Page "Jean-Bertrand Aristide" Paragraph 33

Aristide has accused the U. S. of deposing him.

According to Rep. Maxine Waters D-California, Mildred Aristide called her at her home at 6: 30 am to inform her " the coup d ' etat has been completed ", and Jean-Bertrand Aristide said the US Embassy in Haiti's chief of staff came to his house to say he would be killed " and a lot of Haitians would be killed " if he refused to resign immediately and said he " has to go now.

" Rep. Charles Rangel, D-New York expressed similar words, saying Aristide had told him he was " disappointed that the international community had let him down " and " that he resigned under pressure " – " As a matter of fact, he was very apprehensive for his life.

They made it clear that he had to go now or he would be killed.

" When asked for his response to these statements Colin Powell said that " it might have been better for members of Congress who have heard these stories to ask us about the stories before going public with them so we don't make a difficult situation that much more difficult " and he alleged that Aristide " did not democratically govern or govern well ".

CARICOM, an organization of Caribbean countries that included Haiti, called for a United Nations investigation into Aristide's removal, but were reportedly pressured by the US and France to drop their request.

Some observers suggest the rebellion and removal of Aristide were covertly orchestrated by these two countries.

Jamaican Prime Minister P. J. Patterson released a statement saying " we are bound to question whether his resignation was truly voluntary, as it comes after the capture of sections of Haiti by armed insurgents and the failure of the international community to provide the requisite support.

The removal of President Aristide in these circumstances sets a dangerous precedent for democratically elected governments anywhere and everywhere, as it promotes the removal of duly elected persons from office by the power of rebel forces.

" In a 2006 interview, Aristide said the US went back on their word regarding compromises he made with them over privatization of enterprises to ensure that part of the profits would go to the Haitian people and then " relied on a disinformation campaign " to discredit him.