SA gives Aristide a temporary home

PRETORIA – South Africa said yesterday it was ready to give former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide a temporary home, nearly three months after an armed revolt forced him to flee his poor Caribbean country.

Aristide, 50, is currently in Jamaica, where he arrived on March 15 from the Central African Republic, his first destination following his resignation in late February under pressure from the United States and France. “This is a temporary arrangement until the Haitian situation stabilises and Aristide and his family can return,” government spokesman Joel Netshithenzhe said.No date has been set for Aristide’s arrival in South Africa but This Day newspaper reported that he was expected here next week with his wife, two children and two bodyguards.The former priest who was first elected in 1990, ousted in a coup in 1991 only to return to power with US military backing in 1994, had said from the outset that he wanted to come to South Africa.But the government had let it be known that it did not want to agree to the controversial move ahead of April 14 elections, which President Thabo Mbeki’s African National Congress won by a landslide.”South Africa accepts financial responsibility for his residence and upkeep in South Africa,” Netshithenzhe added.Local reports said Aristide would take up residence in the capital Pretoria under tight security.The government also said that it supported calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Aristide’s departure from Port-au-Prince after the former leader claimed that he was forced to resign by the United States and France.The main opposition Democratic Alliance has spoken out against allowing Aristide into South Africa, arguing that his democratic credentials were in doubt and that taxpayers should not have to foot the bill to support him.It also said that France and the United States should take him in if they forced him to step down.- Nampa-AFP”This is a temporary arrangement until the Haitian situation stabilises and Aristide and his family can return,” government spokesman Joel Netshithenzhe said.No date has been set for Aristide’s arrival in South Africa but This Day newspaper reported that he was expected here next week with his wife, two children and two bodyguards.The former priest who was first elected in 1990, ousted in a coup in 1991 only to return to power with US military backing in 1994, had said from the outset that he wanted to come to South Africa.But the government had let it be known that it did not want to agree to the controversial move ahead of April 14 elections, which President Thabo Mbeki’s African National Congress won by a landslide.”South Africa accepts financial responsibility for his residence and upkeep in South Africa,” Netshithenzhe added.Local reports said Aristide would take up residence in the capital Pretoria under tight security.The government also said that it supported calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Aristide’s departure from Port-au-Prince after the former leader claimed that he was forced to resign by the United States and France.The main opposition Democratic Alliance has spoken out against allowing Aristide into South Africa, arguing that his democratic credentials were in doubt and that taxpayers should not have to foot the bill to support him.It also said that France and the United States should take him in if they forced him to step down.- Nampa-AFP