SA wants Aristide's exit probed
2004-03-04 18:52
Pretoria - South Africa on Thursday called for a probe into the circumstances leading to the exit of ousted Haitian leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide, saying it would be a serious breach of international law if it was proved that he had been forced to quit.
"The suggestion that President Aristide may have been forced out of office, if true, will have serious consequences and ramifications for the respect of the rule of law and democracy the world over," foreign minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said in a statement.
"The international community must not be seen to be wavering in its commitment to democracy and the respect for the rule of law, particularly in the face of anti-democratic forces.
"In this regard, we join in the call for an investigation under the auspices of the UN to clarify these circumstances leading to the departure of President Aristide," she said.
South Africa gave Haiti R10m ($1.5m) towards the cost of the celebrations of the uprising against Napoleon's troops which saw the Caribbean territory become the world's first black republic.
President Thabo Mbeki has enjoyed good relations with Aristide and was the only head of state to attend the bicentennial celebrations in Port-au-Prince - a visit which was trenchantly criticised by opposition parties as a waste of public funds.
On Wednesday, Caribbean Community president Percival Patterson described Aristide's departure from power as a "dangerous precedent," and said that area leaders will not negotiate with rebel leaders in Haiti.
The Caricom chief also for a top level independent investigation into Aristide's departure.
"The unconstitutional removal of any leader cannot be condoned," Patterson said. "What has happened represents a very dangerous precedent not only for Haiti but for all democratically elected leaders and governments throughout the world."
Aristide, speaking from exile in the Central African Republic, claims he was pushed from power by the United States. His vice-president Yvon Neptune had read a statement from Aristide early on Sunday saying he had resigned to "avoid bloodshed."
Washington has strenuously denied it did other than accompany Aristide to safety and exile once he called for help.
Dlamini-Zuma, who is currently in New Delhi, also slammed the United Nations for its slow-footed action on Haiti.
"The slow response of the UN Security Council to pleas for assistance by the government of Haiti, however, remains a matter of serious concern," she said.
Aristide's hosts have suggested that he could seek asylum in South Africa. The government has maintained that it has not received any formal request so far and underlined that it would have no problem "in principle," although such a decision could not be taken "overnight."