The Haiti Super Thread- Merged

[scm77]

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2004/02/25/360665-cp.html

Canadian troops heading for Haiti
By STEPHEN THORNE

OTTAWA (CP) - A small force of Canadian troops, likely members of the special operations unit Joint Task Force 2, is on its way to Haiti to protect embassy staff.

They will join a few Canadian Forces planners already in the war-ravaged country preparing the potential evacuation of over 1,000 Canadians, Maj. Mike Audette said Wednesday.

He would not say when the troops would arrive in the capital of Port-au-Prince, or if they had already arrived. "We have dispatched CF members to assist the embassy in Haiti with security measures," Audette said. "We are not in a position to discuss the composition or numbers of security staff who have been dispatched."

The soldiers were sent after the Department of Foreign Affairs "asked for the provision of personnel to assist with security measures for the embassy and its staff."

A larger contingent of Canadian soldiers, but smaller than a 120-member company, has been put on alert and could depart to further secure the safety of embassy staff and other Canadian citizens in a matter of hours, said Audette.

Members of 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, in Gagetown, N.B., along with elements of the Joint Operations Group out of Kingston, Ont., and a Hercules aircraft in Trenton, Ont., have been put on standby, he said.

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin on Wednesday issued a statement calling for an "immediate" international civilian force to restore order in Haiti, where a rebellion threatens to topple President Jean-Baptiste Aristide.

France also said it wants human rights observers to be sent to the Caribbean country and a "long term" engagement of international aid aimed at reconstructing Haiti‘s dismal social and economic situation.

U.S. Marines were escorting foreigners trying to flee Haiti‘s capital Wednesday as looting broke out and opposition leaders urged a "timely and orderly" departure of the beleaguered president.

Aristide loyalists built dozens of flaming barricades, blocking roads all over the city and some leading to the airport.

Washington was encouraging the international community to provide a strong security presence in Haiti as America and its allies continued to try to achieve a political solution to the island nation‘s escalating violence.

On Tuesday, five Canadian Forces members arrived in Port-au-Prince to assist the Canadian embassy with planning the evacuation of Canadians should the situation worsen.

Ottawa has authorized the departure of non-essential staff from the embassy and all dependants of Canadian government personnel. Overall, there are about 30,000 foreigners in Haiti, some 20,000 of them Americans.

 

[Tpr.Orange]

Good luck to our men and women...Hopefully all will go smoothly,

Although i do fear that soon there will be a larger presence in Haiti, something in regards to the UN

 

[patrick666]

I‘ve missed the news coverage of the story so I have one question - why exactly did all of this start in Haiti?

 

[pte anthony]

The rebel leaders are tring to oust the president aristeed (best as I could pronounce and spell it) because they believe the election was rigged. I seen on the news that the United States believed it was fairly carried out though. :soldier:

 

[garb811]

Please also take a second to think good thoughts for the MPs already at the Embassy in Haiti as part of the MSGU...

 

[Art Johnson]

Fine I‘m all in favour getting our Embassy staff out but that is it let‘s not get involved in that cesspool again.

 

[bossi]

(Gawd ... WHEN am I going to start sleeping normally again ... sigh ... ???)

Okay - here‘s another angle on Haiti:
Using the analogy of a good old-fashioned knuckle on knuckle dance in hockey, the referees wait until the two fighters have thrown a few punches before intervening. Why? Because it‘s not the safest thing to try and step in between during Round One. Also, the refs will step in when it becomes obvious that one player is beating the cr@p out of the other.

So, how does this apply to Haiti?

Well, in a macro sense, referees don‘t really condone fighting - they‘d rather see a game played cleanly (or in Haiti‘s case, we‘d rather see a democratic solution, without murders).

Now, if we adopt the concept that sooner or later a referee sometimes has to step in and stop a fight, then it sure helps when the ref knows how to throw a punch or two (was it King Clancy or Red Storey that actually clocked a player once?)

I‘ll suggest you sometimes have to step in and say "knock it off, OR ELSE!"

Now, in the present situation in Haiti, I‘d politely suggest that any military intervention should take along a well thought-out plan of what they hope to achieve, and how (i.e. it‘s not enough to just wade in, bayonets gleaming ...).
The campaign plan should include steps to achieve a peaceful democracy, and the intervention force should take along the necessary assets and tools to achieve this aim (i.e. okay - I can imagine some of you are going to roll your eyes, but I‘m going to say this anyway - it would be a good idea to take along some specialists to help set up or re-establish the civilian police and government - I‘ll suggest some smart CIMIC guys would be a good step in the right direction, since they‘re already trained in civilian evacuation operations, anyway - they‘d be twice as useful as one-way, downrange 5.56/7.62/9mm flashlights ...)

