Friday, March 05, 2004
Haiti News Note & Analysis
Haiti News Note & Analysis
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Aristide resigned the Haitian presidency per the information conveyed to the Haitian Senate today (March 5) by Prime Minister Neptune; and wished that information be conveyed to Haiti's Congress and that the constitutional process of affirming the successor President Alexandre be followed. Haitian politicians are taking the position that the required affirming Joint Session of Haiti's Congress cannot be held due to the recess of the House of Deputies. --Analysis - Haiti's elections in May 2000 grant the Deputies four year terms - the Senate 6 years -a third facing relection every two years - which terms may not be lengthened nor shortened. Article 105 of the Haitian Constitution permits the Haitian Congress to be called into special session after recesses etc between elections. Most constitutionalists would suggest that the Acting President has the implicit power to specially summon Congress to present his articles for succession. Any question of accepting Aristide's resignation or challenging it would be settled there. In other Haitian News - pieces from Radio Metropole Haitian (with Reuters & AP in French - link above) - the Opposition via another business group are calling for Neptune's arrest for involvement or malfeasance in the St Marc February killings. And South Africa has blasted Jamaica and has called for an investigation of the stopped delivery of the police arms it sent Jamaica for Haiti on the latter and CARICOM's request. (note - press reports about three days before the Aristide departure noted an OAS or CARICOM imosition of an arms embargo for HAiti to chillthe fighting - but that embargo was not clearly intended for Haitian Government arms reinforcements reuested through and delivered via CARICOM.) Hence South Africa is seeking that investigation of the international military response. -Again at Radio Metropole Haitian. By AP's reports of a vociferous but largely peaceful pro-Aristide in Port au prince today -10000+ marched for his return - his support is not diminished. --- Analysis- By law he could revoke his resignation and place his status before the Haitian Congess. However this may revive hostilities -save the protection of the international force -and may bolt an prospect of the Opposition's peacemaking participation in a national unity coalition envisioned by CARICOM and the purpose of the Conciliation Council -now called the Council of Sages and TriPartite Council. |
// posted by scotty of course @ 6:20 PM 
