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Ousted Haitian President Says, "I was kidnapped"

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NEW YORK, (Mar. 1) Deposed Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide says he was kidnapped and forcibly removed from Haiti, according to multiple sources interviewed by Pacifica Radio, but top U.S. officials quickly denied the explosive charges.

Congressmember Maxine Waters told Pacifica's morning news program "Democracy Now!" that she spoke with the president this morning and he says that he was"kidnapped" and taken by force to the Central African Republic. See www.democracynow.org

TransAfrica founder and close Aristide family friend Randall Robinson also received a call from the Haitian president early this morning and confirmed Waters account.

Robinson told "Democracy Now!" host Amy Goodman that Aristide "emphatically" denied that he had resigned.

"He did not resign," Robinson said. "He was abducted by the United States in the commission of a coup."

Robinson says he spoke to Aristide on a cell phone that was smuggled to the Haitian president.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld denied the allegations.

At a Pentagon news conference, Rumsfeld said "the idea that someone was abducted is inconsistent with everything I saw."

"I don't believe that's true, that he's claiming that," Rumsfeld said. "I would be absolutely amazed if that were the case."

White House spokesperson Scotty McClellan said that Aristide left Haiti of his own free will.

Secretary of State Colin Powell said, "He was not kidnapped," and criticized U.S. congressmen for saying that Aristide had been kidnapped without checking with the Bush administration. (see news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=589&u= /ap/20040301/ap_on_re_la_am _ca/us_haiti_18&printer=1)

Jamaican Prime Minister PJ Patterson, chairman of the Caribbean regional group, Caricom, said Arsitide's removal could set " a dangerous precedent for democratically elected governments everywhere."

He added that people were "bound to question whether the resignation of Mr Aristide was truly voluntary".

Congressmember Maxine Waters told "Democracy Now!" that she received a call from Aristide at 9am EST.

"He's surrounded by military. It's like he is in jail, he said. He says he was kidnapped," said Waters.

Waters said Aristide had been threatened by what he called U.S. Embassy diplomats. According to Waters, U.S. officials reportedly told the Haitian president that if he did not leave Haiti, paramilitary leader Guy Philippe would storm the palace and Aristide would be killed.

According to Waters, the Haitian president was told by the U.S. that they were withdrawing Aristide's U.S. security.

Aristide and his wife Mildred were not told where they were being taken and are presently being held against their will, Waters said. Aristide is reportedly under French and U.S. guard.

During a brief recorded statement when he arrived in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, Aristide said, "In overthrowing me, they cut down the tree of peace. But it will grow again, because the roots are well planted."

Aristide's ultimate destination is unknown. The South African deputy foreign minister said his country would consider a request for political asylum. U.S. officials claimed that South Africa had denied Aristide asylum.

The U.S. ambassador to Haiti, James Foley, said Aristide was told Saturday night and Sunday morning that the rebels were coming and his security could not be assured. Other U.S. officials said they "helped" Aristide leave.

U.S. officials said as many as 400 Marines will be in Haiti by late today as part of an international peacekeeping force approved by the U.N. Security Council.

Aristide had unsuccessfully pleaded for such help before his ouster.

"Democracy Now!" is a one hour morning news show hosted by award-winning journalists Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. See www.democracynow.org.

Founded in 1949, Pacifica Radio is the nation's first listener-supported, community-based radio network. Along with KPFA in Berkeley, it includes WBAI 99.5 FM in New York, KPFK 90.7 FM in Los Angeles, KPFT 90.1 FM in Houston and WPFW 89.3 FM in Washington DC.