South Africa wants Aristide's exit probed

[Say_What]

Drip, drip, drip...

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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.

<http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1493587,00.html>

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Meanwhile, Bush's Haitian coup has created anarchy.

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Haitian PM declares state of emergency

Haiti's Prime Minister Yvon Neptune has declared a state of emergency in the country as unrest persisted following the exile of president Jean Bertrand Aristide.

"To restore calm, a state of emergency had to be decreed on the entire territory," Mr Neptune told a press conference.

Officials said this implied certain constitutional guarantees would be suspended.

Mr Neptune was a close ally of Mr Aristide who remained in office after the president resigned on Sunday and flew to Africa.

Mr Neptune said that several illegal groups were "fomenting terror in the capital" under the pretext of aiding the national police, a veiled reference to the insurgency led by Guy Philippe.

The rebels have been patrolling the violence-wracked city together with police officers since making a triumphant entrance into the capital after Mr Aristide left the country on Sunday.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1058596.htm

[Thor_MN]

1. I can't resist....

"South Africa wants Aristide's exit probed"


I thought only the Aliens from the UFOs did that...