04 March 2004
State Department Says "It is Time to Look Forward" in Haiti
Boucher says no need to investigate Aristide's departure
By Scott Miller
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington -- The focus of the international community's efforts in Haiti needs to be bringing democratic structure to the nation and its institutions, not investigating the circumstances surrounding former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's departure, according to Richard Boucher, spokesman for the U.S. Department of State.
"I think, simply put, the U.S. view is that it is time to look forward, it is time to focus on what we can all do for the people of Haiti," Boucher said in a March 4 press briefing.
As Haiti works to move forward in a constitutional manner, the role of the international community there should be to "give the Haitian people a democratic government and, to give them stability and security in their country, and to help with rebuilding the economy and civil society," Boucher told reporters.
Amidst swirling rumors and accusations, he denied claims by Aristide that the United States forced him from office. "There was no kidnapping. There was no coup. There were no threats," Boucher said, pointing out that that Aristide's own private security detail has said as much.
Instead, Boucher faulted the former president for the circumstances that precipitated his departure from office on February 29.
"We had a situation that developed because of years of polarization and division and support for militias, who then turned against Mr. Aristide," he explained. "And in all this fighting, a lot of the violence was perpetrated by people who had been formerly supported by Mr. Aristide or who were currently supported by Mr. Aristide ... so you ended up with clashes that I think one has to recognize he was to a great extent responsible for."
Boucher noted that Aristide did appeal for an international intervention to end the violence sweeping Haiti, but the State Department spokesman indicated that there was no U.S. enthusiasm to protect a leader who had mismanaged his mandate, governed undemocratically, and incited violence.
"The idea of putting American life and limb again on the line for Mr. Aristide in these circumstances was not going to happen," he said. "And we had to make that clear to him."
The State Department official said that the United States did discuss Haiti's deteriorating security situation with Aristide on February 28, including options for ending the bloodshed that had already claimed approximately 80 lives.
Boucher said U.S. Embassy personnel in Haiti conveyed to Aristide that the violence there "was getting out of control" and would worsen if he remained in office, including the further loss of life. U.S. Embassy officials in Port-au- Prince also reiterated that the United States was not in a position to intervene on Aristide's behalf, Boucher noted.
After the United States provided Aristide with its "best analysis of the situation, he decided to resign," Boucher stressed. "It was his decision. It was a voluntary decision on his part."
Once Aristide decided to depart to ensure his own personal safety and the safety of his family, and to prevent further violence, the United States facilitated his departure, Boucher said. "We ended up rescuing him by taking him out of the country in the face of almost certain violence," Boucher added. "So that is one thing that needs to be remembered."
Prompted by Aristide's allegations against the United States, the nations of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have called for an independent investigation into his resignation, a step Boucher dismissed as unnecessary.
"I have to say I think the U.S. role was clear; there is nothing to investigate," he said. "We certainly don't encourage" that, or "believe there is any need for an investigation."
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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