Haiti: US Orchastrates Coup, Kidnaps Aristide
by michaelis Wednesday March 03, 2004 at 02:44 AM
michaelis@kleveland.org

Despite the portrayal by corporate media, the recent coup in Haiti was not organized by "freedom fighters", but actually murderous paramilitaries funded by the US government and trained by the CIA, all hiding under cover provided by corporate media.

Corporate media and the Bush administration would have people believe that the recent revolt in Haiti was the work of oppressed citizens fighting for independence. Documentation of US "involvement" in Haiti, however, tells a different story.

Jean Bertrand Aristide, the democratically elected president of Haiti since 1990, has faced US pressure to resign since the Clinton administration. Haiti, one of the world's poorest nations, currently suffers a US embargo of $500 million foreign aid. Previous US involvement also includes support for dictatorial regimes and efforts to prevent a higher minimum wage.

The opposition, described by the corporate media as "freedom fighters", are actually a US sponsored ruthless and brutal militia, many of whom were involved in the US-backed death squads of the 1991-1994 coup attempt. Louis Jodel Chamblain, a former leader in the FRAPH paramilitary death squad, Guy Philippe, once a police chief, and others were trained in Ecuador by US Special Forces during the previous coup. Many people view Haiti as simply one more example of an illegal CIA orchastrated coup, as it has does so often before. Not surprisingly, these "rebel leaders" have established relationships with Colin Powell and George W. Bush throughout the years.

Unfortunately for the people of Haiti, these paramilitary coup attempts also have disasterous consequences on the nation's poor, and only promise future dictatorial regimes.

Washington has been working closely with corporate media sources to distort the coup, downplaying US involvement. Among these distortions include the claim Aristide recently "stepped down" from the presidency, while various interviews instead suggest that he was forcibly kidnapped and being detained by the US government.

Read more articles detailing the truth about Haiti at:

[IMC Global][Democracy Now!][ZNet]

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