ARISTIDE RETURNS TO HAITI ... NOT YET.

"The UN Mission for Stabilization in Haiti (MINUSTAH) has no opinion on a possible return of Jean Bertrand Aristide in the country," said Edmond Mulet interviewed Sunday at his residence by Le Nouvelliste while persistent rumors, but fancy, show a return on Sunday the former president in Haiti.
According to sources combined, the Foreign Ministry is preparing to return to Ira Kuzban, a lawyer for Mr. Aristide on a diplomatic passport rightfully his as a former president of Haiti.

"His lawyer in Haiti, with a term in good and due form. The Interior Ministry is poised to make the passport of former President Aristide will be given to his lawyer, "admitted an official of the Foreign Ministry on Sunday night.

All rumors of an imminent return of former president came from the disclosure of this information.

Préval government's dithering-Bellerive

According to the Haitian Press Agency (AHP) this problem passport should have been resolved since last week after sending the lawyer on behalf of President Aristide, in a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to apply for renewal passport, but the ministers of Interior and Foreign Affairs considered this insufficient and argued piece of pseudo administrative reasons ", saying that President Aristide should make the request himself.
After demanding that he go to Benin for filing the application (although it does not have a passport), the Foreign Ministry stated that Mr. Aristide could finally scan a letter and send it by mail to the department.
However, at the last council of government, several ministers felt these outlandish demands and required that the passport be sent to the president in exile for him to return to his country, since it is a constitutional requirement.
The former president for life Jean-Claude Duvalier is returned without difficulty at home Jan. 16, but why all this pettiness against President Aristide, have outraged some members of the government.
The waiting begins.

All the afternoon of Sunday, unusual traffic was observed at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport. Supporters of the Lavalas party leader, journalists and police officers seemed to be awaiting an event.

Contacted by The News, a high-ranking Lavalas party has denied that Sunday's arrival of the former pastor of St. John Bosco who is still in South Africa.

"Not this Sunday. Not yet. I am not yet informed in any case, "he told the newspaper.
Several sources interviewed by the newspaper questioned whether Aristide to make the trip to Haiti so that the results of the presidential election on Nov. 28 announced on February 3 announced a second round between Michel Martelly and Mirlande Manigat, two politicians who do are not his friends.

"Preval is out of the race, Inite owes him nothing, his enemies will take power, Haiti will be a real trap for Aristide returns if all the French, Americans and others are not favorable" , said at an analyst Nouvelliste under cover of anonymity.

Reserves Mulet

Edmond Mulet, Special Representative of UN Secretary General in Haiti, was keen to recall that "under the government of Mr. Aristide, there were accusations of embezzlement that led to lawsuits in the United States of America . There have also been lawsuits against drug traffickers close to the regime, some of whom have been convicted. People have suffered violations of their rights because of state violence under his regime. Everything leads us to believe that there will be complaints against him if he comes back and he will have to answer to justice for acts committed while he was in charge of Haiti, "said the UN diplomat .
MINUSTAH and Jean Bertrand Aristide have a complicated journey. The first UN mission has set foot on national territory February 29, 2004, the day of departure into exile of the leader of Lavalas.
"The recent elections are an opportunity for Haiti to move forward. Do not hold Haiti hostage to its past. Countries evolve and Haiti has a new step that has nothing to do with the situation 30 years ago, aged 20, 15 or even 5 years, "concluded the diplomat.
The UN has offered its assistance to Haitian government to assist it in the file in preparation for impeachment Jean-Claude Duvalier returned home on January 16 last, has also reminded the Nouvelliste Edmond Mulet.


Frantz Duval
duvalf@hotmail.com

The Nouvelliste