Nigeria offers Haiti's ousted Aristide temporary asylum

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Nigeria offers Haiti's ousted Aristide temporary asylum

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The Nigerian federal government has agreed to offer asylum to former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide in the country for a few weeks until he moved to another destination, a government statement said in Abuja on Monday.

The statement, issued by Remi Oyo, the senior special assistant on media and publicity to President Olusegun Obasanjo, said the country would simply be a "staging post" for Aristide's next movement.

Nigeria took the decision based on a request by the Caribbean Economic Community (CARICOM) under the leadership of Prime Minister PJ Patterson of Jamaica, the state-run News Agency of Nigeria reported. Aristide is now in Jamaica.

"After receiving the CARICOM request, Nigeria undertook widespread consultations with African leaders, the leadership of the African Union, the US government and other concerned authorities," the statement said.

The statement didn't specify whether Aristide requested or agreed to the arrangement, nor did it say when the Haitian leader would arrive.

Nigeria has so far granted asylum to at least four former heads of state including Felix Malloum of Chad, Mohammed Siad Barre of Somalia, Charles Taylor of Liberia and now Haiti's Aristide.

Aristide was driven into exile after an armed street gang launched a revolt against him in Gonaives, Haiti's fourth largest city on Feb. 5.

The month-long revolt was joined by former soldiers and one-time death squad leaders with pressure reportedly from the United States. Aristide's exile on Feb. 29 brought to power a new leader, Gerard Latortue.

Aristide was the first democratically elected leader in the Haiti, which gained independence from France in 1804.

Source: Xinhua

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