Download - LSE Theses Online - London School of Economics and ...

Mbeki’s own interpretation of the situation was briefly offered in his weekly onlineletter, ANC Today. A few months after the revolt and deposing of Aristide, hewrote:The central purpose of the counter-revolution is to halt and reverse the longdelayeddemocratic revolution in Haiti, guarantee the positions of the privilegedfew, and ensure the continued oppression, disempowerment and impoverishmentof the millions of poor Haitians. In many respects, the 2004 counter-revolution inHaiti was not dissimilar to the counter-revolution in Chile in 1973, which resultedin the overthrow of the Allende government, the death of the President, and theinstallation of the Pinochet military dictatorship. 632Thus was the President’s concern, and by implication, South Africa’s, framed interms of a struggle in Haiti for democracy and economic, social and politicaldevelopment and equality; and, significantly, of the centrality of Aristide and hissupporters to this struggle:From his election in 1990, President Aristide and other patriots have been engagedin a complex and difficult struggle to establish the stable democratic system thathas eluded the First Black Republic since its birth 200 years ago. They have alsosought to ensure that this new democracy should address the interests of themajority of the people, the black urban and rural poor. 633Mbeki also conveyed his opinion on UN Resolution 1529 thus:What was and is strange and disturbing about this Resolution is that it is totallysilent on the central issue of the unconstitutional and anti-democratic removal ofthe elected Government of Haiti. It says nothing about the notorious figures whoachieved this objective, arms in hand, killing many people. 634This gives some indication of the South African government’s stance on theprospect of assisting in multilateral initiatives to stabilise Haiti. While it was open toCARICOM’s interpretation of events, it viewed the UN Security Council’s positionwith scepticism.News reports also contended that South Africa had attempted to dispatch aconsignment of arms to assist in the defence of the Aristide government. According632 Thabo Mbeki, “Haiti after the Press went home”, ANC Today, 4, No. 29, (23-29 July)2004. Accessed online at: http://www.anc.org.za/docs/anctoday/2004/at29.htm on 8December 2010.633 Ibid.634 Ibid.249