Haitian security force proposed

Haiti's government has neither accepted nor rejected an ex-senator's proposal to gather former soldiers into a new force to maintain security.
BY MICHAEL DEIBERT
Special to The Herald

HAITI

PORT-AU-PRINCE -- A former Haitian senator and army major has proposed a new force of 1,500 to 2,000 former soldiers to curb the insecurity plaguing the country since an armed revolt in February.

The ex-senator, Dany Toussaint, said the ''dissuasion'' force, to be composed of soldiers from the army that was disbanded in 1995 and those who later fought in the rebel ranks, would respond to civil unrest and other security threats.

His proposal, presented to Interior Ministry officials, has been criticized as an attempt to re-create a brutal army, a reward for rebels who toppled a democratically elected president, and a Toussaint play for power.

The 46-year-old Toussaint has steadfastly denied allegations linking him to drug trafficking and the murder of a Haitian journalist in 2000. He bolted from then President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's Lavalas Family political party in December and went on to become a government critic.

more: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8709206.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Is CARICOM supporting him?

PRETORIA
Govt waiting on word from Aristide
Posted Tue, 18 May 2004

Government is still waiting to hear when ousted Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide and his entourage are to arrive in the country, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday.

Spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said the government was waiting for an official communiqué from the Caribbean Economic Community (Caricom) as to the exact date.

"But until then we are working full steam ahead to prepare for his arrival," Mamoepa said.

Government Communications and Information Systems chief executive Joel Netshitenzhe last Thursday announced that South Africa had agreed to give Aristide a temporary home. This followed a Cabinet lekgotla to discuss the issue.

http://iafrica.com/news/sa/323425.htm