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March 2, 2004

More on Haiti



You probably heard by now that my colleagues at Democracy Now got the big scoop this morning, word from Aristide that he was taken from Haiti against his will by armed US agents. Bush's people have offered their denials but this whole situation still smells funny, and most of the bloggers whose silence I wondered about yesterday are taking notice. More info here:

U.S. political maneuvering behind the ouster - A profile of the Bush advisor who led the push for Aristide's removal. (via Atrios who has a bunch of posts on the topic)

Counterpunch thinks the press here in America dropped the ball. (the Times reporter cited here happens to be a friend, so I'm staying neutral on this one.)

Billmon has more details, and Micah Holmquist also has a ton of links to more coverage. (via Jeff Chang)

My good friend Deepa Fernandes will be reporting live from Haiti this morning on the WBAI morning show, and BAI will have updates throughout the day, along with special coverage of "Super Tuesday" in the evening.

Also, there will be a protest today here in NY, at 4PM:

EMERGENCY RALLY TO PROTEST US INTERVENTION IN HAITI

Tuesday, March 2nd, 4 p.m.
Assemble at 47th Street and Second Avenue.

>As this statement is written, reliable sources report that, contrary
to press accounts, the United States government arrested and kidnaped
President Jean Bertrand Aristide of Haiti. Witnesses saw US Marines
taking him in handcuffs and at gunpoint out of the Presidential Palace
on Sunday morning. Despite the reality, the US persists in reporting
that President Aristide "resigned voluntarily" for "the good of the
country." At the same time, US mainstream news media have refused to
report that Secretary of State Colin Powell told former US Congressman
Ron Dellums to deliver the following message to President Aristide
earlier this weekend - that so-called "Rebel leader" Guy Phillipe was
entering Port au Prince to kill him and that the US government would
not lift a finger in President Aristide's behalf. With these acts of
imperial arrogance, the US has sunk to an unparalleled low in its
violation of and contempt for international law.

This overthrow of a democratically-elected head of state is only the
latest and most cynical of recent US acts in contravention of
international law and cooperation.These include, for example: the
invasion of Iraq and its continuing aftermath; the refusal to join the
International Criminal Court and the demand that the US be exempt from
its jurisdiction; the withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocols on global
warming.



Posted by jsmooth995 at March 2, 2004 2:13 AM






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