From the Jamaica Observer:
Aristide muzzled
Contact with journalists restricted, say hosts
AFP
Saturday, March 06, 2004
BANGUI, (AFP) - The Cabinet in the Central African Republic went into talks yesterday, reportedly to discuss what to do with their difficult guest, ousted Haitian leader, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and took steps to keep him quiet.
National radio announced that all local and foreign journalists with questions relating to Aristide, who has annoyed his hosts with embarrassing statements, must henceforth first address themselves to the CAR authorities.
"All agents of the private press and the foreign press must go to the foreign ministry over any matter related to the stay of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, for better coordination and orientation," said a broadcast government statement.
More at
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20040305T220000-0500_56677_OB...
And then, buried inside CNN Africa, is this story:
The grounds surrounding his villa are immaculately groomed, and the area is heavily fortified, surrounded by a wall and military -- including French gendarmes.
Vehicles entering the compound are checked for explosives, and no members of the media are allowed entrance.
Aristide has access to satellite television, but his telephone privileges were revoked after he told CNN Tuesday that he had been forced to leave Haiti -- a victim of a U.S.-led coup -- and he is not allowed to leave his villa, his spokesman told CNN...
"We cannot afford for him to embarrass us, because he has allegedly said he is a prisoner, and accused Washington of orchestrating his premature departure," Central African Republic Minister of Information Parfait M'Bay told CNN regarding Aristide's loss of telephone privileges.
"We made Mr. Aristide understand that in no case could he use the territory of Central Africa, the hospitality of Central Africa, to create problems for his country by calling on the people to revolt, for example, or by making regrettable statements."
...
Aristide's host and the leader of the government is Gen. Francois Bozize, a 55-year-old career military officer who seized power last March in a coup against the elected president, Ange Felix Patasse...
More at http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/africa/03/05/aristide.exile/
And, oddly enough, Bozize's first attempt to overthrow the elected Patasse failed, and it was largely revealed that France assisted in that coup attempt, as this BBC story explains:
"The Central African Republic's President, Ange-Felix Patasse, has accused France of "complicity" in last month's failed coup attempt but said without help from Libya, the bloodshed would have continued longer."
More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1394392.st m
And now France actively provides military assistance to Bozize, as detailed here: http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:oREABMfey1wJ:www.ocnus.net/artman/publish/article_9779.shtml+Pa tasse+France+Coup&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
