Haiti's President Refuses To Resign

President Jean-Bertrand Aristide has rejected calls for his resignation, while the United States is condemning recent political violence and calling on Aristide's government to "restore a climate of security."

In comments Wednesday after days of violence throughout the country, Aristide accused his opponents of sabotaging progress in Haiti and downplaying a general strike called to oppose his government.

"It's not President Aristide they don't like. It's the Haitian people they don't like," Aristide told a crowd in the southern coastal city of Les Cayes on Wednesday.

The speech coincided with an anti-Aristide strike by businesses in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Banks were closed, gas stations empty, and many students returned home when they found their schools shut. Similar strikes were held in tandem in Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, and Jacmel.

Wednesday's strike came after an eruption of anti-government demonstrations on Tuesday that left at least 16 people injured. During many of Tuesday's clashes, Aristide's supporters attacked demonstrators with whips and rocks. Protesters are demanding better living conditions and an end to Aristide's government, which they accuse of being autocratic and anti-dissident.

Fifteen major business associations participated in the strike. In a written statement, the associations accused the government of "contempt for the most basic democratic norms."

About 2,000 Aristide supporters broke up Tuesday's Port-au-Prince march using stones and rawhide whips to drive away protesters. Police fired tear gas Tuesday at a crowd in Petit-Goave, where ten teenagers were injured in an opposition protest last week.

In its statement, the State Department said it was "particularly troubled by the violence and intimidation perpetrated by government-backed popular organizations and their allies."

The government blamed Tuesday's violence on the opposition. "We reject violent confrontations," government spokesman Mario Dupuy said. He accused the opposition of polarizing the country and said Aristide wants a "peaceful environment."

At least three people have been killed and scores injured in three weeks of anti-government protests in Haiti. Some observers fear a coup is possible. Opposition leaders said they are only seeking change.

"The people don't stage coup d'etats. But they know how to chase dictators like you (Aristide) from power," said opposition politician Evans Paul.

Aristide won the presidency in 1990, but was overthrown in a coup after less than a year in office. He lived in exile in Washington until U.S. troops helped restore him to power in 1994, then ceded power to chosen successor Rene Preval in 1996. Aristide won a second five-year term in November 2000

The United States, European union and international lending organizations have held up aid to Haiti since a 2000 legislative election in which Aristide's Lavalas party won several seats. The U.S. and others claimed the formulas used to determine the winners were flawed — the CIA dubs the vote simply "fraudulent."

Since then, most of the international donor community has insisted that Aristide reach accord with the Haitian opposition before a resumption of aid.

Aristide's supporters claim the opposition — which at one point named a "parallel president" to Aristide — lacks widespread support and is deliberately obstructing plans for new elections. The senators elected under the controversial formula resigned, but that did no resolve the conflict.

Haiti is now scheduled to conduct new legislative elections this spring, but Aristide has not yet created an electoral council to oversee the vote, a crucial step in donor's eyes.

"The international community still supports … the setting up of a provisional electoral council in order to hold elections," said Organization of American States special representative David Lee, who deplored "the intimidation that marred" Tuesday's demonstrations.

According to the United States Agency for International Development, the U.S. has helped block at least $146 million in aid to Haiti and the European Union about $54 million in aid. Haiti faces a fiscal crisis; it owes money on several loans. Until it pays those debts, it cannot obtain new funds to satisfy debts due in the near future.