I just got back from Kabul, but I could use some time in the sun. Send me in, coach - I‘m on a roll (and I figure it‘s the only way an over-the-hill goalie like me will ever get to scrimmage with the Dwyer Hill Highlanders)!


Martin vows to help Haiti, defence minister says military too stretched

AMY CARMICHAEL
Canadian Press
Thursday, February 26, 2004

VANCOUVER (CP) - While Canada can‘t spare a sizeable military force to quell rebellion in Haiti, Prime Minister Paul Martin vowed Thursday his government would live up to its responsibility to help.

"Canada is going to play a role in Haiti," he told a news conference during a visit to an east Vancouver school.

"This matter is before the UN at the present time. I will be discussing this with the secretary general."

But Defence Minister David Pratt had said earlier in Ottawa that it would be difficult for Canada to make any commitment beyond evacuating the 1,025 Canadians in Haiti because military resources are stretched thin with about 2,000 soldiers in Afghanistan.

"We‘re always doing contingency planning. Would we be able to put together a force the size of Afghanistan? I think the answer is clear; no we would not," Pratt said.

The comment came as Haitians braced for war.

The situation on the ground in the Caribbean country is extremely dangerous, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham told reporters in Ottawa.

Rebels began moving toward Haiti‘s capital of Port-au-Prince on Thursday and were awaiting the order to attack.

Fifteen Canadians and some other foreign nationals were evacuated from Haiti Wednesday night aboard a Canadian Forces aircraft.

Pratt said two Hercules transports and a company of 120 soldiers from the 2nd battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, are on short notice to move in to help in an evacuation if needed. He couldn‘t say when they might move, only that they‘re ready to go quickly.

Graham said Canadian diplomats are working hard to find a resolution, hoping to avoid war.

Pressure is mounting for President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to resign, with France blaming him for the chaos in its former colony in the three-week-old rebellion and urging that he be replaced by a transitional government.

The UN Security Council scheduled a meeting for later Thursday.

Graham wouldn‘t call for Aristide to quit, although he pointed out that is an option.

"In the event, for example, that Mr. Aristide should decide to resign in the interests of the best interest of his country . . . we would work with whatever constitutional forces that are there to ensure the security on the ground."

Aristide, who has shown determination to keep power, has said a rebel attack on the capital could kill thousands.

Graham said he is looking at options and consulting with a number of foreign ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and French Foreign Minister Dominic Villepen.

As a fellow French-speaking country, Canada has an obligation to get involved, Martin said in Vancouver.

"Given the fact that this is a francophone nation and we obviously have a very large Haitian population in Canada - these are people with families - it is clear we have a responsibility and it‘s one we‘re going to discharge."

But as an international force, Graham said Canada cannot take sides in the crisis.

"We are not in a position to be able to go into Haiti to support one or other of the parties to this dispute internally."

If a foreign military or police force were to move in, Graham said it must respect the Haitian constitution.

"We have consistently told the Haitian people that they must come together with a political solution that allows the international community to take effective action.

"We are presently engaged in finding out ways to do that and we will have the means to do it. It takes two, however, to work on this. That said, clearly the best way is if the opposition will co-operate with Mr. Aristide, Mr. Aristide will co-operate with the opposition."

Aristide, a 50-year-old former slum priest, once commanded widespread support as Haiti‘s first democratically elected leader and saviour to the poor, but he has steadily lost support as poverty deepened after his party swept flawed legislative elections in 2000 and international donors suspended aid.

Graham said he believes the best solution would be a national union government with or without Aristide.

"We would then move in to help secure order."

 

[D-n-A]

http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/MSN/2004/02/28/haiti_cdns040228

Canada sends military planes to Haiti
Last Updated Sat, 28 Feb 2004 15:06:10
TRENTON, ONT. - Three Canadian Hercules aircraft are on their way to Haiti in case Canadians need to be taken out of the Caribbean country, Prime Minister Paul Martin said Saturday.

Martin commented on the turmoil in Haiti while in Cochrane Alta., west of Calgary, where he was speaking to local mayors and reeves.

He said he is in frequent contact with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to keep up to date on the situation.

Anti-government rebels said they plan to move south toward the capital Port-au-Prince "in a day or two" in a bid to topple President Jean-Bertrand Artistide. As of Saturday, they remained 40 kilometres northeast of the city.

More than 80 people, half of them police officers, have been killed since the rebel uprising began three weeks ago. Aristide supporters have killed at least five people thought to be sympathetic to the rebels in the past two days.

The Canadian Embassy moved this week from its downtown location in Port-au-Prince to Ambassador Kenneth Cook‘s residence.

