Rebel leader says he has no agenda beyond deposing Aristide

Описание: (16 Feb 2004)
1. Former Port-Au-Prince Police Chief and rebel leader Guy Philippe laughing
2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Guy Philippe, Former Port-Au-Prince Police Chief and now rebel leader:
Question: "Where did you learn your English?"
Philippe: "I was living in the states for two years. My wife is American."
Question: "But you guys live here now?"
Philippe: "We used to live here, before him."
Question: "Before him? What happened then?"
Philippe: "You know, you know this guy?"
Question: "You mean the president? Aristide?"
Philippe: "Aristide''s not the president. I said this guy."
Question: "Did you used to be in the military I understand?"
Philippe: "I studied in Ecuador, Police Academy of Ecuador. For three years and then I police officer."
Question: "When were you in the country serving as a police officer?"
Philippe: "From 95 until 2000."
Question: "So you were police officer under that guy?"
Philippe: "No, under the president, I was police chief."
Question: "From 2000 what happened to you?"
Philippe: "In 2000 I had to leave the country. Because of Aristide, we have problem with Aristide. We went to the Dominican Republic and then to Ecuador, and now we came."
Question: "Who are you representing? Is there a group that came back?"
Philippe: "We represent all the people who have suffered." (Camera pans rounds room)
3. Various rebels in room
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Guy Philippe, former Port-Au-Prince Police Chief:
Question: "What is your proposal, do you have a political platform? Or is it at this moment more of a purely revolutionary proposal in that you want the resistance to spread to other places."
Philippe: "We don''t have any platform, what are fight is for a better country. As soon as Aristide leaves we are ready to give the weapons to, I don''t know, the new government. We are not here for political reasons. We are fighting for the presidency, were fighting for the people, for our convictions and for what we want for the country."
Question: "Do you personally have political aspirations, or political platform, do you feel you might run for a political office?"
Philippe: ""No, not for now."
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Guy Philippe, former Port-Au-Prince Police Chief and now rebel leader:
Philippe: "Maybe in one or two days, I''ll let you know."
Question: What kind of armament do you guys have?"
Philippe: "M-1s, M-14, M16, you know, you can see for yourself."
Question: "Are you worried about the U.S. coming in and trying to find you guys?"
Philippe: "No, not really. Why would they come and fight? We are fighting for our country, it''s not their business. The only thing they can do is come and remove Aristide from power and then we give them all our weapons. We don''t want to fight them, we are fighting for a good cause, why should they come?"
(Philippe gives his age as 35 and spells his name)
STORYLINE:
A former police chief who fled to the Dominican Republic after being accused by the Haitian government of fomenting a coup in 2002 has told APTN that he had no political agenda beyond deposing Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
Guy Philippe, wanted by Haitian authorities, was interviewed with several of his men in a small house in an undisclosed location in the city of Gonaives, 70 miles (112 kilometres) northwest of Port-au-Prince, on Saturday.
A rebel force trying to oust Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide seems to be growing as former exiled paramilitary troops joined the insurrection.
He said once that Aristide''s overthrow was achieved he and his men would lay down their arms and submit to a new government.

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