Aristide leaves S. Africa for Haiti

By John Sexton

China.org.cn, March 18, 2011

Haiti's former president Jean Bertrand Aristide on Thursday left South Africa to return home ahead of the presidential run-off elections on Sunday at the Caribbean island, media reports said.

Aristide boarded a plane in South Africa, where he has lived in exile since fleeing a violent uprising in Haiti in 2004.

According to media reports, Aristide was accompanied by Hollywood actor and campaigner Danny Glover.

Aristide, who still enjoys broad popular support among Haiti's working class, was the?elected president of Haiti three times, first from 1990-1991, then from 1994 to 1996, and again from 2001 to 2004.

The U.S. earlier this week appealed to Aristide to postpone his return to Haiti until after the electoral process was completed, to allow the election process to go ahead in a peaceful environment.

President Obama made a personal call to South African President Jacob Zuma in a last-ditch effort to prevent Aristide's return, according to US National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor.

"The United States, along with others in the international community, has deep concerns that President Aristide's return to Haiti in the closing days of the election could be destabilizing," Vietor said.

Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas party was barred from fielding candidates in the presidential election despite its widespread support in the country. Only 22.9 percent of those eligible turned out to vote in the first round and there were allegations of widespread fraud.

Xinhua, Agencies contributed to the story.