Haiti-US Forces Arrive
9-19-1994
^U.S. Troops Land in Haiti After Last-Minute Accord Halts Invasion
^By ANDREW SELSKY
^Associated Press Writer
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) _ U.S. soldiers descended on Haiti today as peacekeepers, not invaders, receiving a warm welcome and meeting no resistance as they began their mission to restore the country's elected leadership.
Haitians climbed over fences at the capital's port to greet U.S. Army soldiers, part of wave after wave of arriving troops and vanguard of an occupation force, which will enforce the agreement that averted an invasion of this impoverished nation.
The overwhelming greeting emphasized the general support Haitians gave to soldiers who will keep the peace in a country wracked by years of brutal Haitian army rule.
The port takeover, where pro-U.S. crowds lining the docks swelled to thousands by the afternoon, followed similar maneuvers at the international airport as U.S. forces seized key posts in the capital.
Troops warily climbed off Cobra and Black Hawk helicopters that crossed from U.S. warships offshore this morning and set down at the international airfield. Huge transport aircraft followed with landings in the afternoon.
Earlier at first light, two U.S. warships and a Coast Guard cutter glided into port and secured the main harbor. An aircraft carrier shimmered in the mist on the horizon.
U.S. Marines were deployed in the northern city of Cap-Haitien. Arriving troops, some from the 10th Mountain Division based in Fort Drum, N.Y., and some veterans of Somalia, said the takeovers went much smoother that those in the African nation.
"It seems like the Haitian people are happy for us to be here right now but there's always a bad apple in every bunch," said Staff Sgt. Clifford Drysdale, of Columbus, Ga., who spent a six-month tour in Somalia.
Under a cloudless blue sky, Maj. Gen. David Meade, commander of the army's 10th Mountain Division, told reporters on arrival at the Port-au-Prince airport, "We haven't seen any resistance and we haven't expected any."
Helicopters overflying Port-au-Prince broadcast, in the local Creole language, the following message: "Stay calm. We're not at war. We're here to restore democracy and supply humanitarian aid."
Lt. Gen. Henry Hugh Shelton, field commander of the Haiti operation and former head of the 82nd Airborne division, arrived after the airfield was secured.
Shelton, easily distinguishable in a red beret, strode off under a heavy U.S. guard to meet at the Haitian army headquarters with military leader Lt. Gen. Raoul Cedras. Under the agreement reached late Sunday, Cedras is to relinquish power by Oct. 15. He has reneged on past deals.
"I just had a meeting with General Cedras," Shelton told reporters after noon. "I'm happy to report that we have been very warmly received by military and the people here in Haiti."
In Washington, there was relief that a military conflict had been avoided. At the same time, questions were raised about whether President Clinton had been too accommodating to Cedras.
Clinton today conceded the situation "remains difficult ... uncertain" while former President Carter - sent to Haiti by Clinton in a last-ditch effort to avoid an invasion - called the effort a success.
"We believe that the overriding result has been the avoidance of massive bloodshed and perhaps an extended period of occupation," Carter said. He, former joint chiefs of staff Gen. Colin Powell, and Sen. Sam Nunn, D.-Ga., negotiated the agreement with Haiti's leaders.
In New York, the U.N. Security Council was to meet this afternoon to discuss lifting economic sanctions against Haiti that were imposed last year after Cedras went back on his word and refused to resign.
The new accord calls for Haiti's military leaders to step down and for exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was toppled by the military on Sept. 30, 1991, to return.
The agreement was reached after Clinton ordered American paratroopers into the air, halted a land, sea and air assault scheduled for today. In return, the pact calls for a lifting of the U.N. embargo that has made life on this poor Caribbean island even tougher.
This morning, along a mile-long stretch of shoreline in Carrefour, five miles west of the capital, hundreds of people stared out at the U.S. ships and watched as dozens of helicopters crossed overhead.
"We are very happy," said Levy Cadet, a restaurant security guard. "I hope that the military this time will respect the accord they've signed to give Haiti a chance to live."
Scattered gunfire broke out late Sunday after the American delegation ended marathon talks with Cedras and Brig. Gen. Philippe Biamby, army chief of staff.
A third junta leader, the Port-au-Prince police chief, Lt. Col. Michel Francois, was not a party to the agreement. He has gone into "virtual hiding," unidentified senior administration officials were quoted in today's New York Times as saying.
Haiti's 81-year-old president, Emile Jonassaint, went on television just before midnight to announce he had signed the accord and asked his "Haitian brothers" to maintain calm.
"You may go to sleep knowing that there will not be any invasion," said Jonassaint, who was installed by the military in May.
Residents expressed uncertainty about what happens next in Haiti, a nation of 6.4 million people wracked by violence and with no tradition of democracy.
There has been no comment from Aristide, who has been living in exile in the United States since being driven from power after seven months in office.
The agreement did not name Aristide or say when he would return.
Under the new accord, Haiti's dictators agreed to step down as soon as the Haitian parliament passes an amnesty law to protect the coup leaders and their supporters from retribution. The pact requires they step down by Oct. 15 no matter what.
The agreement, however, does not require Cedras to leave Haiti or even mention him by name. Neither he nor Biamby signed the agreement.
