Exiled Aristide Refuses to Admit Defeat

Haiti's ousted president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, today called for peaceful resistance to the "occupation" of his homeland in his first public comments since he was forced to flee a bloody rebellion.

Speaking at a press conference in the Central African Republic, where he has been in exile since March 1, Mr Aristide insisted he was still the president of the Caribbean state - despite the swearing-in of an interim president.

Mr Aristide said: "I am the democratically elected president and I remain so. I plead for the restoration of democracy. We appeal for a peaceful resistance."

He also repeated his assertion that he was kidnapped and forced from power in a coup overseen by the US - a claim the White House has dismissed as "nonsense".

"The fact is there was a political abduction," said Mr Aristide today.

His comments came after renewed violence in Haiti yesterday. Suspected supporters of the exiled leader sprayed gunfire into a crowd of thousands of marchers celebrating his downfall, killing at as many as six people and wounding many more.

The marchers - shouting "Try Aristide! Jail Aristide!" - demanded he face prosecution for alleged corruption and killings committed by his militant supporters.

The shooting prompted US marines, who were policing the march, to return fire. This was their first armed action since arriving as part of an international peacekeeping force a week ago.

Prime Minister Yvon Neptune condemned the killings. He also defended the marines' return of fire, saying the soldiers abided by "rules of engagement [that] permit proportional force".

Mr Neptune - an Aristide appointee whom protesters have also demanded be tried - ordered the police to search for perpetrators and "start disarming all who carry illegal weapons".

The main rebel leader, Guy Philippe, who was hoisted on to the shoulders of protesters yesterday and hailed a hero, promised to disarm last week.

However, his fighters say they will surrender their arms only after Mr Aristide's militants have done the same.

The latest attack will strengthen that resolve. It could also further complicate the formation of a national unity government to resolve the political rivalries at the heart of Haiti's crisis.