Haiti trip a costly 'fiasco'
2004-01-02 14:15
Cape Town - The "fiasco" of President Thabo Mbeki's visit to attend Haiti's bicentenary celebrations underlines yet again that the president failed to take sensible advice, the Democratic Alliance said on Friday.
"Because of his over-emotional response to Haiti's two hundredth anniversary of getting rid of the French, President Mbeki, alone among African or world leaders, insisted on participating in the celebration," DA acting leader Douglas Gibson said in a statement.
"To top it all, the visit ended with South African security personnel being involved in an exchange of fire with apparent protestors," he said.
"Why does President Mbeki diminish his own personal standing and prestige by seeking out and associating himself with people like (Haitian President Jean-Bertrand) Aristide?"
Aristide was accused of gross human rights violations and undemocratic actions, and there were even suggestions of complicity in drug smuggling and other criminal activities.
The message which Mbeki's conduct sent out was that he would associate with anyone in power instead of considering the people of the country, who might have a totally negative view of South Africa and Mbeki because of the seal of approval which his presence carried.
Millions of rands
"The Haitian fiasco cost many millions of rands. In addition to the R10m donated for the celebration to President Aristide's government, 250 Naval personnel, the cost of sailing the SAS Drakensberg for weeks in foreign waters, the cost of 51 police officers, the police helicopter and 18 national intelligence agents adds to the feeling that President Mbeki has started 2004 with a gross error of judgment.
"Either the South African secret service failed to inform and advise the president properly about the problematic nature of a Haiti visit or else he chose to ignore that advice," Gibson said.
It was reported earlier that a South African helicopter belonging to Mbeki's advance protection team had come under fire in the Caribbean island state, prompting Mbeki to cancel a scheduled visit to the northwestern city of Gonaives.
Police said the helicopter came under fire on Thursday in Haiti while doing an advance sweep before a scheduled visit to a soup ceremony in Gonaives, celebrating the country's independence.
The helicopter turned back and the advance team on the ground were withdrawn, Senior Superintendent Selby Bokaba said.
Mbeki is scheduled to return to South Africa on Saturday.
In a separate statement, National Action co-leader Cassie Aucamp said the "unrest" in Haiti and the shooting incident was a great embarrassment for South Africa.
With his unwanted visit, and the accompanying violence, Mbeki had involved South Africa unasked in the 12-year-old armed struggle between Aristide and the rebel forces.
South Africa now found itself unavoidably on the side of Aristide.
The irony was that Aristide was being accused of serious human rights violations, and democracy in Haiti left much to be desired, Aucamp said.
- SAPA