Amidst pressure from opposition groups in Haiti and mounting violence that had erupted across several major cities, including the capital, Port-au-Prince, President Jean Bertrand Aristide left the country on 29 February 2004. He said his departure was necessary in the best interests of his country, to avoid the further bloodshed that threatened to engulf his poor nation if he continued in office. Mr. Aristide became Haiti’s first elected president in 1990. He was ousted in a military coup in 1991, and restored to office in 1994 by the Clinton administration and 21,000 American troops. The priest-turned-politician failed to reach an agreement with his political opponents, and political bickering turned Haiti into a political cauldron.

On 5 February 2004, cities like St. Marc, Dondon, Cap-Haitien, Gonaives and Les Cayes were convulsed by armed uprisings led by Guy Philippe, a former Haitian police chief; against Aristide. Civilian opposition groups in Port-Au-Prince joined demonstrations demanding   Aristide’s resignation, squarely blaming him for the present crisis. Opposition spokesman Andy Apaid pointed out that Aristide was guilty of gross human rights violations and his resignation would usher in a peace process in Haiti. He was also accused of an autocratic style of functioning and political fraud after he had refused to hold parliamentary elections in 2000.

The US was initially hesitant to commit troops to defuse the Haitian crisis. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, acknowledged on 17 February in Washington that the Bush Administration, already stretched in the Middle East, had no wish to send troops to Haiti. In fact, the administration reposed faith in Aristide to move Haiti towards a political settlement, disarm his supporters – ‘the Chimeres’ – reform the police, and welcome political opponents into a new governing council. Powell stated that the US would not support the removal of an elected president by a coup, that Aristide had embraced the Caricom Accord negotiated by the Caribbean Community which endorsed the appointment of a new neutral and independent Prime Minister, a government of national unity, and a new electoral commission. However, Aristide’s opponents said they would accept nothing less than his exile.

 Canada and France agreed to send in their troops as part of a political settlement. The Canadian Foreign Minister, Bill Graham, said on 17 February in Ottawa that Canada was willing to send in a peacekeeping force. In the face of mounting pressure from relief agencies and human rights groups, the US was forced to change its stand on the Haitian crisis by the end of February 2004. Haitians were trying to reach safety in Florida. Powell, said on 26 February 2004 that Aristide’s resignation was in the best interests of Haiti. Aristide then stated in an interview on CNN on the same day that he had no plans to relinquish his presidency and said that Haiti had a history of coups and the current developments were not out of the ordinary. He termed Powell’s remarks as disgraceful and against democracy. But, Bernard Aronson, a top Latin American policymaker under Bush Sr., said that Aristide’s continuation in office would increase violence. The French Foreign Minister, de Villepin, also called for Aristide’s voluntary resignation.

With rebels and Aristide loyalists engaged in clashes across Haiti, no thaw in the situation was in sight. Under pressure from the US and France, Aristide left Haiti and flew to the Dominican Republic and later to Panama.  Charles Baker, leader of the opposition Civic and Political Group said about Aristide’s departure that “it’s great for the country. That’s what we have been waiting for.” Haitian Chief Justice, Boniface Alexander was made temporary head of state, according to the constitution. On 1 March, the UN Security Council approved of a US-led multilateral force entering Haiti that included France, Canada and Brazil to restore order. Meanwhile, rebel leader, Guy Phillipe also agreed to disarm his men in return for security guarantees from the international force. Evan Paul, a key opposition leader agreed to support the peace plan led by the US, Canada, France and the Caribbean Community.

The Haitian Crisis is an example of the neglect of a volatile situation that had been brewing in the country since the late 1990s and the failure of non-violent protests to evoke an international response. However, the speedy response of the international community should mitigate the crisis from escalating further.