Aristide sees private role upon return to Haiti

By Paul Simao

PRETORIA (Reuters) – Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide said on Wednesday he intended to help shape the future
of the Caribbean nation as a private citizen when he returned
from exile.

“I am confident that I can serve my country without being
involved as the president of the country now,” Aristide told
reporters in Pretoria, where he has lived since fleeing Haiti
in 2004 following a violent revolt against his rule.

Aristide, a populist who won two presidential elections
only to be driven from power both times, declined to rule out a
return to politics but stressed he would focus on education
when he returned to the impoverished nation.

But he said he would do so only after consultations with
South African President Thabo Mbeki and Rene Preval, a former
ally who was declared the winner of Haiti’s presidential
election last week.

Preval’s victory sparked speculation that Aristide’s return
would be a speedy and celebratory one. Aristide on Wednesday
said the two men had spoken but declined to give details. “It
is a private matter,” Aristide said.

On Tuesday, he told South Africa’s SABC television he
believed he would return “as soon as possible.”

STABILITY

The former Roman Catholic priest described the election
results as a victory for the Haitian people. “I care about him.
I care for our president,” Aristide said, referring to Preval.

While Preval has distanced himself somewhat from Aristide,
he has said there was nothing to stop him from returning from
South Africa. Mbeki also has voiced a similar opinion.

It is unclear how the United States, which some have
accused of helping oust Aristide two years ago, views the
prospect.

Aristide’s two interrupted terms in power coincided with
unrest that spilled into America’s lap.

In the 1990s, the United States was forced to deal with a
mass exodus of boat people who fled to U.S. shores to escape a
surge in political bloodletting following a military coup that
overthrew Aristide.

In 2004, U.S. troops entered Haiti to help restore calm
when Aristide was deposed a second time. Washington’s
overwhelming concern now, it appears, is to maintain stability
in Haiti.

But Aristide, who remains popular in much of Haiti and
blames the United States for his ousting, might, if he returns,
push Preval to challenge U.S. policy in the Caribbean.

Aristide said on Wednesday that relations between Haiti and
the United States must revolve around mutual respect and a
commitment to democracy, freedom and human rights.

Aristide is not the only one pressing for an end to his
exile. One of South Africa’s opposition parties, the Democratic
Alliance (DA), said on Wednesday it wanted the former Haitian
leader to leave as soon as possible.

“The total cost of his stay in South Africa can be
reasonably assumed to have run into millions of rands — an
extraordinary waste of precious resources given South Africa’s
pressing development needs and Mr. Aristide’s dubious human
rights record,” the DA said in a statement.