Congresswoman Maxine Waters Says Bloodbath Imminent in Haiti

HOUSTON, Texas - Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who returned from Haiti on Saturday, says a bloodbath in that country is imminent in spite of the fact that President Aristide has agreed to the peace plan worked out by the international community.

"The opposition has rejected the peace plan, they have refused to negotiate and they have sent that signal to the thugs and newly formed army of exiled criminals. They have murdered many people in Cap Haitien and now control several cities.

"These thugs, and the newly reformed army made up of exiled former military officers and criminals known as The Front for the Advancement and Progress of Haiti (Fraph), are now on their way to Port-au-Prince and there will be a bloodbath there in hours unless there is some form of intervention from the United States and the international community beyond merely securing their embassies," Waters said.

President Aristide has been on the telephone for the last eight hours, asking the United States for help. Congresswoman Waters has placed calls to Secretary of State, Colin Powell, asking for help.

Congresswoman Waters was told by Ambassador Roger Noriega, the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, that the United States does not have any plans to assist in preventing Fraph from creating this confrontation, nor did he know whether this policy would change. Congresswoman Waters concluded her conversation with Mr. Noriega by warning him that a bloodbath on the streets of Haiti in Port au Prince was imminent and that the United States could avert this bloodbath if the United States, or the international community, with the aid of the United States, would send assistance to strengthen the Haitian police force to restore order.