SA 'not to blame' for Haiti violence
David Masango
19 October 2004
South Africa has dismissed suggestions that former Haitian president Jean Bertrand Aristide is using the country as a springboard to destabilise Haiti.
The government was responding to comments by Haiti's interim prime minister, Gerard Latortue, who accused President Thabo Mbeki of failing to respect international law by "allowing a person in his territory to organise violence in another country".
Violence erupted in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince at the weekend, reportedly during a rally in support of Aristide's return to that country.
Aristide has been in South Africa since he was ousted from Haiti earlier this year, as a guest of the government pending the resolution of the political situation in Haiti.
The Caribbean Community (Caricom), through the African Union, had requested South Africa to host Aristide and his family.
Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad said on Monday that no evidence existed to back up Latortue's
claim.
Pahad said the government had always maintained the view that only the people of Haiti, in dialogue with their political representatives and assisted by Caricom, could find a lasting solution to the country's political and economic problems.
"South Africa and President Mbeki cannot be used as scapegoats for failure by the interim Haitian authorities to bring about peace and stability to Haiti", Pahad said.
"The Haitian interim authorities would do well to create a climate conducive for the restoration of democracy and for the voice of the people of Haiti to be heard", he added.
Source: BuaNews
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