Sucks to be him.

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Aristide Urges Calm, U.S. Questions His Fitness
By Alistair Scrutton and Jim Loney
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, facing anarchy, food shortages and rising pressure from Washington to resign as rebels close in, tried on Saturday to rein in armed loyalists terrorizing the capital.

In a sign that supporters heeded his call for calm, many street barricades, flaming the night before, were dismantled. On Friday, the city was in anarchy and at least three people were killed -- one hacked with machetes -- while armed men at barricades robbed passersby. Looting was rife.

"We condemn that (looting). When it's not good, we have to say it's not good," Aristide said in a television address. But he added residents should keep barricades ready against any attack by rebels now in control of half the nation.

The motley band of former soldiers and gang members advancing on the capital, many packed into small trucks, say they plan to continue their siege of Port-au-Prince for a few more days before an expected attack in a bid to oust Aristide.

There was sporadic violence on Saturday in the capital. Gunmen shot at offices of an anti-government radio station and looting continued at the port, which had been ransacked the day before. Looters carried away bags of grains from USAID, the U.S. government aid agency.

Most shops and gas stations were closed and food was running short. One luxury hotel rationed air conditioning, due to fuel shortages.

In Washington, the White House questioned Aristide's fitness to continue to govern -- the clearest indication to date that the United States believes his departure would help resolve the armed revolt that began on Feb. 5 and in which more than 65 people have died.

"We urge him to examine his position carefully, to accept responsibility, and to act in the best interests of the people of Haiti," the White House said in a statement. "This long-simmering crisis is largely of Mr. Aristide's making."

Over 1,000 Aristide supporters peacefully marched by the U.S. Embassy on Saturday, waving Haitian flags and shouting "Aristide yes, terrorists no!" The embassy was empty apart from some heavily armed Marines sent to protect the building.

AIRPORT PANIC

Over 50 foreigners and Haitians pushed and shoved each other at the city airport as they desperately tried to get on a 12-seater aircraft heading for the Dominican Republic. Most commercial flights from Haiti have been suspended
Canada on Saturday began flying its citizens out of Haiti on board Canadian military aircraft. A Hercules military transport plane took a group of 20 Canadian, U.S. and Haitian citizens to the neighboring Dominican Republic.
U.S. defense officials said they were considering sending a three-ship group carrying U.S. Marines to help deal with the crisis in the Caribbean country of 8 million, the poorest country in the Americas.

A negotiated deal to end the revolt, which began in the northwestern city of Gonaives, still appeared far away.

Aristide, a one-time populist hero of Haitian democracy, has long faced accusations from political foes of corruption and of arming thugs to enforce loyalty.

He dismisses his political rivals -- who are not aligned with the armed rebels but share their aims of unseating Aristide -- as an elite opposed to black rule.

Since the political tensions erupted into an armed rebellion, his 4,000, ill-trained police force has wilted.

Aristide's address came shortly after the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince issued a statement saying pro-government groups had begun to "burn, pillage and kill" and calling on Aristide to put a halt to it. The embassy also called on the armed rebels to halt their advance on the capital.

"We heard the president speak and we accept it but he needs to understand we have the right to protect ourselves, to protect our lives," said Jean Marie, an Aristide supporter near a barricade in central Port-au-Prince.

'FIVE YEARS'

South Africa's Beeld newspaper said on Saturday South African police had arranged to send next week 150 R1 rifles, 5,000 rounds of ammunition, 200 smoke bombs and 200 bullet-proof jackets to Haiti for use by government forces.

Two boats filled with around 330 Haitians, who tried to sail to the Florida coast, arrived at Port-au-Prince port on Saturday after being sent back by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Rebel leader Guy Philippe, a former police chief accused of plotting coups who returned from exile in the Dominican Republic to join the revolt, has said his men planned to cut off Port-au-Prince from the ocean.

(Additional reporting by Joseph Guyler Delva in Port-au-Prince)

© Reuters 2004. All Rights Reserved.

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This reads like a news article from SimCity 2000...