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| Haiti Coat Of Arms--L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Unity is our strength) |
CARICOM Heads of Government met on 2nd and 3rd March 2004 in Kingston, Jamaica, in an emergency session to consider the situation in Haiti.
The Heads of Government expressed dismay and alarm over the events leading to the departure from office by President Aristide and the ongoing political upheaval and violence in Haiti. They called for the immediate return to democratic rule and respect for the Constitution of Haiti.
The Heads of Government recalled that the CARICOM Prior Action Plan had been developed with the full involvement of the United States, Canada, the OAS and the European Union and fully endorsed by the international community. This initiative was guided by the need to preserve the rule of law and predicated on the precepts of shared government, binding both President Aristide and the legitimate opposition to specific commitments, which would lead to a peaceful resolution of the political impasse respectful of the constitution, and promoting the democratic process.
Heads of Government were disappointed by the reluctance of the Security Council to take immediate action in response to appeals for assistance by the Government of Haiti.
On Sunday 29 February 2004, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1529 endorsing the deployment of a Multinational Interim Force to Haiti. This was what CARICOM had sought in the first place, but the decision was taken in circumstances quite different to those conceived in the CARICOM Plan since it followed immediately the departure from office of President Aristide.
They expressed the view that the circumstances under which the President demitted office set a dangerous precedent for democratically elected governments everywhere as it promotes the unconstitutional removal of duly elected persons from office.
Reaffirming the fundamental tenets of governance within the Caribbean Community based on the Charter of Civil Society, as well as the principles enshrined in the Quebec Declaration and the Inter-American Democratic Charter, Heads of Government stressed that these obligations must be used to determine the democratic nature of governance in Haiti.
In this regard, no action should be taken to legitimize the rebel forces nor should they be included in any interim government. The Heads of Government also agreed that the issue of relations with the interim administration would be the subject of urgent review at the upcoming Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference.
Heads of Government were deeply perturbed at the contradictory reports surrounding the demission from office of the constitutionally elected President. These concerns were heightened by public assertions made by President Aristide that he had not demitted office voluntarily. Heads of Government called for an investigation under the auspices of the United Nations to clarify the circumstances leading to his relinquishing the Presidency.