^U.S. Troops Land in Haiti After Last-Minute Accord Halts Invasion
^By ANDREW SELSKY
^Associated Press Writer
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) _ U.S. soldiers descended on Haiti today as peacekeepers, not invaders, receiving a warm welcome and meeting no resistance as they began their mission to restore the country's elected leadership.
Haitians climbed over fences at the capital's port to greet U.S. Army soldiers, part of wave after wave of arriving troops and vanguard of an occupation force, which will enforce the agreement that averted an invasion of this impoverished nation.
The overwhelming greeting emphasized the general support Haitians gave to soldiers who will keep the peace in a country wracked by years of brutal Haitian army rule.
The port takeover, where pro-U.S. crowds lining the docks swelled to thousands by the afternoon, followed similar maneuvers at the international airport as U.S. forces seized key posts in the capital.
Troops warily climbed off Cobra and Black Hawk helicopters that crossed from U.S. warships offshore this morning and set down at the international airfield. Huge transport aircraft followed with landings in the afternoon.
Earlier at first light, two U.S. warships and a Coast Guard cutter glided into port and secured the main harbor. An aircraft carrier shimmered in the mist on the horizon.
U.S. Marines were deployed in the northern city of Cap-Haitien. Arriving troops, some from the 10th Mountain Division based in Fort Drum, N.Y., and some veterans of Somalia, said the takeovers went much smoother that those in the African nation.
"It seems like the Haitian people are happy for us to be here right now but there's always a bad apple in every bunch," said Staff Sgt. Clifford Drysdale, of Columbus, Ga., who spent a six-month tour in Somalia.
Under a cloudless blue sky, Maj. Gen. David Meade, commander of the army's 10th Mountain Division, told reporters on arrival at the Port-au-Prince airport, "We haven't seen any resistance and we haven't expected any."
Helicopters overflying Port-au-Prince broadcast, in the local Creole language, the following message: "Stay calm. We're not at war. We're here to restore democracy and supply humanitarian aid."
Lt. Gen. Henry Hugh Shelton, field commander of the Haiti operation and former head of the 82nd Airborne division, arrived after the airfield was secured.
Shelton, easily distinguishable in a red beret, strode off under a heavy U.S. guard to meet at the Haitian army headquarters with military leader Lt. Gen. Raoul Cedras. Under the agreement reached late Sunday, Cedras is to relinquish power by Oct. 15. He has reneged on past deals.
"I just had a meeting with General Cedras," Shelton told reporters after noon. "I'm happy to report that we have been very warmly received by military and the people here in Haiti."
In Washington, there was relief that a military conflict had been avoided. At the same time, questions were raised about whether President Clinton had been too accommodating to Cedras.
Clinton today conceded the situation "remains difficult ... uncertain" while former President Carter - sent to Haiti by Clinton in a last-ditch effort to avoid an invasion - called the effort a success.
"We believe that the overriding result has been the avoidance of massive bloodshed and perhaps an extended period of occupation," Carter said. He, former joint chiefs of staff Gen. Colin Powell, and Sen. Sam Nunn, D.-Ga., negotiated the agreement with Haiti's leaders.
In New York, the U.N. Security Council was to meet this afternoon to discuss lifting economic sanctions against Haiti that were imposed last year after Cedras went back on his word and refused to resign.
The new accord calls for Haiti's military leaders to step down and for exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was toppled by the military on Sept. 30, 1991, to return.
The agreement was reached after Clinton ordered American paratroopers into the air, halted a land, sea and air assault scheduled for today. In return, the pact calls for a lifting of the U.N. embargo that has made life on this poor Caribbean island even tougher.
This morning, along a mile-long stretch of shoreline in Carrefour, five miles west of the capital, hundreds of people stared out at the U.S. ships and watched as dozens of helicopters crossed overhead.
"We are very happy," said Levy Cadet, a restaurant security guard. "I hope that the military this time will respect the accord they've signed to give Haiti a chance to live."
Scattered gunfire broke out late Sunday after the American delegation ended marathon talks with Cedras and Brig. Gen. Philippe Biamby, army chief of staff.
A third junta leader, the Port-au-Prince police chief, Lt. Col. Michel Francois, was not a party to the agreement. He has gone into "virtual hiding," unidentified senior administration officials were quoted in today's New York Times as saying.
Haiti's 81-year-old president, Emile Jonassaint, went on television just before midnight to announce he had signed the accord and asked his "Haitian brothers" to maintain calm.
"You may go to sleep knowing that there will not be any invasion," said Jonassaint, who was installed by the military in May.
Residents expressed uncertainty about what happens next in Haiti, a nation of 6.4 million people wracked by violence and with no tradition of democracy.
There has been no comment from Aristide, who has been living in exile in the United States since being driven from power after seven months in office.
The agreement did not name Aristide or say when he would return.
Under the new accord, Haiti's dictators agreed to step down as soon as the Haitian parliament passes an amnesty law to protect the coup leaders and their supporters from retribution. The pact requires they step down by Oct. 15 no matter what.
The agreement, however, does not require Cedras to leave Haiti or even mention him by name. Neither he nor Biamby signed the agreement.
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