NewsMax Wires
Sunday, Feb. 29, 2004

The head of Haiti's supreme court said he was taking charge. U.N. diplomats said key Security Council members would begin to talk Sunday about a resolution to authorize an international force.

Prime Minister Yvon Neptune said at a press conference that Aristide resigned to "prevent bloodshed."

At the same news conference, U.S. Ambassador James Foley insisted the United States had not asked Aristide to resign.

"President (Jean-Bertrand) Aristide made a decision for the good of the Haitian people," Foley said. "International military forces including U.S. forces will be rapidly arriving in Haiti to begin to restore a sense of security."

A jet carrying the ex-leader landed on the island of Antigua for refueling and was headed to South Africa, local radio stations reported. But the government in Johannesburg said there had been no recent contact with Aristide nor an offer of asylum.

Three hours after Aristide's departure, Supreme Court Justice Boniface Alexandre declared he was taking over as called for by the constitution. He urged calm after more than three weeks of violence.

"The task will not be an easy one," Alexandre, who is in his 60s, said at a news conference. "Haiti is in crisis. ... It needs all its sons and daughters. No one should take justice into their own hands."

Despite Alexandre's declaration that he was in charge, the Haitian constitution calls for parliament to approve him as leader and the legislature has not met since early this year when lawmakers' terms expired.

The rebels launched the rebellion on Feb. 5 from Gonaives, 70 miles northwest of Port-au-Prince. More than 100 people were killed.

Rebel commander Winter Etienne said, "We're going to put our weapons down when we've got a new government."

As he spoke, rebels rode through Cap-Haitien in trucks, waving at hundreds of people who took to the streets in celebration, dancing and singing.

But Etienne indicated it might not be over: "We will go to Gonaives, and then we will pass to St. Marc," he told The Associated Press.

St. Marc is a government held town north of Port-au-Prince where Aristide militants have been terrorizing opponents, torching homes and executing alleged rebel sympathizers.

The crisis has been brewing since Aristide's party swept flawed legislative elections in 2000 and international donors froze millions of dollars in aid.

Opponents also accused him of breaking promises to help the poor, allowing corruption fueled by drug-trafficking and masterminding attacks on opponents by armed gangs _ charges the president denied.

It was the second time the 50-year-old former slum priest fled his country. Aristide was ousted in a 1991 coup, within months of becoming president for the first time. He was restored to power three years later by U.S. troops.

President Bill Clinton sent 20,000 troops to restore Aristide but insisted he respect a constitutional term limit and step down in 1995.

Aristide handpicked his successor, Rene Preval, but was considered the power behind the scenes until he won a second term in 2000, in presidential elections marred by a low turnout and an opposition boycott.

France, Haiti's former colonizer, and the United States had suggested he step down for the good of his Caribbean nation of 8 million people.

It was not clear where Aristide's wife, Mildred Trouillot Aristide, was. The couple had sent their two daughters to Trouillot's mother in New York City last week.

© 2004 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Editor's note:
FREE e-mail alerts from NewsMax.com – click here now!