Marines To Haiti As Aristide Flees

For the second time in ten years, an armed rebellion on Sunday forced Jean-Bertrand Aristide to flee Haiti and U.S. Marines to head to the troubled Caribbean nation.

But unlike in 1991, Aristide's departure early Sunday was welcomed by the United States. And this time, the Marines are headed to Haiti not to restore Aristide as they did in 1994, but to deal with the chaos he left behind.

With rebel armies headed by former military and death squad leaders preparing to enter the capital Port-au-Prince — and under pressure from the United States and France, the former colonial power — Aristide resigned under pressure. He left on an executive jet early Sunday.

Haiti's capital erupted in chaos. His supporters fired at random into crowds. Supermarkets and pharmacies were looted. People on the streets were robbed.

The head of Haiti's supreme court said he was taking charge, and a top rebel leader said he would send his forces to Port-au-Prince soon "to give security to the people."

U.S. Marines, the first wave an international peacekeeping force, will arrive in the Haitian capital Sunday afternoon, a U.S. official said.

President Bush acknowledged the constitutional successor in Haiti as he announced the imminent arrival of U.S. troops.

"I have ordered the deployment of Marines as the leading element of an interim international force to help bring order and stability to Haiti," Mr. Bush said in a brief statement on the White House lawn. "I have done so working with the international community."

"This government believes it is essential that Haiti have a hopeful future," Mr. Bush continued. "We urge the people of Haiti to reject violence to give this break from chaos a chance to work. The United States is prepared to help."

A key rebel leader said he welcomed the arrival of foreign troops to keep the peace.

"I think the worst is over, and we're waiting for the international forces. They will have our full cooperation," Guy Philippe said in an interview with CNN.

"With Aristede out of the country, the tough negotiations begin," said CBS News Foreign Affairs Analyst Pamela Falk. "The priority will be to keep Haiti a constitutional democracy with the former government and opposition represented, with new elections to follow."

U.N. diplomats said key Security Council members would begin talks Sunday about a resolution to authorize an international force for Haiti, which erupted into violence three and a half weeks ago when rebels began driving police from towns and cities in the north.

Though not aligned with rebels, the political opposition had pushed for Aristide to leave for the good of Haiti's population of 8 million, angered by poverty, corruption and crime. The uprising — only the most recent violence in this Caribbean nation — killed at least 100 people.

Prime Minister Yvon Neptune told a press conference that Aristide resigned to "prevent bloodshed."

There were conflicting reports on where Aristide would go. Some said South Africa, others Morocco, Taiwan or Panama. It was not clear where Aristide's wife was. The ex-president and Mildred Trouillot Aristide had sent their two daughters to her mother in New York City last week.

Three hours after Aristide's departure, Supreme Court Justice Boniface Alexandre declared at a news conference that he was taking over as called for by the constitution. He urged calm.

Despite Alexandre's declaration that he was in charge, the Haitian constitution calls for parliament to approve him as leader, and the legislature has not met since early this year when lawmakers' terms expired.

Port-au-Prince was in chaos Sunday as news emerged of the president's departure.

Angry Aristide supporters roamed the streets armed with old rifles, pistols, machetes and sticks. Some fired wildly into crowds on the Champs de Mars, the main square in front of the National Palace. Looters pillaged supermarkets and pharmacies.

"Chop off their heads and burn their homes," the rioters screamed, echoing the war cry of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the general who ousted French troops and torched plantations to end slavery in Haiti.

Half the country is in the hands of the rebels, including former soldiers of the army that Aristide disbanded during a political career tainted by alleged fraud.

Philippe, the rebel leader, told The Associated Press his forces would head for the capital but would not engage in any further fighting.

"The time is not for fighting anymore," Philippe said, in an interview with CNN.

He also said rebels wanted to take part in any negotiations about Haiti's future, but had already accepted Alexandre as president.

Another rebel commander, Winter Etienne, said the fighters — a motley group also led by a former army death squad commander and a former pro-Aristide street gang chief — would disarm once a new government is installed.

As he spoke, rebels rode through Cap-Haitien in trucks, waving at hundreds of people who danced and sang in the streets in celebration.

Aristide was ousted in a 1991 coup, months after he was elected president for the first time. He was restored to power three years later by U.S. troops.

President Clinton sent 20,000 troops to restore Aristide but insisted he respect a constitutional term limit and step down in 1995.

His party swept legislative elections in 2000. The U.S. and other countries complained about a vote-counting formula used to decide a handful of seats.

International donors froze millions of dollars in aid. His opponents boycotted the 2000 presidential election, weakening Aristide's mandate.

Opponents also accused him of breaking promises to help the poor, allowing corruption fueled by drug-trafficking and masterminding attacks on opponents by armed gangs — charges the president denied.

After the current uprising began, Aristide accepted a peace deal negotiated by Caribbean leaders last week. The opposition refused, insisting he had to go. France soon agreed.

On Saturday, the White House said, "this long-simmering crisis is largely of Mr. Aristide's making."

"His own actions have called into question his fitness to continue to govern Haiti. We urge him to examine his position carefully, to accept responsibility, and to act in the best interests of the people of Haiti," a White House statement read.