opposition leader Evans Paul said President Aristide showed no signs of accepting the plan presented by the United States, Canada,France, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM).

UN Security Council members "deplore" the rebels' rejection of the peace plan, Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Wang Guangya said in New York on Wednesday.

Anti-Aristide groups accused the president of poor governance and corruption and demanded his immediate and unconditional resignation, but Aristide said he would hold office until his termexpires in 2006 while pledging to defend constitutional order with his life.

Aristide said last weekend that he entirely accepted the peace plan and he even announced his will on Tuesday to hold legislative elections.

The political opposition turned down the international plan amid escalating rebel actions to remove the president. The uprising that erupted on Feb. 5 has already claimed at least 70 lives.

In disregard of the peace plan, the insurgents, including former military and paramilitary members, overran Port-de-Paix, a major city in northwestern Haiti, on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the rebels captured Tortue Island in northern Haiti, a trade hub with Florida, the United States, and the Bahamas, reports from Port-au-Prince said.

No one was injured in an assault in which an armed commando unit took over a police station, looting the building before setting it on fire. Police chief Jean Alexis and two police officers fled.

The Haitian government has also lost control of the cities of Gonaives, Hinche and Cap-Haitien.

In face of the rebels' plan to launch an assault on the capitalcity Port-au-Prince, Aristide urged the international community tohelp prevent a blood bath while supporters of his Lavalas Family party are throwing up barricades and digging trenches to defend the capital.

Many Haitians have fled their homes since the turmoil began.

US President George W. Bush said Wednesday that his country will turn away any Haitian refugees who try to reach American shores. He urged Haitians to stay home until a peace agreement is reached.

US Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Hans H. Hartell voiced Tuesday his government's concern about the situation in Haiti.

Washington sent a 50-strong military contingent to Port-au-Prince to step up security measures at its embassy.

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said Wednesday that he is to meet representatives of the Haitian government and opposition in Paris on Friday.

"France is ready to take all her part in the efforts of international mobilization (to solve the crisis)," the minister said.

The UN World Food Program reiterated that if security continuesto worsen, a shortage of food would inevitably lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.

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