Six Canadians who work at the embassy remain on the job, said Cook, adding there are currently no plans to leave the country.

Although everyone is on pins and needles wondering exactly when and if (the rebels) will go on to the city, it‘s not yet clear," he said.

"I‘m not planning to leave, but we do have measures to make it possible for those who wish to leave," he said.

Cook told CBC News a small team of Canadian Forces personnel in Port-au-Prince have helped the embassy staff feel safe. About 20 Canadian soldiers are in Haiti to help with any evacuation.

On the streets, people looted port warehouses and Port-au-Prince‘s only working hospital in the face of food and gasoline shortages. Aristide supporters have set up flaming roadblocks to keep the rebels out. All commercial flights from the city have been cancelled.

The ambassador urged Canadians still in Haiti to "hunker down" and stay off the streets. "The important thing is not to become a target, not to expose yourself."

Cook said about 1,000 Canadians were registered with the embassy. It‘s not known how many have left since the violence began.


Written by CBC News Online staff

 

[Pikache]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3519821.stm

Embattled Aristide quits Haiti


Aristide: Under pressure from within and outside Haiti
Haiti‘s President Jean-Bertrand Aristide has gone into exile after a three-week rebellion against his rule.
Mr Aristide has reportedly arrived in the neighbouring Dominican Republic but his final destination is not known.

His departure came as rebels, who control much of the country, neared the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The US and France had called on him to step down for the good of the Haitian people but angry pro-Aristide militants are demonstrating in the capital.


‘Right decision‘

Hundreds of people converged on the presidential palace and gunfire rang out.

At least one petrol station was set on fire. In rebel-held Cap Haiten, by contrast, people were dancing in the streets at news of Mr Aristide‘s departure.

Events unfolded quickly on Sunday when an unmarked jet believed to be carrying Mr Aristide and his security chief was seen leaving Port-au-Prince airport.

No-one saw Mr Aristide on board, but shortly afterwards both American and French officials confirmed the president was no longer in Haiti.

THE ARISTIDE YEARS
1990: Haiti‘s first democratically elected president
1991: Overthrown in military coup; exiled to US
1994: Reinstated; forbidden from standing for second consecutive term
2000: Wins contested elections
2004 - Jan: Haiti celebrates 200 years of independence, amid growing political protests
Feb 10: (approx) Exiled rebel leaders cross back into Haiti; capture north of country
Feb 29: Aristide leaves Haiti

A couple of hours later, a presidential spokesman in the Dominican Republic said Mr Ariside‘s plane had landed there, the French news agency AFP reported.

Conflicting reports suggested he would seek asylum in Morocco, Taiwan, Panama or South Africa.

The BBC‘s Stephen Gibbs, in Haiti, says it is believed the White House helped to make the final arrangements for his departure.

The Bush administration said Mr Aristide had made the right decision for the Haitian people by resigning.

Just hours earlier, the White House had delivered its sharpest criticism of him to date, blaming him for the crisis in his country and questioning his fitness to govern amid looting and anarchy in the capital.

"His failure to adhere to democratic principles has contributed to the deep polarisation and violent unrest that we are witnessing in Haiti today," a US statement said.

Rebel advance

The unrest which has gathered pace in recent weeks stems from disputed elections in 2000, which the opposition says were rigged in Mr Aristide‘s favour.


But anger has turned to mounting violence.

In the past three weeks rebels have taken control of much of the country; law and order has broken down; and armed gangs loyal to Mr Aristide have been roaming the streets of Port-au-Prince.

On Saturday, Haitian rebel leader Guy Philippe said he had decided to hold off an attack on the besieged Haitian capital for "a day or two".

The rebels, who were demanding Mr Aristide‘s resignation, have said - which he had continually insisted was out of the question.

Haiti‘s constitution stipulates that the chief judge of the Haitian Supreme Court, currently Boniface Alexandre, would take over the presidency, if Mr Aristide has resigned.

It is the second time Mr Aristide has been forced into exile. He was ousted in 1991 in a coup within months of becoming Haiti‘s first democratically elected leader

He was restored to power three years later by a US-led military intervention.

 

[Pikache]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3552105&thesection=news&thesubsection=world&thesecondsubsection=

Aristide quits Haiti, Canadian troops begin securing capital

01.03.2004
8.15am - By JIM LONEY and ALISTAIR SCRUTTON
UPDATE - PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Haiti‘s President Jean-Bertrand Aristide quit his chaotic Caribbean country on Sunday, driven out by a bloody revolt that put rebels near the capital and by pressure from the United States and France.

Canadian troops took control of the main airport in the capital Port-au-Prince on Sunday as part of an operation to restore order after Aristide fled, Canada‘s RDI television said. Canada‘s foreign minister said US Marines would arrive on Sunday.

