Haiti's new US-backed leader angrily pulled his ambassador from Jamaica for hosting ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, whose return to the Caribbean threatened more violent protests to demand his return to the traumatized country.
A gunman presumed to be a militant Aristide supporter shot and wounded a US Marine. The first peacekeeper casualty since Aristide fled Haiti two weeks ago was seen as revenge for the killings of two Haitians by Marines that some Haitians accused of being trigger-happy.
At least three people accused of destabilizing Haiti were arrested among a dozen in a police crackdown that appeared to target Aristide partisans.
Aristide, who has accused the US of abducting him and forcing his departure from Haiti on Feb. 29, made no political comment when he arrived in Kingston on Monday, apparently bowing to Jamaica's demand that he not use the neighboring island to pursue his campaign to return to Haiti.
Aristide and his wife, Mildred, were whisked away on a helicopter to what officials said was a rural prime ministerial residence.
But Aristide indicated when he left the Central African Republic that he had not abandoned his ambitions.
"For the time being, I'm listening to my people," he said.
That would be the roar of distress expressed most eloquently by Port-au-Prince slum dwellers threatening new protests to demand his return as Haiti's democratically elected president, and who see the US-led multinational force as a foreign occupation army.
Interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue suspended diplomatic relations with Jamaica and Haiti's membership of the 15-member Caribbean economic bloc.
Under the chairmanship of Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, the Caribbean Community has called for an investigation into Aristide's claim that the US forced an elected president from power. US officials say they acted at Aristide's request and probably saved his life as rebels prepared to attack the Haitian capital.
US State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said Aristide's looming presence "does not serve a useful purpose. But he's here. He's on a private visit. And he's here temporarily as a former president of Haiti."
Jamaican officials said they were allowing the Aristides a respite to reunite with their two daughters at a rural government retreat for up to 10 weeks while they decide on a permanent home in exile. Unofficially, Jamaican officials say Aristide wants to go to South Africa.
"There are people trying to destabilize the country. It may be ex-president Aristide himself who is contributing by giving money and advice," Latortue suggested.
Under a US-backed plan, he was to name some Cabinet members yesterday to help form a transitional government, uniting former enemies from Aristide's Lavalas Family party and a disparate opposition coalition. But the only names put forward as sure winners so far are anti-Aristide.
Police on Sunday arrested a dozen people including key Aristide partisans, for a range of alleged crimes from murder to drug-trafficking.
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