***
Very interesting to see where the mandate came from to secure the airport, considering how our govt lacks the brass to act decisively.

 

[sgt_mandal]

It‘s encouraging to know that they send Canadian troops before they send the Marines

 

[wongskc]

First, the defence minister said that we were not sending troops, then the foreign minister said that we would contribute to a stabilization force. Anyone else wondering what‘s going on?

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Politicians always flip flop. Situation no change.

 

[Adrian]

That article is kinda confusing. So are there going to be more Marines coming soon than those 50 that arrived last week? And when did our troops begin capturing the airport? Before or after the advance party of 50 marines?

 

[Adrian]

And same to what RHF asked...where is this mandate/order to take airport coming from? Or is this the type of thing that we allow our JTF2 guys to do freely once on the ground? What I mean is, are they being ordered to do this and if so by whom? Mr. Martin has some explaining to do...**** if he‘s the one behind all this then I like it!

 

[scm77]

This isn‘t true. On the CNN ticker it said "Canadian Military denies reports that it has taken control of the airport in Port-au-prince"

 

[Duotone81]

Yeah this article doesn‘t really suggest that the Canadian Military seized the airport but rather a small group of CF members are helping Canadians fly out of the country if they choose to.

About 50 Canadian Forces personnel are in Haiti to help fly out any Canadians who want to escape from the Haitian capital and provide security for the Canadian embassy.

On Saturday, a Canadian Hercules transport flew 20 people from Port-au-Prince to safety the nearby Dominican Republic.

Heres the full CBC article.
Canadians in Haiti

 

[sinblox]

Where are the 50 CF personnel from? I take it that it‘s being kept a secret?

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

This early in the event there is bound to be some confusion in reporting.

 

[Pikache]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3520945.stm

UN discusses Haiti interim force


Aristide opponents celebrated his departure
An emergency session of the UN Security Council is discussing an international force for Haiti, after President Jean-Bertrand Aristide fled the country.
US officials say a contingent of several hundred marines is already on its way, and France and Canada have also said they will send troops.

A curfew is in force in the capital, Port-au-Prince, which is reported calmer after a day of looting.

There are reports the former president will seek asylum in an African country.


Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso said Panama had agreed to a US request to give Mr Aristide asylum.

But Costa Rica, which had also offered him temporary political asylum, said the ousted president decided to go to Africa instead.



There have been reports of revenge attacks in the anarchy of Port-au-Prince
The draft UN resolution, drawn up by a group known as the Friends of Haiti, which include the United States, France, Canada and Caribbean countries, would authorise the immediate deployment of a multi-national interim force to be paid for by participating countries.

Its mission would be expected to restore law and order and allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said they would need about three to four months before a full UN peacekeeping force could be prepared.

HAVE YOUR SAY
The departure of President Aristide will leave a vacuum that will be very hard to fill

Georges, Cayes, Haiti


Send us your comments
The first of 200 Marines landed in Port-au-Prince late on Sunday, with more expected to follow. President George W Bush said the vanguard of marines would help "bring order and stability to Haiti".

He urged Haitians to "reject violence to give this break from the past a chance to work".

Rebel leader Guy Philippe, who had been massing his men for an assault on the capital, welcomed the foreign intervention, saying the time for fighting was over.

"We just want peace," he told the BBC.

He said he was making his way to Port-au-Prince, where his fighters would help impose security, and he denied that he had any political ambitions "for now".

Fury and joy

Sunday night‘s curfew brought some calm to the capital, after a day of anarchy and violence in the wake of the president‘s departure.

A BBC correspondent in the city says two petrol stations have been burnt down, and prisoners have been released from the national jail.

Looting was widespread, and for the first time militants loyal to rebel leader, Guy Philippe, have been seen on the streets.


Looting has been widespread
Our correspondent says they‘ve been hunting down Mr Aristide‘s supporters, with some evidence of vengeance killings.

The elderly head of Haiti‘s Supreme Court, Boniface Alexandre, has been sworn in as caretaker president, as stipulated by the constitution.

In a statement as he left, Mr Aristide said: "The constitution should not drown in the blood of the Haitian people... If my resignation is to prevent bloodshed, I accept to leave."

The escalating violent protests stemmed from disputed elections in 2000, which the opposition says were rigged.

In the past three weeks rebels have taken control of much of the country; and recently law and order broke down completely in the capital.

It is the second time Mr Aristide has been forced into exile. He was ousted in 1991 in a coup within months of becoming Haiti‘s first democratically elected leader

He was restored to power three years later by a US-led military intervention.

***
So, it will be an UN mission after all.